The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1919-12-04

midday dinner, as q natural result
the Traddles hunted out sacred music
end We sans. and sang and sang. ther
read and discussed improvements In
time-servers and sang again.
Some way felt really good and
pleasant and loving all round-kind o,
in short frocks and hair ribbons. But
as John 10. with distinct stoop OF
piety between his shoulders, led the
reverend toward the library to look
up the heather in books my fingers
strayed irresponsibly to dancing Jig.
notes that could not fail to get into
his toes and shake the Sunday humps
| out before he got there
| In this mood of good will toward
everybody thought Of letters I owed
to people who really deserved them.
and made myself comfortable in ki-
mono and unbound hair before seating
myself at the desk that my room
| boosted.
Then that wretched cat Of the Trad
dies began.
i felt sure 1t was shut outside'a win
dow somewhere. and, going through
the main hall, / fioundered down a
darksome. alley-like place. hunting for
the thing. The sound seemed close
beside me and as opened door out
scudded the cat.
What insane notion made me step
into the room / don't know. but no
sooner had I passed the threshold
than wind from somewhere banged
the door behind me. When 1 turned
to find ii it was gone. ran my hand
along the wall to fipd the light button.
but that was lost too.
shouted and banged and reshouted.
but no one appeared. So / closed the
window and tried to make bee line
for. the door.
With an "Allah be praised ~ turned
the handle and walked boldly forth. i
caught hold Of neutrality-suspicious..
supposed. but they were queer OF
shape and seemed TO be hung on
wires. Clothes, by all that was I'M
pleasant. and-men's clothes at that.
They seemed to stretch out and clutch
at me.
Hastily l began again to hunt for
the right door. I found handle, but
II belonged to bureau. Then
Knocked against something furry
some of the Traddles' hugs and cater
pillars. 1 knew (they have mania for
horrors): and shrieked AS they fell
about me. and imagined them crawl
ing round from the upset box. More
things tumbled over; more Gravity
things crept after me.
In agony reached high up out OF
their way; and something bit my arm.
I yelled and yelled. and the thing bit
harder the more tried to get away
and then came bouncing down upon
me. 1 could feel the blood trickling
down my arm; but. not satisfied. IT
gripped and dragged at me. then fell
to the floor with thud and wriggled
around my feet.
cried again in terror and gingerly
put down my hand to push 1t away.
but it would not bulge and my arm
was tearing. knocked against some
thing-a bed, and sank cOnvulsed be-
side it. Ny last hour had come. and
with fervency i began TO say my
prayers; and, In their midst 1 gained
strength to try and rid myself Of the
awful something. 1t was hard and
stringy; that treasured me. touched
my arm. Yes, 1t was hook, caught
deep in the flesh. had knocked
fishing contrivance down bodily and 1t
was having its revenge.
could not get 1t out, so began with
the litany, went on and on as far as
'1ove, honor and obey" and there ]
halted, could get no further, and kept
muttering the words to myself that
had vowed would never pass my lips.
Then heard q sound-someone was
coming. 1 tried to shout, but it was
Of no use. love. honor and obey"
was all could cry out.
The door was pushed noisily open
far away from any direction / had
even thought Of. and q person almost
danced into the room to the tune OF
that dancing:jig. stumbled over the
hshline and said words inappropriate
to the day.
The jerk hurt excrucfatingly, but
began to laugh. laughed and laughed.
and could not stop. Then. without the
slightest warning. it turned into .
howl of a sob. and down came the DEL
uge-great, big. uncomfortable sobs
that shook me and shook the room,
and made the whole earth convulse.
Light was turned on, and there was
the reverend leaning over me, patting
my head with "Poor little grille" say
ings while he disengaged the hook.
Somehow I was unbound and led
away.
The aftermath of the sickening
of two-days' headache
is the nearest to heaven that we NOR
tails get.
lay quietly in hammock on the
upstairs piazza-no one near me
with the loveliest, the kindest, the
most glorious thoughts chasing each
oxt,o. q, ., dol;ciouS abandon through