The Chicago whip. (Chicago, Ill.) 1919-19??, 1919-09-13

BLUEBERRIES
BY HELEN AHlQUIST
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

great sigh of satisfaction as she
noticed that the top of her pail was
nicely rounded with berries on top at
last started for the little red farm
house where she had been boarding
with Granny" and Granny" Rob-
bins for the past two weeks. She ex-
listed in town over ledger as weeks of
the year and lived for the four she
spent in the country each summer. She
sang as she trudged along, With never
care in the world except getting back
home in time for dinner.
She had gone about half way when
she spied bunch of mountain laurel
by Atwoods ledge. She had often
heard Granny Robbins bewail Its
scarcity in their vicinity, SO she care
fully put her pail Of berries under a
clump of bushes which were near by
and started off to get bunch of il.
They'll be perfectly safe there"
she thought, land I'll only be gone d
minute anyway"
But she was gone over an hour anu
got back just in time to see young
man ruefully trying TO gather up the
contents of the pail. He had spilled
every berry
You see," he started alphabetically,
TT"
Don't you dare to say another
word" Betty interrupted rudely,
"you-"
Il was just going Co" ne continued
yaliantly with his explanation, only TO
be cut short again by Betty.
u don't care what you were going
70 do. You spilled every one of my
Derries-every one of them" she added
tragcally. you ought to be arrested
Tor robbery. SO there I think you're
a-you're "a" But she couldn't think
OF word OF sufficient expression to
describe him, so he took advantage Of
her pause to finish his explanation.
ITO sit down." he murmured con-
tritely. .
Betty gave him a look of witt ering
scorn and started on her way again
while he stood watching her repent
antly.
"There isn't thing can do about
IT." he murmured hopelessly. "She's a
regular little spitfire."
Betty was nearly home when she re-
membered that she had left her noun
tain laurel behind and went back to
get 1t. When finally she reached the
farmhouse there sat the offender on
the piazza comfortably chatting away
with Granny Robbins Granny saw
her from the kitchen window and hur-
ried out to introduce her to the new
boarder, for, as she so often said,
"Grampy will forget little things like
that, you know"
Betty acknowledged the introduction
frigidly and as frigidly excused her.
self. Granny looked with troubled
expression from one to the other and
then hastily followed Betty upstairs.
why, Honey, what's the matter?
never saw you in such a mood before.
Mr.. Moore is friend of Wits, and
I'm sure he couldn't be nicer 1 was
around the farm"
"Oh, couldn't do that" exclaimed
Betty in horror, II just couldn't. Why, |
he's the man that spilled my blue
berries !"
Granny was most sympathetic
person usually and she realized if she
laughed at Betty's tragic statement
that she'd never be forgiven. She
hastily ran down stairs, shutting the
ioor behind her, and then sat down
and laughed till the tears rolled down
Ter cheeks. She even took Granny and
Mr. Moore into her confidence and the
hree of them considered it q huge
oke.
But they had figured without Betty.
she didn't think 1t a joke and for the
whole week didn't say word to Mr..
Moore. She avoided him whenever she
could, and when this was impossible,
ooked miles past him * they CHANGED
b meet. o
A'Neyer you mind, Mr.. Moore" Gram
consoled him, "shes stubborn as
Mule, but she'll get over 1t; just you
Nand see If she doesn't"
"eN that very same day Betty did
sbNyer it," The Robbinses went
RetN down the square" and left
le,suA home to get supper. Moore.
could \reading in the hammock,
and "A her singing as she worked,
cidant ed that such a small &C.
friends VI keep them from being
eiqht.vaaAe's acting just like an
che needsE he thought, "and all
thoughts W good spanking" His
ouicklv no r&ldely interrupted, and
"Oh, CRANK 'iie hitcheh'
she cried "thSampy' Oh ANYBODY
Ana s,ro orA Mems on fire."
tbe hoy of kind somehow or other
caupht and was\by the stove had
hut the two of tRg merrily away,
second. After tlPut II OUT IN |
over Betty bravelN citement was I
him, but she only yea 10 thahk
while, and then quiNpered for