The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1919-03-31
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BLESS THAT STOVE |:
BY JUNE |. JOHNSON.
I1.I Z, S1ST Y n Y y 04 t1te
per syndicate)

Cousin Sue and tell her hope shell
soon be better. And don't tire yourself
out caring for her. Yes, I'll remem'
ber to feed the cat. and that Bob is
fond Of pudding, and that the lceman
comes on Thursday, and-mumsey, do
hurry or you'll miss your train"
With a gay wave of her hand, Mar
gerry s. watched her mother out Of
sight, and then went into the house.
A whole week of housekeeping by
herself Margery actually hugged
herself as she thought. Wouldn't she
prepare the greatest feasts for fa-
ther and Bob? Shed make their
mouths water!
Lets see, what time Is 1t now?'
mused Margery, slipping into ging-
ham apron that enveloped her from
head to foot "Quarter to five. Time
to get supper ready. / guess I'll have
potatoes and salmon-and-oh isn't It
glorious to be a housekeeperp And
Margery whirled around the room TO
get rid of some of her bottled-up de-
light.
1t was the second day of Radford
H-'s furlough. AS he disconsolately
wandered about the town he wondered
gloomily what to do with the time on
his hands. Suddenly something hap
pened
He was starting up a new street,
when out of the corner house vision
in blue and white, with flying brown
curls, came dashlng into his arms, SO
1t seemed.
"Oh, Toni" breathed the vision, who
by this time had taken the shape of a
very pretty, very excited young girl,
"do come in and see if you can fix our
kitchen range The old thing won't
oh II beg your pardon! !" And the girl
backed away in great confusion and
astonishment.
II say, what's the matter" ex-
claimed Radford, regaining his breath
and finding out that he liked this
rather extraordinary proceeding than
otherwise.
"Oh, please excuse me-" stammered
Margery; 81 thought you were Tom
R, one of our neighbors! He's a
sailor, too, and you look exactly like
him"
I'm sorry I disappointed YOU re-
turned Radford with an amused smile.
"You seem to be in trouble. Pardon
me, but can't l assist you"
"If you don't mind" dimpled Mar
gerry, Il would like you to see If you
could fix the old thing"
Ten minutes later flushed Radford
with a smudgy face Strengthened up
from over the stove and announced
cheerily to NIargery: "It's all right
now; 1t was only clogged up. You
can use it,"
With a relieved sigh Margery drop
ped into a chair. How can | ever
thank your" she said. 81 never could
have fixed it myself, and | should
have had to wait until father came
home, or Bob. Oh, don't you want to
wash your faceY-iumping up-"it's
rather dirty"
81 think you said when YOU came
In that you had no particular place
to 60" began Margery. "Would you"
she gasped at her own boldness, but
bravely finlshed-"care to stay--for
supper-with father, Bob and me?"
Egg heaters, spoons, cake tins, sift-
ers and such were very much in evil
dence during the next half-hour, while
very pink checked Margery and Rad !
ford. with an apron on, too, hurried
back and forth, both chatting merrily
as they worked.
Imagine Mr. SIS and Bob's sur
prise when they came home that eve
ming to be met at the door by a radi- |
ant Margery 1ourishing an egg beat |
er, While behind her loomed a tall,
good-lookng sailor, with a broad grin
on his ruddy face.
"Folks," began Margery excitedly |
"please meet"
But she never finished, for with one /
leap Bob S. reached the side of Rad |
ford, and exclamations such as these
issued from the eager lips of the two .
young men:
Great Scott! You here? Why,
thought I'd lost track Of you forever
How the world"
'Why didn't you tell me you lived
in this district? I'd been up here
yesterday first thingl Boy, but it's
good to see a familiar facet"
With eyes wide open, Marsery stared
at the excited two, who were shaking
hands vigorously, and pummellng each
other on the back. Had they gone
crazy? But Gadford settled her doubts
by explaining to her with twinkling
eyes: IT'S my turn TO introduce, Miss
S. Your brother Bob and ] are old
friends; we roomed together in college
and we haven't seen each other since
graduation"
That night the little party gathered
around the supper table. o
After a merry evening. Radford de
parted, but not until he had left be
hind him promises to return and talk
over again the college days witt
Bob.
True TO his promises. Radford die
come often and was cordially greeted
by the s. family.
Maybe I'm a little suspicious-but Il
seemed as if college was not the only
topic of conversation and that Bot
--I,