The Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 191?-19??, 1919-10-28
FACE VALUE
sy LOUISE HOFFMAN.


-S oNoaos - mat uAuI lLC lCfCu-
twenty" exclaimed Hannah Houghson,
as shriIl whistle rent the morning
air. Beats all how time flies, HI
ram; amt that butter come YETI" she
rasped.
n guess it'll come soon, now"
drawled her tall, good-natured husband.
patiently turning away at the huge bar
rel churn.
We'll, you'd best give them cows
more SALT" she advised, bustling about
with one eye on the station platform.
My! dinner'll be late today. That but
ter has got to 60 on the 3:15, an
faint churned yet"
Hannah dropped her steel-rimmed
gpectacles down onto her angular nose
and peered out of the window. In the
80 years that she and Hiram had lived
In the tiny cottage perched on a hill
above the station she had never been
too busy to stop and watch the few
! passengers alight at Cedaryille.
Mercy :" she criticized as her atten-
( tion became conferred on a smartly
dressed couple with a young baby.
THAT woman don't act much like
mother. She's lettin' the sun blaze
right into that poor baby's eyes" Then,
after a moments intent watching and
relief; There, she's shadin, it some
now"
Why, Hiram" she gasped "there
they 80 in an automobile up the half
mile drive to the Appleby estate. They
must be the new people who have
rented the place."
Buffers come" announced Hiram
triumphantly.
swell, if they amt got a baby. Sam
Corby told me he WANT goin' to rent
to folks with children again. The last
family parked off all the sittin' room
paint" a~-
! It'll be long time fore that baby
barks off much paint" reflected Hi
ram, skimming out the golden Jumps
of butter onto the working board.
THAT amt it so much as that these
folks is gettin' this place under false
pretenses. Last week I saw their fur
niture, and they had high chair an
cradle and go-cart, and now they
got the baby, all right"
IT'S none of our business what they
got" broke in Hiram. Let Sam take
care Of that end of it."
Finally, she could restrain her Gu
riosity no longer and one pleasant aft
ernoOn she ventured a call on the
queer people"
Now, Mrs. Gavey," she began after
introducing herself, SIN afraid you'll
think the neighbors amt very sociable.
l hope you amt lonely"
Mrs. Gavey smiled. We've been SO
busy we haven't had time" she re-
/ piled. "And then, we have plenty Of
resources within ourselves"
Yes, l suppose So" returned Han
nah obviously. She rallied in a mo-
ment and came to the point of her
call at once. "How is the baby?" she
inquired solicitously. "The poor little
thing must be pretty peaked shet up
so much" -s1N,zs sss si hsssgsls.ily'.
Mrs, Gavey stared at her visitor in
polite amazement. g...y gaSll
@Ihe baby she questioned "There
mus be some mistake. We have no
baby You know, Mr. Corby refused
TO take tenants with children"
What. amt you got no baby?" Ques-
toned Hannah b!unty. Then raising
her hands in horror; whats become
of it, theng?" ,-.1-~---...---.-,.-,-
The entrance of Mr.. Gayey at this
moment caused happy Interruption
"One of our neighbors has come to
call" explained Mrs. Gavey. land is
under the impression that We have
baby" ,..--,a... -..-~----
"Why, you had q cradle an high
chair an a gO-cart in your furniture"
asserted Hannah.
"Oh," laughed Mrs. Gavey, "the !
high chair belonged to Mr.. Gavey
when he was a child. The cradle and
go-cart are presents and we have them
packed and ready to ship to my broth
er tomorrow"
Put you had baby in Your arms
the first day you arrived in Cedar
Vile" declared Hannah.
81 had baby when 1 came hereT'
she echoed vaguely. II don't remem-
ber," looking helplessly at her hus-
band.
Mr.. and Mrs. Gavey had made SO
many trips that their first trip seem
ed to have blotted out of their minds.
Suddenly Mrs. Gavey's face bright
ened. "Alicia's baby !" she calculated.
"Thats it."
In a flash they saw how a simple |
incident had created an air of mys-
terry about them. "On the train" ex-
planned Mrs. Garvey 1--WE met a
friend who had just recovered from a
serious illness. She was travelling with |
her baby and a trained nurse. The
trip proved too much for her and she
became i'll, requiring all the nurses
attention. We took charge of the |
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