Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1919-05-09
BLESS THAT STOVE.
BY JUNE /. JOHNSON.
eNSSINs1S1SSN1SS0 N10S1sNNHS0eN0
1919. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per eSyndicate)

cousin Sue and tell her ] hope shell
soon be better. And don't tire yourself
out caring for her. Yes. I'll remem'
Der to feed the cat. and that Bob Is
fond Of pudding, and that the iceman
comes on Thursday. and-mumsey. dc
hurry or you'll miss your trainl'
With gay wave OF her hand. Mar.
gerry s. watched her mother oft of
sight, and then went into the house.
A whole week of housekeeping by
herself! Margery actually Rugged
herself as she thought. Wouldn't she
prepare the greatest feasts for ia
Their and Bob? She'd make their
mouths water!> III.
Lets see, what time is 1t now?"
unused Margery. slipping into a ging-
ham apron that enyeloped her from
head to foot. "Quarter to five. Time
to get supper ready. guess I'll have
potatoes and salmon-and-oh isn't 1t
glorious to be housekeeper!" And
Margery whirled around the room to
get rid of some of her bottled.up de-
light. H..
1t was the second day of Radford
H-'s furlough. As he disconsoiateiy
wandered about the town he wondered
gloomily what to do with the time on
his hands. Suddenly something hap
spened! ...--
He vas starting up new street,
when out of the corner house vision
in blue and white. with flying brown
,,r1e, do Int 10 g
II seemed. ~ " -,
"Oh, Tom y 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 Il beg your pardon !" And the girl
backed away in great confusion and
establishment.
II say, what's the matter?" ex-
claimed Radford, regaining his breath
and finding out that he liked this
rather extraordinary proceeding than
otherwise. a-..s
"Oh, please excuse me-" stammered
Margery; II thought you were Tom
R, one of our neighbors! He's a,
sailor. too, and you look exactly like
him" IT.
I'm sorry I disappointed you." re-
turned Radford with an amused smile.
"You seem to be In trouble. Pardon
ne. but can't assist your
IF you don't mind" dimpled Mar
gerry, 81 would like you to see If you
could fix the old thing"
Ten minutes later flushed Radford
with smudgy face Strengthened up
from over the stove and announced
cheerily to Margery: "It's all right
now; 1t was only clogged up. You
van use it,
with relieved sigh Margery drop
ped into chair. ''How can ] ever
thank your she said. II never could
hive fixed 1t myself, and ! should
!i;,vc had to wait until father came
h,,," or Bob. Oh. don't you want to
v'%:'', ynnr face?"-jumping up-"it's
rashrr dirty" @'.
. II think you said when you came
in hat you had no particular place
81 .,." began Margery. would you
-hn g,sptd at her own holiness. hut
i".lvrly iin!shptl-"care to stay-for
~upprr--with father, Bob and met"
-. hc:terS. spoons. cake tins, sift-
ar< and .ncll were very much in evil
',rn,.e during the next half-hOur. while
II very r'nE-chrekcti Margery and Rad
ord with an apron on. too. hurried
'nc.; and forth both chatting merrily
they w,r'' eel.
'nag!iie MIR SIS and BOb's sur
prise when they came home that eve
:,;is. 10 he met III the door by radi-
nNt M"rScry feuishinc an eg: beat
"r. while behind her doomed a tall.
'r"otl-lnolsing s:,ilnr. with n broad grin
III his ruddy face.
Folks began Mar.ery excitedly.
please meet"
But she never finished. for with one
leap Bob s. reached the side of Rad
ford. and 'exclanlations 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 thing! Boy. but it's
good to see a familiar face -
9 With eyes wide open, Margery stared
at the excited two, who were shaking
hands vigorously, and pummelins each
other on the back. Had they gone
crazy? But Radford settled her doubts
by explaining to her with twinkling
eyes: Its my turn to introduce, Miss
s. Your brother Bob and I are old
we roomed together in college.
and we. haven't seen each other since
That night the little party gathered
around the supper table.
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 with
Bob.
True to his promises. Radford did
come often and was cordially greeted
No Rovne1r