Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1919-12-19

BLUEBERRIES
BY HELEN AHLoUIsT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


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 a 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 a bunch of it.
They'll be perfectly safe there"
she thought "and I'll only be gone a
minute anyway"
/ But she was gone over an hour and
got back just in time TO see u 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 To-" he continued
valiantly with his explanation, only to
be cut short again by Betty.
Il don't care what you were going
to do. You spilled every one of my
berries-every one of them" she added
tragically. you ought to be arrested
for robbery, so there l think you're
a--you're a" But she couldn't think
or 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 look of whitening
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
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,
Granny 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 a friend of Wills, and
I'm sure he couldn't be nicer! l was
/ Just going to ask you to show him
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
! berriesr'
Granny was most sympathetic
person usually and she realized if she
laughed at Bettys tragic statement
that she'd never be forgiven. She
hastily ran down stairs, shutting the
door behind her, and then sat down
and laughed till the tears rolled down
her cheeks. She even took Granny and
MIR. Moore into her confidence and the
three of them considered it a huge
joke.
But they had figured without Betty.
She didn't think it joke, and for the
whole week didn't say word to Mr..
Moore. She avoided him whenever she
could, and when this was impossible
looked miles past him If they CHANGED
to meet.
Never you mind, Mr.. Moore" Gram.
my cOnsoIed him, shes stubborn as
mule. but she'll get over it; just you
wait and see if she doesn't"
And that very same day Betty die
get over it, The RObbinses went
shopping down the square" and left
Betty at home to get supper. Moore
leisurely reading in the hammock
could hear her singing as she worked
and regretted that such a small &C
cident should keep them from bein.
. friends. She's acting just like al
eight-year-old," he thought, land al
she needs Is good spankingw Hi
thoughts We're rudely interrupted, anC
quickly he ran to the kitchen.
"Oh, Granny, Granny, oh anybody,
} she cried, "the Kitchens on fire."
And sure enough--somehow or othe
( the box of kindlings by the stove hat
: caught, and was blazing merrily away
, but the two of them put 1t out in
: second. After the excitement wa
( over, Betty braVely started TO thnnl