Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-07-02
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ISABEL.
BY LOUISE A. ADDISON.
Observation-Disclosures
IJIg, Dy tne MO-
pager Syndicate

We knew as soon as we saw her that
she was different. By the light of her
eye, the sprightliness in her step, by
her quick, defiant expression, Isabel
made ii clear to US that she was no
| ordinary cow.
"a jersey" my father said. But
think he was mistaken. Idon't know
much about cows. She wanted place
| in the sun. She had q laundering for
caste, and she refused Immediately to
herd with the everyday, milk-giving
cows in the neighborhood. ...
Old Mr.. j, who had taken the cows
to the pasture for years, reported to
/ father at the end of the first day that
Isabel had taken one look at her placid,
grass-munching companions-and bolt
ed. He had chased her the entire day
| through forest and glade, and brought
her home, after a spent day, rebcllious
and defiant. ...,.t..
! "Taint no use talking" said the old
man, IF cow don't act like COW
can't be bothered That critters got
: too much sense for an animal, faint
! natural. / know she Jest did things
today out of sheer spite, and ! shan't
chase after her no more"
g. And he didn't. SO Isabel stayed
home, while her companions went
meekly to pasture every day. Still she
was dissatisfied. 1t was evident that
staying in a dreary barn all day irked
her high-strung nerves. She had yearn-
ings for higher sphere Of influence,
so one day, the door being open, lsa-
bel walked out in. search of adventure
and her place in the sun.
And it was on that same day that
Evelyn, our pretty young city, cousin,
was packing her clothes to go home.
Evelyn had been with US for three
months, having been sent by her pa
rents to recuperate after her illness.
Evelyn was working very hard, lips
compressed and eyes carefully turned
away from the house next door, where
lived Howard R. She would return
his ring by mail, for she was, deter
mined not to see him or speak to him
before she left, or any time after
ward.
1t was certainly pity that there
was nobody home that day. Mother
had gone to the house of neighbor,
and had been obliged to substitute at
the school because Miss F. was sick,
and it was deemed inadvisable to close
up altogether. We expected to return
in time to see Evelyn off, and Of course
if we had known what was going to
happen we would never, never have
left her alone in the house. But then,
we could hardly be expected TO look
so far ahead.
Evelyn was miserable, but she had
! lots of pride. She was going 10 leave
the house and the village with won
derful show Of carelessness and
| sprightly gayety. No spying eye from
across the way would discover even a
trace of sadness. Certainly that spy
| ing eye would never discover tear
| in hers. But she had reckOned with
out Isabel, who, on leaving the gloom
! of the barn for the freshness of the
bright summer day, strolled slowly
along until she came to the back Of
| the house. There, through the screen
door, she could distinctly, see basket
| of green's, intended for the days din
ner, a barrel of apples, Of which she
was extremely fond, and another bar
rel of potatoes. Without hesitation,
/ the screen door being unfastened, Isa-
1 bel stepped in and helped herself lib
orally.
In the meanwhile Evelyn, hearing a
| sound, came forward to see who the
visitor might be, thinking too that if
| ii were that Howard B., she would let
him see, by her icy demeanor, that his
/ presence or absence made very little
difference In her young life. Now, the
on for its effect on Howard B., but
real chills ran down Evelyn's back
when she saw who the visitor was She
couldn't help it. She knew il was alb
surd, but all her life she had had an
aversion for cows. So, after staring at
Isabel In. terrified fascination for full
minute, she beat a, hasty. retreat to, the
front of the house. And Isabel left her
tgreens, and apples, and potatoes, and
followed, in calm, dignified, unruffied
Fmannef. Evelyn rushed for the front
door. 1t was locked and she couldn,t
find the key. Mortal terror overlook
| her. Scream on scream rent the air.
Howard B. in the house opposite,
| sullenly connecting schemes for making
Evelyn sorry, jumped to HIS feet on
hearing his name called In. .frenzied ac-
cents. For a moment he stood still.
doubtful If he had heard right. Again
il came, Eyelyn's voice, loud, shrill,
terror-stricken. Howard rushed mad
| ly,' made his way into the front of the
house, and took in the situation at a
glance. -.
Isabel. not the least frightened OF
{the two by this time, received, ! am
} sorry to relate, aIblow on her aristo-
cratic body and much to her surprise
and indignation was forced back to
her, stall in the, barn, while Evelyn.
| aIunnct fointing fell into her raScuar,S