The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1919-06-02
ISABEL
BY LOUISE A. ADDISON.
Observation-Disclosures
I5IJ, by the McCIuIe NeWs-
paper Syndicate.)


eye, the sprlghtlness In her step, by
her quick, defiant expression, lsabe
made 1t clear to us that she was nc
ordinary COW.
"A Jersey" my father said. But
think he was mistaken. don't know
much about cows. She wanted place
in the sun. She had a hankering FOL
caste, and she refused Immediately tC
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-munehing companions-and bolt
cd. He had chased her the entire day
through forest and glade, and brought
her home. after a spent day, rebellious
and defiant.
"'Taint no use talking" said the old
man, ''if a COW don't act like COW
cant be bothered. That critters got
too much sense for an animal, faint
natural. know she jest did things
today out of sheer spite, and l shan't
chase after her no more"
And he didn't. So Isabel stayed
home, while her companions weLt
meekly to pasture every day. Still she
was dissatisfied. 1t was evident that
staying in 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, lisa
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 a pity that there
was nobody home that day. Mother
had gone to the house of a neighbor,
and had been obliged to substitute at
the school because Miss F. was sick,
and 1t was deemed lnadvsable to close
up altogether. We expected to return
in time to see Evelyn off, and of course
i,o U.ho I'M tn
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 to leave
the house and the village with won
derful show of cnrelessness and
sprightly gayety. No spying eye from
across the way would discover even
trace of sadness. Certainly that spy
ing eye would never discover a 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
the house. There, through the screen
door, she could distinctly see a 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-
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
t 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
ce-cold demeanor might have been put |
IN for its effect on Howard B., but |
'eal chills ran down Evelyn's back
when she saw who the visitor was She
couldn't help 1t. She knew it was alb
,urd, but all her life she had had an
version for cows. So. after staring at
sabel in terrified fascination for a full |
minute, she beat a hasty retreat to the |
ront of the house. And Isabel left her |
green's, and apples, and potatoes, and |
0llowed, in a calm, dignified, unruf1led |
manner Evelyn rushed for the front
loor. 1t was locked and she couldn't
ind the key. Mortal terror overlook
Ter. Scream on scream rent the air.
Howard B.. in Che house opposite.
ullenly concocting schemes for making
evelyn sorry. jumped to his feet on
earing his name called in frenzied ac-
ents. For moment he stood still,
oubtful if he had heard right Again
! came, Evelyn's voice, loud shrill.
Howard rushed mad
', made his way into the front of the
ouse, and took in the situation at a
lance.
Isabel, not the least frightened, OF
he two by this time. received. am
orry to relate, blow on her aristo-
ratio body, and much to her surprise
nd indignation was forced back to
er stall in the barn, while Evelyn,
lmost fainting, fell into her rescuer's
rms without word, on his return.
"Youre-you're-I going away.
re your" asked Howard. after a min
te or two.
She shook her head In the negative.
nd, smiling wanly, put the ring. which
ne had Intended returning by mail.