Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1920-04-01
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DAD AT THE HELM
BY GRACE E. RILEY.
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20, by Mcclure Newspaper Syn

Mrs. Bates was the. axle on which
revoved the wheels of life at Hilltop
Inn. Nancy Bates her siNteen-year-
old daughter, might be said to COM
prise her family, since Mr.. Bates, lazy
as he was companionabe, entered not
at all into the scheme of things at the
inf
imagine the lwittering excitement in
rocking-chair row on a certain Mon
day morning in midsummer when 1t
was known that Mrs. Bates had fallen
downstairs and broken her hip
But who, my dear, will look out for
things now?" asked one.
"And who, asksyou, will see that
Queen Mary gets her proper food?"
asked another, as the royalty men,
toned purred contentedly in her lap.
These and many other questions
were hurled at Nancy, as she stood
with troubled brow and anxious mien
in the doorway waiting to welcome
guests just arriving.
a tall. angular woman stepped from
the machine. assisted by bashful man
hiding behind enormous tortoise-rim-
med glasses Nancy found herself be-
ing measured from top to toe through
a lorgnette.
II wish to see Mrs Bates at once.
She wrote that our train would be met
at the station, instead of which my
poor tired boy had to scour the village
for a conveyance"
The poor tired boy" nodded in ac-
quiescence, and Nancy felt helpless
SPECIFICS before these two eye-glassed
individuals.
II am very sorry Mrs.
Mrs Doolittle is my name"
Come right in and | will have you
shown to your room at once. My
mother had aSserious accident this
morning, which explains why you were
not met"
"Humph!'' shifted the irate Mrs Doo-
little. II consider it most important
to have ones life so ordered that
should one suddenly he called to face
ones Maker (here her eyes rolled so
high that Nancy feared they really
We're mounting heavenward that an
other can step right in and carry
things to a perfect finish"
THAT is wonderful idea. Mrs. Doc
little said Nancy, struggling between
laughter and tears. Here, Ned" she
called to the one errand boy of the
hotel, Garry these bags and show Mr.
and Mrs. Doolittle to rooms 80 and
3D."
We'll Marie, what's Your trouble?"
Miss Nancy, your mother was going
to send Ned down first thing this morn
ing Tor fruit for breakfast. Has he
gone YETI"
AS Ned put in an appearance he was
dispatched for the fruit. Nancy turned
again to be confronted by Mrs. Doc
Titles lorgnette.
Are your rooms satisfactory, Mrs.
Doolitte:'
Satisfactory Mould you call it sat
isfactorN 10 be put in room contain
| ing bed With no mattress ON it?i'
Mrs. Doolittle, will see TO your
rooms al once
The breakfast bell precluded further
conversation ON the subject, and Nam
| cy, fully intending to give immediate
| attention TO those rooms, was mount
1 ing the stairs when Marie called TO her
in Il hoarSe, agitated whisper:
"oh. Miss Nancy. get the doctor
quick l'orrie has cut off her hand
| Nancy glasped the stair-fail for sup
/ port Marie Where is she? I'll tele
/ phone for the doctor; YOU stay witt
/ Florrie."
Il can't. Miss Nancy. the folks are
! ali getting nervous cause no Que is
4 waiting on them. Annie can't do tn,
whole dining room all alone"
of course not. Wait. III call fla
ther."
Dad" Nancy Went into their pri
waite dining room. where her fathe
WAS >pencefuly consuming Il tenlptin:
steak. "pad, eyerything's wrong; tn
hotel is upside down there aren't an,
mattresses ON The beds. nor amy fruit
and i7lorrie has Just cut off her hand
and
For goodness sake, child spare M
head Wlly should there be any frui
on the beds? And what's become 0
all HE martresses?'
Don't argue, dad--do something
Telephone The doctor"
she left him at the telephone an
flew to the Kitchen, where her fathe
soon followed her. Here pandemonini
reigned. Florrie. girl of emotloni
temperament, rocked back and fortl
CRYING desperately.
They'll hear YOU if You yell lili
that, Iorrie and so will everyor
else. said Mr.. Bates. Hold onto You
self until Doctor Brand gets her
.'Could this be Mr. ,ares!" FLOR
stopped a cry so suddenly that h'
mouth remained open. Ii was then III
COVERED that the hand which she ha
supposedly cut off proved To he but or
OF her fingers.