The Southern herald., 1921-12-30

| think we were runnin' lunatic
asylum the way she takes on. She
hollers and bellers and squalls and
squawks. The least little teeny thing
she don't like about the way we run
our paper she comes fappin' over
there and goes to screechin' around
you could hear her out at poorhouse
| farm -
Now, now, Herbert" his Aunt Fan.
| ny interpOsed. poor little Florence
isn't saving anything impolite to you--
not right now, at any rate, Why don't
you Be a little sweet to her just for
oncc?"
Her unfortunate expression revOlted
all the COusinly manlness in Herberts
BOSOM "'Be little sweet to herY"
he echoed with poignant incredulity,
and then in candOr made plain how
poorly Aunt Fanny inspired him. ~
just exackly as soon be a little sweet
to an alligator" he asserted; such
was his bitterness on this subject.
"Oh oh !" said Aunt Carrie.
81 wouldm Herbert insisted. "Or
mosquito. I'd rather, to either Of
'em, because, anyway, they don't make
so much noise. Why, you just ought
to hear her" he went op, growing
more and more severe. "You ought
to just come around our newspaper
building any afternoon you please, af-
ter school when Henry and | are
tryin to do our work in, anyway, some
peace. Why, she just sQuawks and
squalls and squ-"
at must be terrible" Uncle Joseph
interrupted "What do you do all that
for Florence, every afternoon?"
"JuSt for exercise" she answered
dreamiy; and her placidity the more
eXasperated her journalist cousin.
"She does it because she thinks she
ought to he runnin' our own news
paper, my and Henry's that's why
she does it She thinks she knows
more about how to run newspapers
| than anybody alive: but there's one
thing she's goin' to find out; and that
is, she don't have anything more to
do with my and Henrys newspaper.
We wouldn't have another single one
of her ole poems in It, no matter how
much she offered to pay us Uncle
| Joseph, think you ought to tell her
she's got no business around my and
Henrys newspaper building"
But, Herbert" Aunt Fanny sug-
gested. 'you might let Florence have
a little share in 1t Of some sort. Then
everything would be all right"
at would?' he demanded, his voice
cracking naturally, at his age, but also
under strain of the protest he wishes
1t to express. at wOo-wud? Oh, my
goodness Aunt Fanny, ! guess you'd
like to see our newspaper just utter
ably ruined Why, we wouldn't let
that girl have any more to do with it
than we would some horse"
"Oh, ohw both Aunt Fanny and
Aunt Carrie exclaimed, shocked.
1--WE wouldn't" Herbert insisted. "A
horse would know any amount more
how to run newspaper than she doesy
anyway, horse wouldn't make so
much noise around there. Soon as
we got our printing press: we said
right then that we made up our minds
Florence Atwater wasn't ever gOn' to
have single thing to do with our
newspaper. If you let her have any
thing to do with anything she wants
to run the whole thing. But she might
just as well learn to stay away from
our newspaper building, because after
we got her ont yesterday we fixed
way SOS she'll never get In there
again :"
Florence looked at him demurely.
Are you sure, Herbert?" she in
qulred.
"JuSt you try III" he advised, with
heartiest sarcasm; and he laughed
tauntingly. Just come around to-
morrow and try It; that's all ask"
~ cert'nly intend TO-" she responded,
with dignity. 81 may have a slight
surprise for you"
ooh, Florence, say not so! Say not
so, Florence Say not So"
At this she looked full upon him,
and already she had something in the
nature of a surprise for him; for so
powerful was the still balefuneSs Of
her glance he was slightly startled.
~ might say not So" she said-"if
was speaking of what pretty eyes you
know YOU have. Herbert"
1t staggered him. "What-what-
you mean"