Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1921-11-02
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book writer's were upon the fence at
intervals throughout the afternoon.
rierelhg Atwater's fascinated indigna-
ton became vocal
'Yfle things" she said
Her mother. sewing beside another
window of the room. looked up In
quiringly
"What are. FIorence?"
Cousin Herbert and that nasty lit
tie Henry Rooter."
'Are you watching them againT
her mother asked
YES. | am" said Florence, tartly.
moi because ] care TO. but merely
TO amuse myself at their expense"
Mrs. Atwater murmured deprecat-
ingly. Couldn't you find some other
way to amuse yourself. Florence"
II don't cali this amusement" the
Inconsistent girl responded, not with
out chagrin. "Think I'd spend ali my
days starin' at Herbert Illingsworth
Atwater, Junior. and that nasty little
Henry Rooter and call it amusement"
Then why do YOU do it,"
'Why do | do what. mama?" Flor
ence inquired as if in despair of Mrs.
Atwater's ever learning to put things
clearly
"Why do you spend all your days
watching them? You don't seem able
TO keep away from the window, and
it appears to make you irritable. |
should think If they wouldn't let you
play with them you'd be too proud"
ooh, good heavens, mama !"
Don't use expressions like that
Florence. please"
well" said Florence, Il got to use
some expression when you accuse me
of wantin' to play with those two vile
things My goodness mercy, mama, i
don't want to play with EN-! I'm
more than four years old, l guess;
though you don't ever seem willing to
give me credit for IT, | don't hat to
play all the time. mama; and, any
way. Herbert and that nasty little
Henry Rooter aren't playing, either"
Aren't they?" Mrs Atwater in
quired. Il thought the other day you
at being a newspaper reporter, or edi-
tor. or something like that, with them,
and they were rude and told you to go
away. Wasn't that it?'
Florence sighed. mo. mama, 1t
eert'nly wasn't"
'They weren't rude TO your"
Yes. they eert'nly werew
We'll. then"
Mama, can't you understand"
Florence turned from the window to
beseech Mrs. Atwater's concentration
upon the matter. 1T isn't playing 7
didn't want to play being report
err; they amt playing"
aren't playing, Florence"
"Yes'm. They're not. Herbert's
got a real printing press; Uncle Jo-
seph gave it to him. It's a real one,
mama. can't you understand"
''rll try" said Mrs. Atwater "YOu
mustn't get so excited about 1t. Flor
ence."
I'm not !" Florence turned vehe-
nently. 81 guess ira take more than
those two vile things and their ED
printin' press to get me excitedI /
don't care what they do; it's far less
than nothing to me- All l wish is
they'd fall or the fence and break
their vile ole necksi"
With this manifestation OF imper-
sona ealmness, she turned again to
the window; but her mother protest
ed. DO find something else to amuse
you. Florence; and quit watching
those foolish boys; you mustn't let
them upset you so by their playing"
Florence moaned. "They don't up
set me, mama! They have no effect
on me by the slightest degree And /
told you. mama, they're not playing Z"
'Then what are they doing?"
"Well. they're having newspaper
They got the printing press and an
Office in Herbert's ole stable, and ev-
erything. They got somebody to give
'em some ole banisters and a railing
from house that was torn down
somewheres, and then they got 1t stuck
up In the stable loft, so II runs across
with a kind of a gate In the middle Of
these banisters, and on one side is
the printing press, and the other side
they got desk from that nasty little
Henry Rooter's mothers attic: and a
table and some chairs, and a niap on
the wall: and that's their newspaper
office. They 20 out and look for what's
the news, and write 1t down in ink I:
and then they go through the gate to
the other side of the railing where the
printing press Is, and print it for their
newspaper"
But what do they do on the fence
so much?"
That's where they 20 TO watch
what the news is" Florence explained
morosely. ''They think they're so
grand, sittin' up there. pokin' around.
They go other places. too; and they
ask people. That's ali they said I
could beT Here the lady's bitter SIS
became strongly intensified. ''They
said, maybe / could be one o. the ones
they asked If knew anything. some
times, If they happen 10 think Of IT,
just respectfully told 'em I'd decline TO
wipe my oldest shoes on 'em TO save
their lives !"
Mrs Atwater sighed. You mustn't
use such expressions, Florence"
II don't see why not" the daughter