The Holly chieftain., 1921-09-01
w kopriqkt. 1921. BY He Bell syndicote Inc

the high fence, usually at little dis
tance from him; like Herbert he
would rise at intervals, for the better
study of something this side Of the
horizon; then, also concluding like
Herbert, he would at again and write
firmly in little notebook. And sell
dom In the history Of the world have
any sessions been invested by the par
ticipants with SO intentional an ap-
pearance Of importance.
That was what most injured their
lone observer at the somewhat distant
back window. upstairs at her own
place of residence; she found their Inn
portance almost impossible to bear
without screaming. Her provocatlon,
was great; the important importance
Of Herbert and his friend, impressive
iy maneuvering upon their fence. was
80 extreme as to be ill too plainly Wis
Ible across four Intervening broad
back yards; In fact, there was almost
reason to suspect that the two per-
formers were aware Of their audience
and even of her goaded condition and
that they sometimes deliberately In
creased the outfageousness Of their
Importance because they knew she
was watching them. And upon the
Saturday of thas week, when the note
book writer's were upon the fence at
Intervals throughout the afternoon,
Florence Atwater's fascinated indigna-
ton became vocal
"yile things!" sfa said.
Her mother sewing beside another
window Of the room. looked up in
quiringly.
what are, Florence3"
"Cousin Herbert and that nasty lit
tie Henry Rooter."
"Are you watching them againr'
her mother asked.
mot because l 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?"
"I don't call this amusement" the
inconsistent girl responded. not with
out chagrin. "Think I'd spend all my
uuyS stuTlH NJ I1ciDtIl lliHSSN VI ih
Atwater, Junior, and that nasty little
Henry Rooter, and call 1t amusement?"
"Theny why do you do it?'
"Why do do what, mama2" 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 them2 You don't seem able
to keep away from the window, and
| It appears to make you irritable. I
should think II they wouldn't let you
| play with them you'd be too proud"
"Oh, good heavens, mamal"
"Dont use expressions like that.
Florence, please"
"Well" said Florence, II 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 'eml I'm
more than four years old, guess; !;
though you don't ever seem willing to
| give me credit for 1t. l don't haf to
play all the time. mama; and, any
way Herbert and that nasty little
Henry Rooter aren't playing, either"
Aren't they7" Mrs. Atwater In
Quired. 81 thought the other day you
said you wanted them to let you play
at being newspaper reporter, or edi.
tor, or something like that, with them,
and they were rude and told you to 60
away. Wasn't that itT'
Florence sighed. mo. mama, It
cert'nly wasn't"
'.They weren't rude to your
"Yes. they cert'nly werel"
"Well, them"
Mama, can't you understandf' r
Florence turned from the window to
beseech Mrs. Atwater's concentration
upon the matter. "It isn't playing +
didn't want to play being report.
er; they amt playing"
Aren't playing, Florence"
"Yes'm. They're not. Herbert's
got a real printing press; Uncle Jo-
seph gave 1t to him. It's a real one,
mama. can't you understandr'
"Tll try" said Mrs. Atwater. "You
mustn't get SO excited about 1t, Flor.
ence."
'I'm not" Florence turned vehe
mently. II guess it'd take more than
those two vile things and their old
printin' press to get me excitedl
don't care what they do; It's far less
than nothing to me All wish IL
they'd fall of the fence and break
their vile ole necksi"
With this manifestation of imper