The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-09-29

was great; the important Importance
Of Herbert and his friend, impressive
ly maneuvering upon their fence. was
SO extreme as to be all 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 outrageousness Of their
Importance because they knew she
was watching them. And upon the
Saturday Of that week, when the note
book writers were upon the fence at
intervals throughout the afternoon,
Florence Atwater's fascinated indigna.
ton became vocal.
-vile things" she said.
Her mother. sewing beside another
Quiringly.
"what are. Fioreneer'
cousin Herbert and that nasty 1T.
tie Henry Rooter."
"Afe you watching them again r
her mother asked.
Yes. am" said Florence, tartly.
mot because 1 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. FlorenceT
IT don't call this amusement" the
inconsistent girl responded. not with
out chagrin. "Think I'd spend all 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 II in despair of Mrs
Atwater's ever learning to put things
| clearly.
"Why do you spend all your days
watching them7 You don't seem able
| to keep away from the window. and
1t appears to make you irritable.
should think If they wouldn't let you
play with them you'd be too proud"
"Oh, good heavens, mama"
Don't 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
thingsl My goodness mercy. mama, l
don't want to play with 'em! I'm
more than four years old. guess
though you don't ever seem willing to
give me credit for 1t. I 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. II thought the other day you
said you wanted them to let you play
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 itr'
Florence sighed. "No. mama, 1t
cert'nly wasn't"
They weren't rude to your
'Yes, they ceft'nly werei'
"Well, then"
Mama, can't you understand
Florence turned from the window to
beseech Mrs. Atwater's concentration
upon the matter. at isn't playing T.
1 didn't want to play being a 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 1t to him.. It's a real one,
mama, can't you understandY' -f-
It'll try" said Mrs. Atwater. 'You
mustn't get SO excited about it. 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 excited
don't care what they do; it's far less
than nothing to me! All 1 wish is
they'd fall off the fence and break
their vile ole necksv'
With this manifestation of imper-
sonal calmness, 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 degreei And I
told you. mama. they're not playing
Then what are they doing?"
well. they're having a newspaper.
They got the printing press and an
office In Herbert's ole stable, and ev-
erything. They got somebody to give
en some ole banlsters and a railing
from house that was torn down
somewheres, and then they got 1t stuck
up in the stable loft. SO 1t runs across
with n kind Of gate In the middle of
these hanisters 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
table and some chairs. and a mnp on
r4,e wall: and that's their newspaper
office. They 20 out and look for what's
tie news. and write II down In ink;
and then they 90 through the gate to
the oiher side of the railing where the
printing press is. and print it for their