Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-12-24
AIR
BY MYRTA ALICE LITTLE.


his tortured brow and faceS the main
causes of the torture. There were two
of them, Hepzibah pepper-chunky'
bespectacled and determined, and her
husband Ichabod-lank, scared. long
suffering victim OF Helps notions
chiefly her notions about air.
Il can't find you folks any room In
this city with four windows in 1t.
All taken. Move on, Mrs. Pepper.
Give the rest of the folks a chance"
Hepzibah glared. Her voice doomed.
Il tell We, we've come ter this state
fair, and I've entered my pound for
pound cake and my crazy silk com
Portable, and we've got four winders
In our roo ter home. / was brought
up with four winders. I'll die without
EN-. Ich, he promised if I'd come with
him-he'd-"
A feeble tap from Ich's nervous
fingers only added zest to Helps IT,
rade. Il tell We, Mr.. Chairman, I'll
plant m'self right here b. this desk
o. yourn, this time, till We tell us
where we en- go ter find tibet room
with four winders in It,"
"Here, madam; here's your room y
A change had come yer the irate
chairman. In his hand he held a key.
Mrs. Pepper, I'm sending a woman
over to show you your ROOM"
-Four windows" interrupted Hep
zibah Pepper.
ION my word Of honor, four win
dows, Mrs. Pepper" grinned the chair
a Now, gOi"
Hep went, footsore, but triumphant,
dragging her trembling spouse behind
her.
"ATl Imagination grumbled Ich,
systematically. Air! Air! Airl
Hope It's to the poor farm she's takin'
us, err ter the Jail! Serve yer right"
"Shet upw said Hepzibah scorn
fully.
Their destination proved to be a
pretentious frame dwelling in the sub
urbs, whose parlor was indeed pro-
vided with a bed lounge, stuffed
chairs and glass bookcases, but prin-
cipaily with the four windows. Hep
dropped into a chair. The woman
opened the bed and vanished. There
was a grin on her face.
Don't yer light the gasl There's
light 'nough from the street." Hep an
nounced. "An' yer amt goin' ter
drag me roun' ter look at no hens ter
morrer. Go ter bed, eff yer so beat
out; I'll tend ter the winders."
Ich went, and slept directly the
sleep of the suffering just. He was
aroused by a terrific clutching in the
region of his arms.
Get up an open 'em, Ich; l can't
find the fasteners. I'm faintin'. Get
up"
"Plenty Of air comm in roun' the
c~asin's," murmured Ich sleepily.
Helps ready fists came into use.
"Shet up an open them winders," she
snapped.
Ich arose and began fumbling around
in the half darkness. "Tll fix EN-"
muttered Ich Pepper. 'Ev'ry last
winder!" There followed the awful
sound of crashing, splintering glass.
II can feel 1.-THE good fresh air
all four winders," she breathed.
we've saved my life, Ich, we've saved
-" Helps response to the crashes
and the consequent floods Of ozone
was complete. She slept like a nice
gray cat till morning.
1t was a morning of revelations.
pound for pound cake wore a
blue ribbon, and her crazy comforter
a red ribbon, and the room COM
chairman wore a life-size grin
that expanded with every word which
rch Pepper SPOKE to him. Moreover.
the chairman accepted the greenbacks
which Ich offered, though he made
the cryptic remarks: Worth II, the
the laugh I've had. | start
for Florida tomorrow. Family been
a week. s why my house was
shut up. I knew you folks we're all
right. Looked you up. SO | let you
Sure, the windows were fastened
Down, but your wife didn't specify
he opening variety to me-"
The chairman's remarks ceased being
.ryptic when the news spread over
he fair grounds that the glass which
Pepper, half asleep and
wholly desperate, had demolished to
ct In the ozone that had saved Helps
life, was not In N Of the four win.
lows, but In the glass doors of the
,0ok cases which lined the walls OF
he parlor bedroom.
"Reckon we'll hev a reasonable lot
J air in our room the res o. our
Ich chuckled.
"Shet up" advised Hepzibah, grim.
y.
"Don' hev ter shet upi" declared
"Talk when | like an what
like: Shet up yerself. Now come
IN look at the Plymouth Rocks"
Hep came and looked. Ish had come
o his own.