The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-10-22
TILE
story
The FreshsAir Bunch
~ Martha M,culoeh.wIlIians.

Nobody asks your opinions, so
Why NOT keep It to yourself?" Miss
Mariana countered. AR you
afraid Of poisoning yourself with
suppressed advice" ,
III / am TO be lnsulted. Haw-
kinS said, rising pompously, why
let's get 1t over and done with.
Miss Marina tossed back at him:
Lord, Sam" she ran on gigglits.
Iik YOU knew what a fool you look
when YOU Put on the great mogul
Ar. YOU surely would can IT for
one while"
She held no rancor against her
gtepbrother; rather the tolerante
81 use and wont. He wasn't wholly
1 bad sort: only such. a ninny
About sonc things. Witness his
beiiei that TO look or him was to
live him by anything betwixt fit
teen and fifty. Equitably, his
mother had to answer for that.
she had been so busy safeguard
i1R sammy since he put on
T6undabouts small wonder he had
accepted her valuation Of himself.
III you persist in your folly,
there Is nothing for it but to 20
camping this next fortnight" he
began reflectively.
"Grass'll get you past redemp
ton in one week, let alone two"
she said. And l won't let the
negihbor boys como and pillow YOU
out Jas they did last year."
well, what am I to do2" Sam
my's voice trembled. with
mothers heart so weak, you know
It would kill her to see me mar
ried."
you'll find safety in numbers.
silly" Miss Marian comforted.
"You can't possibly marry six girls
at once. Not any moro than you
could make up your mind which
supposing any Of EN- would have
you"
You're bound to have them"
"Surest thing you know. That's
the word with tho bark on it. So
behave like q man even II you
can't be one"
II don't see why" almost tear
fully.
.H.# OO6 = Wv - "AE
sHere I've got a good place, room
and to spare, lashlns to a and
drink, nobody but myself to care
for-and these slips of things,
working hard all year with
no chance for fun and fresh
air. They shall have both-and
things to eat, and sleep late as
they like, and ride and wade. and
roll in the hay. You go about
your business, and I'll see to Il
not n OF 'em oven looks al.
you.
"But-but I'll have to look al.
them" plainttvely.
"No-you can he blindfolded til!
you get out in the f4eld-aud eat
with Just nanny; she'll be Il
dragon over you" Miss Marina ca
pounded. Now listen-hard. I'M
less you make this crop you plant.
ed, don't so incoming off as you've
been doing this last two-three
Years. | won't stand to the prom
tse Of making up the rest Of your
college money. I've got 1t to spare,
but supplying crutches is no way
of teaching Il fellow to walk on
his own feet"
Sammy got up-tall, lean. indie
cisive OF step and motion. When
are-are-they coming?" he asked
TREMENDOUSLY. To-Day at 10
O'clock" Miss Marina answered.
$50 If you want to fly the coop,
and the crop, better be quick
about it."
Sammy did not fly the coop, but
the fresh air bunch would surely
have cost him his crop, hid not
Miss Marina bounded him re-
morsely to its tendance. The
bunch was not slow to ems his
attitude. Being young, feminine
and overlooking with suppressed
doyiltry. it's componsnts units ran
rings ALI around him. By the third
day, they followed bin as small
chicks do q mother hen. asking
hIm.all about everything, pretend
ing q thirst for farm knowledge
and training. in farm work. That
did not exactly suit Miss Marina,
but she allowed two days for the
tide to spend itnelf. Since it
mounted high and higher, she
smiled grimly and took command.
chow would you like to put in q
crop Of, navy beans and some late
cucumbers3" she asked the six.
''Late June's the time for plant
4ng-you can come back around
Labor Day and tend to the, picking.
I'll have work done meantime
charging 1t to you, OF course-but
that won't take 80 much OF the
profits, Are you game? II you are
why, next year you may be real
f~armerettes."
Came! or course-they picked
up hoes and rakes ginEerly. but
with an eager seeming, and obey
ed orders as best they could. Sow
ing the beansI was hard work
Miss Marina insisted the rows
must be straight. The Round had
been ploughed and narrowed but
rows had to be laid off with the
handmarker-which was heavy
and tiresome, Cucumber hills
meant digging deep holes, filling
them with very rich earth and
sticking in many seed. Sammy
was ridiculously eager to help and
he helped. but was sternly shooed
back to his own proper employ
naent.NI1is mother divided her time
betwixst weeping over him and
cooking special dishes to be sur.
,reptitiously eaten. the while look.
ktng dRggers at hard-hearted Ma
rtna. who had Wilful1V brought