The herald., 1921-05-05
DAD AT THE HELM
BY GRACE e. RILEY.

~ ~ ~ ~ W Nc ~ ~ % ~ * NCS
&c. 1920, by Mcclure Newspaper syndicats)
Mrs. Bates was the axle on which
revolved the wheels Of life at Hilltop
Inn. Nancy Bates, her sixteen-year-
old daughter, might be said to COM
prise her family, since Mr.. Bates lazy
as he was cOmpanionable. entered not
at all into the scheme of things at the
inn.
Imagine the twittering excitement In
rockingham row on certain Mon
day morning In midsummer when Il
was known that Mrs. Bates had fallen
downstairs and broken her hip.
But who. my dear, will look out for
things nOw?" asked one.
"And who, ask you, will see that
Queen Mary gets her proper food9"
asked another, as the royalty men,
toned purred cOntentedly in her lap
These and many other questions
were hurled at Nancy, as she stood
with troubled brow and anxious mien
in the doorway, waiting TO welcome
guests just arriving.
\ tall, angular woman stepped from
the machine. assisted by bashful man
hiding behind enormous tortOiSe-rim-
med glasses. Nancy found herself be-
ing measured from top to toe through
lorgnette.
Il wish to see Mrs. Bates at once.
She wrote that our train would be met
at the station, instead of which my
poor tired boy had to scOur the village
for a conveyance"
The poor tired boy" nodded in &C.
quiescence, and Nancy felt helpless,
speeches. before these two ye-glassed
individuals.
Il am very sorry MrS.-y"
Mrs. DOOllttle is my name"
Come right in and / will have you
shown to your room at once. My
mother had a serious accident this
morning, which explains why you were
not met"
"Humph!" shifted the irate Mrs Doo-
little. 81 consider II most important
to have ones life so ordered that
should one suddenly be called to face
ones Maker" (here her eyes rolled so
high that Nancy feared they really
were mounting heavenward) that an
other can step right In and carry
things to perfect finish"
THAT is wonderful idea, Mrs Doo-
little" said Nancy, struggling between
laughter and tears. Here, Ned" she
called to the one errand boy Of the
hotel, carry these bags and show Mr..
and Mrs. Doolittle to rooms 80 and
3d."
"Well, Marie, what's your trouble?"
Miss Nancy, YOU mother was going
to send Ned down fist thing this morn
ing for fruit for breakfast. Has he
gone YETI"
AS Ned put in On appearance he was
again to be confronted by Mrs. Doc
Titles lorgnette.
Are your rooms satisfactory, Mrs.
Doolittle?"
Satisfactory? Would you call II sat-
lsfactory to be put in a room contain
ing bed with no mattress on til"
Mrs. Doolittle, / will see to your
rooms at once"
The breakfast bell precluded further
conversation on the subject, and Nam
cy. fully intending to give immediate
attention to those rooms, was mount
ing the stairs when Marie called to her
In hoarse, agitated whisper:
"Oh. Miss Nancy, get the doctor.
quick; Florrie has cut off her hand"
Nancy grasped the stair-rail for sup
port. "Marlel Where Is she7 I'll tele-
phone for the doctor; you stay with
Florrie."
81 can't, Miss Nancy, the folks are
all getting nervous cause no one Is
waiting on them. Annie can't do the
whole dining room all alone"
"Of course not. Wait. I'll call IA
ther."
"Dadw Nancy went into their pri-
vate dining room, where her father
was peacefully consuming a tempting
steak. dad, everything's wrong; the
hotel is upside down; there aren't any
mattresses on the beds, nor any fruit,
and Florrie has just cut Off her hand,
and"
For goodness sake, child, spare my
head-why should there be any fruit
on the beds? And what's become Of
all the mattresses"
Don't argue, dad-do something!
Telephone the doctorP
She left him at the telephone and
few to the kitchen, where her father
soon followed her. Here pandemonium
reigned. Florrie, a girl of emotional
temperament. rocked back and forth,
crying desperately.
They'll hear you IL you yell like
that, Florrie, and so will everyone
else" said Mr.. Bates. Hold onto your
self until Doctor Brand gets here.
"Could this be Mr. Batesw FlOrrie
stopped a cry so suddenly that her
mouth remained open. 1t was then dis
covered that the hand which she had
supposedly cut off proved to be but one
of her fingers.
When Nancy returned to the kitchen
an hour later peace lowered once more
within its borders, while on the veran-