The Sneedville news. (Sneedville, Tenn.) 191?-19??, 1921-12-23
LOVE
10y GERTRUDE w. FIELpE,

Mona.
"WhyT asked.
"YOu wouldn't ask IL you ever had
one" answered Mona.
did you ever have One?"
queried.
Ibid II" retorted Mona.
"What did she do to you" I dc.
handed.
"What didn't she dor cried Mona.
you'll see for yourself one of these
days. Miss DOdo."
II shan't. either" retOrted.
"DOnt be too sure" returned Mona
At that moment Molly appeared in
the door. They're coming on the
fOur-thirty," she said to Mona.
"Who's cOmingT asked impa-
tiently.
"YOur papa and your step-mother,"
answered Molly.
"You shouldn't have told her." said
Mona.
sand why not?" bristled Molly.
81 won't have step-mOther," !
cried. stamping my foot.
''What do you know about step
mothers?" asked Molly.
"Mona told me. They're horrid," !
answered.
"You'lI lose your place." said Molly.
turning to Mona.
"You will. too. most likely" snapped
Mona.
Cooks In an awful rage" went on
Molly. this Is her sweetheart's night"
While Mona and Molly were talk
Ing. escaped to the garden. was
having lovely time making mud
pies. when Mona pounced down upon
me. She held up both hands In hor-
rOr.
my patience alive. You've got to
be cleaned from the skin out. and
only nm hour to do II In. Come along,
now"
81 won't" I cried. and raced down
the path.
Mona could run, too but as she put
ont her hand TO grab me. ] resorted
to nm old trick. II was very simple
trick-merely Of dropping where I
stood. curling my legs under me and
utterly refusing to walk. This trick
always had the effect Of sending
Mona's blood clear up to the boiling
point u did now.
Tn desperation she finally offered me
treasure had long coveted. a
Swiss china clock.
With the clock mine. the. bathing,
curling and dressing went on apace.
The next moment we heard the
sound Of the ar'omobile upon the
graveled walk.
Mona ran To the window. ! fed In
the opposite direction. Spying the
door 20 the guest room ajar. I slipped
Within closing the door softly behind
me. II seemed brA n moment before
heard footsteps coming along the
hall and papa's voice calling my name.
Frantic with fear, tore the lace
spread from the bed. leaped into the
middle Of the bed. enveloplng myself
In the spread. forgetting In my frenzy
that the suspicious looking heap was
sure TO he investigated.
The hands which drew me from
my lair were not papa's. were not
Nfona's. I hardly knew what ! ex-
pected next. surely not what actually
peal after peal OF ringing
laughter.
funny baby. playing at hlde-and-
seek all by her lonesome" cried q
merry voice.
I opened my eyes and beheld, not
the woman Mona had pictured. but n
swect-faced girl.
"Shy." said papa In an undertone.
As n great privilege. I was allowed
10 sit up for dinner.
In the midst Of dinner papa had
telephone message. Ted was coming
home. Ted Is my big brother. He
md Ellsworth Gray CHATS his chum)
had heen on hike through the noun
iains. love Ted more than anyone |
Else I'm the whole world.
7 had been In bed long while when
heard the sound Of voices In the !
hall and knew Ted had come.
Jumped out Of bed. tiptoed along the |
hnll and peeped over the banister.
The scene that met my eyes was
burned into my braIn-Ted. my Ted.
being carried upstairs. his face as
white rs my nIghiie. his head bobblng
I,mply. I shrank back In the shadow.
my teeth chatterinr with fright.
The story Ellsworth told was this:
One day they had spied tiny cabin
singing 10 the mountain-slde. In the
-ahIn they had found n man sick
with n fever. Ted had nursed him
Two nights and a day. having sent
for aid When Ellsworth |
md n doctor got there. the man was
lead. Coming out of the woods. Ted |
had complained 81 feeling queer.
The horrors of m epidemic struck
manic to all hearts when NV STEP
mother was stricken with the fever. |
my beautiful young stepmn,her who
had helped fight for Ted's life.
Mona left us. and Molly-only Katy |
n the uncertain temper. stayed at her
1ost.
TED had been downstairs two weeks |
when I was allowed to visit my step I
mother. Quite suddenly. was deep 1
In her arms. u love you I whis- /