Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-11-03
Continued from last week.


of deathly powerful Queen of Poetry,
the postures assumed by the figures of
Eessrs. Atwater and Rooter Cloth
In an extremity Of rags) were miser-
ably suppliant. So she soothed her.
self little-but not long. Herbert in
the next pew In church. and Henry in
the next beyond that, were perfect
compositions in smugness. They were
cold, contented, aristocratic; and had
an imperturbable understanding be-
tween themselves-Quite perceptible
to the sensitive Florence-that she
was a nuisance now capably disposed
Of by their beautiful discovery of "Say
not sol" FloreIce's feelings were I'M
becoming to the place and occasion.
But at four o'clock that afternoon
she was assuaged into a milder con-
dition by the arrival, according to an
agreement made in Sunday school, Of
the popular Miss Patty Fairchild.
Patty was thirteen and half; an
exquisite person with gold-dusted
hair, eyes of perfect blue, and an al
Turing air of sweet self-consciousness
Henry Rooter and Herbert Illings-
worth Atwater, Jr., out gathering
news, saw her entering Florence's
gate, and Immediately forgot that
they were reporters. They become ST.
lent and gradually moved toward the
house of their newspapers sole
poetess.
Florence and Patty occupied them
selves indoors for half an hour; then
went out into the yard to study a
mole's tunnel that had interested Flor
ence recently. They followed it across
the lawn at the south side of the
house, discussing the habits of moles
and other matters of zoology; and
finally lost the track near the fence,
which was here the "back fence"
higher than their heads. Patty looked
through a knothole to see If the tun-
mel was visible In the next yard, but
without reporting upon her observa-
lions she turned, as if carelessly, and
leaned back against the fence, cover
ing the knothole.
"Florence," she said, in tone soft
er and lovelier than she had been
using heretofore FLORENCE, do you
know what l think?"
mo. Could you see any more tracks
over there?"
"Florence," said Patty-.1 was just
going to tell you something-only may
be better not"
"Why not?" Florence inquired. "Go
on and tell me-"
mo" said Patty, gently. "You
might think it was silly"
mo, won't"
Eyes, you might"
81 promise I won't"
swell, then-oh, Florence, I'm sure
you'll think It's sillyl"
81 promised l wouldn't"
"Well--I don't think better say
it,"
$50 on" Florence urged. "Patty.
you got to-"
swell, then, If l got to-" said Patty.
ssWhat / was going to say, Florence:
Don't you think your cousin Herbert
and Henry Rooter have got the incest
eyes of any boy in town."
"Who?' Florence was staggered.
81 do Patty said in her charming
voice. 81 think Herbert and Henry've
got the incest eyes of any boy in
town.
"You do?" Florence cried incred-
ulously.
"Yes, really do, Florence l think
have got just the incest eyes of any
boy in town."
"Well, | never heard anything like
this beforei' Florence declared.
''But don't you think they've got the
incest eyes of any boy in town." Pat
ty insisted. appealingly.
81 shink," said Florence, "Their
eyes are just horrablei"
"Whatr
"Herbert's eyes," continued Flor
ence ardently, "are the very worst
lookin' ole squinty eyes l ever saw
and that nasty little Henry Rooters
eyes"
But Patty suddenly became idgety;
she hurried away from the fence.
"Come over here, Florence" she said.
Lets go over to the other side of
the yard and talk"
And it was time for her to take
some such action IL she wished to
show any tact. Messrs. Atwater and
Rooter. seated quietly together upon
box on the other side of the fence
(though with their backs to the knot
hole) were beginning to show signs OF
inward disturbance. Already flushed
with unexpected ineffabilities, their
compilations had grown even pinker
upon Florence's open-hearted express
sions Of opinion. Slowly they turned
their heads to look sternly at the
fence, upon the other side Of which
stood the maligner Of their eyes. Not
that they cared what that ole girl
fhought-but she oughtn't to be al
,nuad m On around talking like this