The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-09-16


own uncle and aunt's stable, and
got as much right here as anybody"
"You have notr' Henry Rooter pro-
tested holly. 'This isn't. either, your
ole aunt and uncle's stable"
sit isn't!"
mo, it is not This isn't anybody's
stable It's my and Herbert's news
paper building, and guess you
haven't got the face to stand there
and claim you got right to go in a
newspaper building and say you got
right there when everybody tells
you to stay outside of it, I guess!"
ooh, haven't II"
mo. you haven't-Iw Mr.. Rooter
maintained bitterly. sYou just walk
downtown and go in one Of the news
paper buildings down there and tell
'em you got right to stay there all
day long when they tell you to get out
o. therei Just try it! That's all
ask |"
Florence uttered cry of derision.
Sand pray, whoever told you was
bound to do everything you ask me to,
Mister Henry Rooter?" And she con-
Guided by reverting to that hostile
impulse, so ancient, which in despair
of touching an antagonist effectively,
reflects upon his ancestors. IF You
got anything you want to ask, you go
ask your grandmother
"Here" Herbert sprang to his feet,
outraged. ''You try and behave like
a ladyl" sss &&
'sWho1l make me?' she inquired.
'sYou got to behave like lady as
long as you're in our newspaper build
ing, anyway" Herbert said ominously,
IF you expect to come up here after
you been told five dozen times to
keep out"
For heavens sakes!" his partner
interposed. "When we goin' to get
our newspaper work done? She's your
cousin; should think you could get
her out!'
"Well, I'm goin' to, amt II" Her
bert protested plaintively. 81 expect to
get her out, don't To-
"Oh, you doi" Miss Atwater in
quired, with severe mockery. pray,
how do you expect to accomplish it,
pray?"
Herbert looked desperate but was
unable to form reply consistent with
some rules of etiquette and gallantry
which he had begun to observe during
hn 81 co ssNnxxv
Florence" he said. you're old
enough to know when people tell you
to keep out of place, why, it means
they want you to stay away from
there
Florence remained cold to this rea-
soning. "Oh, poot!" she said.
Ft'Now. look here !" her cousin re-
monstrated, and went on with his ar
gument. "We got our newspaper work
to do, and you ought to have sense
enough to know newspaper work like
this newspaper work we got on our
hands here isn't-well, it amt any
child's play"
His partner appeared to approve or
the expression, for he nodded severely
and then used it himself. "No, you
bet it isn't any .child's play.' he said.
"No, sir" Henry Rooter again
agreed. Newspaper work like this
isn't any child's play at ALL"
ST isn't any child's play, Florence"
said Herbert 1T ascy any child's
play at all, Florence If it was just
child's play or something like that,
why it wouldn't matter so much your
always pokin' up here, and"
"Well,,' the partner interrupted, ju-
dicially, 1--WE wouldn't want her
around, even if it was child's play"
mo, we. wouldn't;> that's So" Her
bert agreed.
1--WE wouldn't want you around, any
how, Florence" Here his tone be-
came more plaintiye. $50, for mercy's
sakes, can't you go on home and give
us little rest? What you want, any,
hOw?"
swell, | guess it's about time you
was askin' me that" she said, not I'M
reasonably. IF you'd asked me that
in the first place, instead of actin like
you'd never been taught anything. and
was only fit to associate with hood
lums perhaps my time is of some
value. myself"
The lack of rhetorical cohesion was
largely counteracted by the strong
expressiveness of tone and manner; at
all events, Florence made perfectly
clear her position as person of
worth, dealing with the lowest of all
her interiors, She went on, not paas-
ing:
Il thought, being as was related to
you, and all the family and everybody
else goin' to hat to read your ole
newspaper, anyway it'd be good
thing if what was printed in it wasn't
all disgrace to the family, because
the name of our family's got mixed up
with this newspaper; so here"
Thus speaking, she took the poem
from her pocket and with dignity
held If forth tn hor eouSin