The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-03-02
By
Booth
darlington
Copyright, 1871
BY the Bell Syndicate. Inc.

think we were runnin' a lunatic
hollers and bellers and squalls and
squawks. The least little teeny thing
she don't like about the way we run
our paper, she fiappin' over
there and goes 10 ~sc?cechin' around,
you could hear her on. at poorhouse
farm"
Now, now, Herbert" his Aunt Fan
ny interposed. poor little Florence
isn't SAYING anything impolite to you
not right now, at any rate. Why don't
you be d little sweet TO her just for
Once?'
Her unfortunate expression revolted
all the cousinly manllness in Herbert's
BOSOM. BE q little sweet 10 her?'"
he echoed, with poignant i~ncredulity,
and then in candor made plain how
poorly Aunt Fanny inspired him. II
just exackly as soon be a little sweet
to an alligator" he asserted; such
was his bitterness on this subject.
'Oh, oh ~ said Aunt Carrie.
: 81 would" Herbert insisted. "Or
a mosquito. I'd rather, to either of
'em, because, anyway. they don't make
so much noise. Why, you just ought
TO hear her." he went on, growing
more and more severe. you ought
to just come around our newspaper
building any afternoon you please, af-
ter school, when Henry and l are
tryin' to do our work in. anyway, some
peace. Why, she just squawks and
squalls and SOU"
at must be terrible" Uncle Joseph
interrupted. "What do you do all that
for, Florence, every afternoonY
"Just for exercise" she answered
dreamiiy; and her placidity the more
exasperated her Journalist cousin.
3s'sShe does it because she thinks she
ought to be ~runnin' oar own news
paper, my and Henry's; that's why
she does 1t! She thinks she knows
more about how to run newspapers
than anybody alive; but there's n
thing she's goin' to find out and that
is, she don't have anything more to
do with my ana Henry's newspaper.
We wouldn't have another single one
of her ole poems in 1t, no matter how
much she offered to pay us! Uncle
Joseph. I think you ought TO tell her
she's got no business around my and
Henry's newspaper building"
"But, Herbert" Aunt Fanny sug-
gested, "you might let Florence have
q little share in 1t of some sort. Then
everything would be all right"
at would?" he demanded, his voice
cracking naturally. at his age, but also
under strain of the protest he wished
it to express. at wOo-wud? oh, my
goodness, Aunt Fanny. l guess. you'd
like to see our newspaper just utter
ably ruined! Why, we wouldn't let
that girl have any more to do with it
than we would some horse ~
ooh, OH" both Aunt Fanny and
Aunt Carrie exclaimed, shocked.
"We wouldn't" Herbert insisted. "a
horse would know any amount more
how to run a newspaper than she does;
anyway, a horse wouldn't make so
w IlOlNC pAOAbtu NiANiCs DOOh as
We got u printing press: we said
right then that we made up our minds
Florence Atwater wasn't ever goin' TO
have a single thing to do'with our
newspaper. If you let her have any
thing TO do with anything she wants
to run the whole thing. But she might
just as well learn to stay away from
our newspaper building, because after
we got her out yesterday we fixed a
way SOS she'll never get in there
again
Florence looked at him demurely.
"Are you sure, Herbertf" she in.
CURED.
"Just you try It'll" he advised, with
heartiest sarcasm; and he laughed
tauntingly. "Just come around to-
morrow and try 1t; that's all | askr"
II cert'nly intend TO-" she responded,
with dignity. 81 may have a slight
surprise for you"
"Oh, Florence, say not sol Say not
so. Florence! Say not sol"
At this she looked full upon him,
and already she had something in the
nature Of a surprise for him; for so
powerful was the still balefulness OF
her glance he was slightly startled.
81 might say not So" she said-"if !
was speaking of what pretty eyes you
know you have. Herbert"
1t staggered him. "What-what-
you mean?"