Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1922-09-27
copuriakf bal p ApPLEION AND COFIFAFSI

mona and patted her, as her own form
of social expression; and Monona
wriggled like a puppy, as hers.
Quiet, petite" said Ina. eyebrows
mp. She caught her lower lip in her
teeth.
''wen, sir" said Dwight, .you
wouldn't think it to look at us, but
mother had her hands pretty full, bring
ing us up"
Into Dwight's face came another
look. 1t was always so when he spoke
of this foster-mother who had taken
these fwo boys ami seen them through
the graded schools. This woman
Dwight adored and when he spoke of
her he became his inner self.
1--WE must run upstate and see her
while you're here, Nin,' he said.
To this Ninian gave casual assent.
lacking bis brothers really tender ar
dor.
Little" Dwight pursued, "Iittle did
she think I'd settle down into nice,
quiet, married dentist and magistrate
in my town. And Min into-say, Min,
what are you, anyways"
They laughed.
That's the question" said Ninian.
They laughed.
Maybe" Ina ventured, maybe
Ninian win tell US something about his
travels. He is quite a traveller, you
know" she said to the Plows. "a reg
ular CULVER"
They laughed respectfully.
How we should love 1t, Mr.. Dea-
con-" Mrs. Pillow said. "You know
we've never seen very much"
Goaded on, Ninian launched upon
his foreign countries as he had seen
them: Population, exports, imports,
soil, irrigation. business. For the pop
ulations Ninian had no respect. Crops
could not touch ours. Soil mighty poor
pickings And the busin essay
Those fellows don't knOw-and, say,
the hotelsi Don't say foreign hotel to
Ninian.
He regarded all the alien earth as
barbarian, and he stoned 1t. He was
equipped for absolutely mo intensive
observation. His contacts were negli-
gible. Mrs Plow was more excited by
the Deacons' party than Ninian had
been wrought upon by all his voyag-
ing.
"Tell you" said Dwight ''When we
ran away that time and went to the
state fair, little did we think" He
told about running away to the state
fair. 81 thought" he wound up, ir-
releyantly, "Ina and might get over
to the other side this year, but | guess
not. l guess not"
The words give no conception of
! their effect, spoken thus For there in
Warbleton these words are not COM
monplace In Warbleton, Europe is
never so casually spoken of. Take a
trip abroad is the phrase, or go to
Europe" at the very least, and both
with empressement Dwight had some
where noted and deliberately picked
up that "other side" effect. and his
Ina knew this, and was proud. Her
covert glance about pensively covered
her soft triumph
Mrs. Bett, her arm still circling the
child Monona, now made her first OBJ
servatiOn.
"Pity not to have went while the
going was good" she said, and said
no more.
Nobody knew quite what she meant,
and everybody hoped for the best. But
Ina frowned. Mamma did these things
occasionally when there was company
and she dared. She never sauced
Dwight In private. And 1t wasn't fair
1t wasn't fair
Abruptly Ninian rose and left the
room.
The dishes were washed. Lulu had
washed them at breakneck speed-she
| could not, or would not, have told why
But no sooner were they finished and
set away than Lulu had been attacked
by an unconquerable inhibition. And