Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1922-11-22


flush. and Mrs. Bett went on:
'Didn't / tell your knew 1t before |
the company left, but l didn't say a
word. Thinks !, She wiggles and
chitters.' So left her stay where
she was"
But, mother" Lulu cried. .You
didn't even tell me after he'd gone"
Il forgot it, Mrs. Bett said. "ind- |
ing Ninian's letter and all" She |
talked of Ninian's letter.
Di was bright and alert and firm of |
flesh and erect before Lulu's softness
and laxness.
81 don't know what your mother'n |
say" said Lulu, 'and l don't know |
what people1l think"
"They won't think Bobby and are
tired of each other, anyway" said Di,
and left the room.
Through the day Lulu tried to think |
what she must do. About Di she was
anxious and felt without power. She
thought of the indignation of Dwight
and Ina that Di had not been more
serupulously guarded. She thought of
DIS girlish folly. her irritating indie
pendence-"and there" Lulu thought
'just the other day / was teaching
her TO sew" Her mind dwelt. too, on
Dwight's furious anger at the opening
Of Ninian's letter. But when all this
had spent itself, what was she herself
to do? She must leave his house be-
fore he ordered her to do so, when
she told him that she had confided in
Cornish, as tell she must But what
was she to do? The bakery cake
making would not give her roof.
Stepping about the kitchen in her
blue cotton gown, her hair tight and
fiat as seemed proper when one was
not dressed, she thought about these
things. And it was strange: Lulu bore
no physical appearance of one in dis
tress or any anxiety. Her head was
erect, her movements were strong and
swift, her eyes were interested. She
was no dropping Lulu with dragging
step. She was more intent, she was
somehow more operative than she had
ever been.
Mrs. Bett was working contentedly
ming an air of that music of the night
before. The sun surged through the
kitchen door and east window, a re-
turned oriole swung and fluted on the
elm above the gable. Wagons clat-
tered by over the rafting wooden
block pavement.
"Aint it nice with nobody homer
Mrs. Bett remarked at intervals, like
the burden Of comic song.
Hush. mother" Lulu said, troubled,
! her ethical rcfnements conflicting with
! her honesty.
"Speak the truth and shame the
/ devil" Mrs. Bett eontended.
! When dinner was ready at noon, Di
did not appear. A little earlier Lulu
| had heard her moving about her room,
and she served her in expectation that
| she would join them.
adj must be having the 'tantrim'
/ this time,'' she thought. and for a time
said nothing But at length she did
say: "Why doesn't Di come? I'd bet
ter put her plate in the oven"
Rising TO do so. she was arrested
! by her mother. Mrs. Bett was eating
4 baked potato, holding her fork close
| to the tines, and presenting a profile
Of passionate absorption.
"Why, Di went off" she said.
'Went off I"
"Down the walk. Down the side
walk"
"She must have gone TO Jenny's,"
said Lulu. II wish she wouldn't do
that without telling me-
Monona laughed out and shook her
straight hair shell catch i'll" she
cried in sisterly enjoyment.
Ii was when Lulu had come back
from the kitchen and was seated at the
table that Mrs. Bett observed:
II didn't think Inie'd want her to
take her nice new satchel"
Her satchel?"
Eyes. Inie wouldn't take IL north
herself, but Di had H."
Mother said Lulu. when Dl
went away just now, was she carrying
a satcheI7"
Didn't just tell you?" Mrs. Bett
demanded, aggrieyed. Il said didn't
I think Inie-"
"sfother, which way did she GOT"
| Monona pointed with her spoon.
"She went that way" she said. 81
seen her"
] Lulu looked at the clock For Mo-
mona had pointed toward the railway
station. The twelve-thirty train,
which every one took to the city for
shopping, would be just about leav-
/ ing.
"Aionona." said Lulu, "don't you go
out of the yard while I'm gone. Moth
er, you keep her"
Lulu ran from the house and up the
F, street. she was in her blue cotton
dress, her old shoes; she was hatless
and without money. When she was
still two or three blocks from the sta
ton, she heard the twelve-thirty
pulling out"
| She ran badly, her ankles In their
low. loose shoes continually turning,
her arms held taut at her sides. So
she came down the platform, and to
the ticket window. The contained
ticket man. wonted to lost trains and
perturbed faces, yet actually ceased
counting when be saw her:
"Lennyl Did Di Deacon take that
trainf'