The Ocala evening star., 1922-02-17

that Tine Of talk from you as I'm GO
ing 10. If this morning wasn't enough
TO learn you that"
whats wrong about just tellin'
"a"
IF you want 10 listen TO what l got
to tell you about watching his tenn
perature-"
Yes. and If you want TO listen TO
what l got TO tell you about that great
big. beautiful, red head of yours and
them great big, five-dollar-gold-piece
freckles and"
''Now!"
"Aw, now, sweetness"
You dare TO rake another step over
here. Just you dare to-"
Why, sweetness, l wouldn't hurt
one Of them hairs in your head, girl,
not for nothing in the world"
You bet your life you wouldn't"
Should say | wouldn't"
She could see him advancing through
the gloom, his white architectural
teeth shining out.
Why, / wouldn't hurt one Of the
hairs on your head girl, not for two
worlds" He paused, dangling the
waist cords. Cant a fellow, just to
prove to you how much he thinks Of
you, have one little"
You can not :" She Tried TO pass
him with a flashing movement, but at
the sight of her scuttling from him In
low detour he reached out, grasping
the edge of her sleeve.
Annie"
NO, you don't!' And with a jerk
and tear was free of him, darting
the rooms width to the mirror and
low toward the door
Taken SO suddenly that his fingers
relaxed like wax, Mr.. Foddie stood for
blinded instant, then cast the length
Of his body across the table top,
reaching for the flying hem of her
sleeve as it slipped him.
"Annie-come back-girl." Reached
farther, dragging the table cover, and
with it the lamp until it tipped into a
burst of flame.
A geySer of fire shot up immediate
~, blackening the white ceiling, its
reflection leaping at Annie kineady
through the tip-tilted mirror like a
long, swift tongue. For moment she
paused, gripped in fear, then hurled
back and at 1t.
Stand back off that crib! Stand
back! Stand-back! The crib!' And
with her bodys weight flung against
1t, reached out, dragging it across the
rooms width, the tent swinging and
the child whimpering.
! "Now! Now, easy you, Mr.. Foddie.
You're all right. Easy! Quit waving.
| Easy! For Gods sake quit waving !!
It's outl Easy"
! With her hands and an afghan
dragged off the couch she beat at him.
! dealing out a series Of quick blows
across his shoulders, and with the
! loose ends spanking out the last
sparks ON his singed collar and down
| the flannel front of his robe.
"Y' amt touched, Mr.. Foddie Was
| just the flannel singed. Nothing's
burnt but the tablecloth. See? Was
| just the flannel tared up. Y amt
touched. Sit down. Don't faint
/ Wait
When Annie Kfneady returned with
the pitcher, her own hands trembling
so that the water Topped out and over
Mr. FOddie was sitting upright In his
! chair, quite as she had showed him
but with a pallor that caused her TO
cry out:
"Beasley! Mr.. Foddie! Beasley
Foddie. Oh, my God, Beasley!"
When Mrs. Beasley, her yellow mus
lin nightgOwn clutched at her thin
throat, rushed into the scorched air
of that room, dim line of tallOw-
faced lodgers came peering after.
"Beasley, for Gods sake, Beasley
The lamp! Nobody burnt, but look at
him, Beasley, hOw-how he sits there
crumpled! Not burnt, Beasley, but
but how he sits there. Oh, my God
Beasley, look at him."
In the gloom of the single jet, shud
deringly, but as one who has learned
that the lodger's first autopsy falls toe
often to landladies, Mrs. Beasley
leaned forward, her ear to the singed
flannel robe.
God Almighty, it was his heart
doctor. Poor, poor man, and | knew
his wife before him. On Mondays he
paid like clOck-work. God Almighty
whatll become of the child, not a stick
or stone of a relation? God AL
mighty, Annie, 1t was his heart, poor
; man, it"
"Oh my Cod" cried Annie Kineady
submerged by her rising hysteris
and sinking her face to her hands
Robbie, little Robbie!"
In the spring. stirred by the rising
juices Of life, Spartan emerges shame
: facedly from her long and sullen win
ter Roads with the ruts frozen IL
them soften and smooth.
4 By May day the box-shaped houses
raise their shades for spring cleaning
and women wrap the upstairs base
burner in newspapers. Along the rail
road tracks the milkweed takes heart
The GLACIERS wife, with her hal
cropped short, puts out her famous
crocus bed, a double row of then
o leading along the walk and around T.
:, the kitchen door.
; nr ona Suoh dav when tho STn la