Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1922-09-27


| thing going. but Lulu was all faith.
She closed the oven door on her pies
and stood brushing -four from her fin.
gers. He was looking away from her
and she looked at him. He was com
pletely like his picture She felt al
IL she were looking at his picture and
she was abashed and turned away.
well, | hope So" she said. which
had certainly never been true, for hel
old formless dreams were no intention
nothing but a mush Of discomfort
Il hope l can do something that's nice
before I quit" she said. Nor was this
hope now Independently true, but only
surprising longing to appear interest
ing in his eyes. To dance before him
what would the folks think of me
going on so?' she suddenly said. Her
mild sense Of disloyalty was delicious
So was his understanding glance.
you're the stuff" he remarked alb.
sently.
She laughed happily.
The door opened. Ina appeared.
"WeIll" said Ina. 1t was her re-
hottest tone. She took this man to be
peddler, beheld her child in his
clasp made a quick forward step, chin
lifted. She had time for a very javelin
of look at Lulu.
"HelloI" said Ninian. He had the
one formula II believe I'm your hus-
bands brother. Amt this Ina?"
It had not crossed the mind of Lulu
to present him.
Beautiful 1t was to see Ina relax,
soften, warm, transform, humanize It
gave one hope for the whole species.
''Ninlanl" she cried. She lent a
faint impression of the double to the
initial vowel. She slurred the rest.
until the Y sound squinted in. Not
Neenyun, but nearly Neenyun.
He kissed her.
''Since Dwight isn't here!" she CRIED
and shook her finger at him. Ina's
conception OF hostess-ship was def
mite: A volley of questions-was his
train on time? He had found the
house all right? OF counsel Anyone
could direct I'm, she should hope And
he hadn't seen Dwight? She must
telephone him. But then she arrested
herself with a sharp, curved fling Of
her starched skirts. MOI They would
surprise him at tea-she stood taut,
lips compressed. Oh, the Plows were
coming to tea. How unfortunate, she
thought. How fortunate, she said.
The child Monona made her knees
and elbows stiff and danced up and
down She must, she must participate.
"Aunt Lulu made three piesl' she
screamed, and shook her straight hair.
Gracious sakes," said Ninian. 81
brought her a pup. and If l didn't for
get to give 1t to her.
They adjourned to the porch--Nin-
Ian, Ina. Monona. The puppy was
presented, and yawned. The party
kept on about ''the place" Ina de-
lightedly exhibited the tomatoes, the
two apple trees, the new shed, the
bird bath. Ninian said the unspell-
able ''m-m," rising infection, and the
II see" prolonging the verb as was ex-
pected of him. Ina said that they
meant TO build summer house, only,
dear me, when you have a family-but
there, he didn't know anything about
that. Ina was using her eyes, she was
arch, she was coquettlsh, she was fsir-
tatiOus and she believed herself
to be merely matronly, slsterly, WON
anly
She screamed. Dwight was at the
gate. Now the meeting, exclamation
banality. guffaw good will.
And Lulu. peeping through the
blind
When 'tea" had been experienced
that evening, II was found that light
rain was falling and the Deacons and
their guests, the Plows, were con
strained to remain in the parlor. The
Plows were gentle, family lustrout
folk, sketched into life rather lightly
as IL they were. say. looking In from
some other level.
'"rhe only thing" said Dwight
Herbert. "that reconciles me to rain II
that I'm let Off croquet." He rolled
his RS, a favorite device Of his to In
fuce humor. He called 1t "croquette.
He had never been more irrepressible
The advent OF his brother was partl!
accountable, the need to show himsel
| a ine family man and host In a pros
| porous little home-simple and pa
thetic desire.
Tell you what Wen dor salt
| Dwight min and I'll reminisce lit
tie"
dor cried Mr.. Pillow. This gentl
fellow was always excited by life, q
family excited by him. and enjoyed IL
presentation In any real form.
NinIan had unerringly selected
dwarf rocker. and he was overfowinl
Il and rocking.
Take this chair, dor Ina begged
"A big chair for a big man." Sh
spoke as II he were about the age o
Nanona.
Ninian refused, insisted on his re
fusal A few years more. and humal
relationships would have spread san
lty even to mas estate and she woult
have told MIN why he should exchang
chairs. AS it was she forebore, an
kept glancing anxiously at the over
burdened little beast beneath him.
The child Monona entered the room
She had been driven down by Di an
Jenny Pillow. who had vanished uT
| stairs and through the ventilation