Mountain advocate., 1922-03-17
AIR
BY mYRTA ALICE LITTLE. !
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sldtc Iulf IOOul SoiiUullN't h'iBSN
his tortured brow and faced the main
causes Of the torture. There were two
of them, Hepzibah Pepper-chunky
bespectacled and determined, and her
husband IchabOd-lank, scared, long
suffering victim Of EIep's notions,
chlchy her notions about air.
Il can't find you folks any room in
this city with four windows in II.
All taken. Move on, Mrs. Pepper.
Give the rest of the folks a chance
Hepzibah glared. Her voice doomed.
IL tell ye, we've come ter this state
fair and I've entered my pound for
pound cake and my crazy silk com
Portable, and we've got four wlnders
in our room ter home. | was brought
up with four winders. I'll die without
em. Ich, he promised if I'd come with
him-hed-"
A feeble tap from ICh's nervous
fingers only added zest to IIep's IL
rudc. 81 tell ye, Mr.. Chairman, I'll
plant m'sef right here b this desk
o yourn, this time, till ye tell US
]
with four winders in it"
Here, madam; here's your ruOm!
| A change had come over the irate
| chairman. In his hand he held Il key.
Mrs. Pepper, I'm sending Il woman
/ over to show you your ROOM
-Four windows?" interrupted Hep
zibah Pepper.
"On my word Of honor, four win
dOws, Mrs, Pepper" grinned the chair
man. "Now, go"
/ Hep went fOotsOre. but triumphant,
| dragging her trembling spouse behind
| her.
"All imagnatlon" grumbled lch
spasmOdically. Air! Air. Air!
Hope 'tis to the poor farm she's takin
us, er ter the Jail Serve yer right
"Shet upw said Hepzibah scOrn-
fully.
Their destination proved to be a
prctcntiOus frame dwelling in the sub
urbs. whose parlOr was indeed pro
vided with bed lounge. stuffed
chairs and glass bookcases, but prin-
Glpally with the four windows. Hep
dropped into chair. The woman
opened the bed and vanished. There
was a grin on her face.
Don't yer light the gas. There's
light nough from the street Hep an
nOunced AN yer amt gOin' ter
drag me roun ter look at no hens ter
morrer. Go ter bed, ef yer SO bert
out: I'll tend ter the winders."
Ich went, and slept directly the
sleep of the suffering just. lie was
aroused by terrific clutching in the
region Of his arms.
Get up an open 'em, lch; l can't
find the fasteners. I'm fainrin'. Get
up
"Plenty of air comm in rOun the
casin's," murmured Ich slcepily.
Hep's ready fists came into use.
"Shet up an open them winders,' she
snapped.
Ich arose and began fumbiug around
in the half darkness. "Tll fix 'em,
muttered Ich Pepper "Ey'ry last
windcrw There followed the awful
sound of crashing, spintering glass,
Il can feel 1.-THE good fresh air
from all four winders," she breathed
we've saved my life. Ich, we've saved
-" Helps response to the crashes
and the consequent floods of ozone
was complete She slept Ike a nice
gray cat till morning.
Ii was morning Of revelations
Hep's pound for pound cake wore q
blue ribbon, and her crazy comforter
wore red ribbon, and the room com
mlttee chairman wore a life-size grin
that expanded with every word which
Ich Pepper spoke TO him. Moreover
the chairman accepted the greenbacks
which Ich offered, though he made
the cryptic remarks: worth It, the
bother, the laugh I've had. | start
for Florida tomorrow. Family beer
there Il week. 'S why my house wa
shut up. | knew you folks were all
right. Looked you up. So l let you
in. Sure. the windows were fastene'
down. but your wife didn't specify
the opening variety to me-
The chairman's remarks ceased hein.
cryptic when the news. spread over
the fair grounds thlt the glass whirl
Ichubod Pepper half asleep am,
wholly desperate, had demolished O.
let I'm the ozone th,r had saved Hep,
life. was not in one of the four win
dows bur in tine glass doors of th'
book cases which lined the walls OF
the paror bedroom.