The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-01-12
The Fresh-Air
Bunch
BY MAR .HA MACWILLIAMS.
). issi. BY HeciSrs Newspaper syndiest'


Hawkins began impressively, that
the thing Ia unthinkable. Quite"
Nobody asks your opinion, so why
not keep II to yourselff" Miss Marina
countered. Are you afraid OF poison
ing yourself with suppressed adviceT
IF | am to be insulted," Hawkins
said. r!s'ng pompously, "why, let's get
II over, and done with"
Miss Marina tossed back Mt him:
Lord, SAM" she ran nd giggling. "if
you knew what a fool you look when
you put on the great mogul mir, you
surely would can It for one while"
She held no rancor against her half
brother. rather the tolerance of use
and wont. He wasn't wholly bad
sort only such ninny about some
things. Witness his belief that to look
on him was to love him for anything
betwIxt fifteen and fifty. Equltably,
his mother had to answer for that.
She had been so busy safeguarding
Sammy sirNo he put on roundabouts.
small wonder he had accepted her val
uation OF himself.
"If you persist In your folly, there
is nothing for 1t but to go camping this
next fortnight" he began renectively.
"Grass'll get you past redemption
I'm one week. let alone two" she said.
"And won't let the neighbor boys
come and plow you out, as they did
last year"
"Well. what am to dof" Sammy's
voice trembled. "With mothers heart
so weak, you know II would kill her to
see me married"
you'll find safety I'm numbers,
silly" Miss Marina comforted. "You
can't possibly marry six girls at once.
Not any more than you could make up
your mind which. supposlng any OF 'em
would have YOU"
you're bound to have themf"
"Surest thing, you know. That's the
word with the bark on II. SO behave
like man, even II you can't be one"
II don't see why" almost tearfully.
"But | do see why" obstinately.
"IIere I've got a good place, room and
to spare, lashins to eat and drink. no.
body but myself to care for--and these
slips Of things working hard all year
with no chance of fun and fresh air.
| They shall have both-aud things to
eat. and sleep as late as they like. and
ride and wade, and roll In the hay.
You go about your business. and I'll
see to Il that not one Of 'em even looks
at you"
"But-but I'll have to look at
them," plaintively.
"No--you can be blindfolded till you
get out In the fieid-and eat with just
nanny; she'll be a dragon over you,
Miss Marina expounded. "Now, listen
hard. Unless you make this crop
you planted, don't go incoming or as
you've been doing this last two, three
years. / won't stand to the promise of
making up the rest of your college
money. I've got 1t to spare, but sup
plying crutches is no way OF teaching
a fellow to walk on his own feet"
Sammy got up--tall, lean, indecisive
of step and motion. "When are-are
they comlng2" he asked tremulously.
"Today, at ten O'clock" Miss Marina
answered $50 II you want to fly the
coop and the crop, better be quick
about It."
Sammy did not fly the coop, but the
fresh-air bunch would surely have cost
him his crop, had not Miss Marina
bounded him remorselessly to Its tend
ance. The bunch was not slow &c
sense his attitude. Being young, femi
nine and overfowing with suppressed
deviltry Its component units ran rings
all around him. BY the third day
they followed him as small chicks dc
a mother hen, asking him all about
everything, pretending thirst fol-
farm knowledge and training In farm
Marina, but she allowed two days fol
: the tide to spend itself. Since 4
mounted high and higher, she smiled
grimly and took command. "Hov
would you like to put In a crop Of nav!
beans and some late cucumbersf" sh,
asked the six. Late June's the tim,
for plantlng-you can come bacl
around Labor day, and tend to tn
picking. I'll have work done mean
time-charging 1t to you, OF course
but that won't take so much of tn
profits. Are you gamer II you are
: why, next year you may be real farm
!. erettes."
Camel OF course-they picked n
hoes and rakes gingerly, but with Al
eager seeming, and obeyed orders a
best they could. Sowing the beans wa
hard work. Miss Marina insisted Ii
rows must be straight. The groun
T had been plowed and narrowed. bu
rows had to be laid Off with the hant
A marker-which was heavy and tire
some. Cucumber hills meant diggin
deep holes, filling them with very ric
earth and sticking In many seed
:. Sammy was ridiculously eager to hell
!. and be helped, but was sternly shooe
1. back TO his own proper employment
/, Ills mother divided her time betwi,
= weeping over him and cooking specii
| Jtebaa 20 ha s,,rroptifinuSlu aatan th