The Ocala evening star., 1922-02-17
Downright lzu. By The Wheeler syndicate, Inc.

Copyright l&0- By The Wheeler Syndicate, Inc.
Lying there taut for sound, when it
did come, and III spite of herself, she
sprang trembling To her feet, drag
ging a swirl OF sheet with her; and
when an abysmal gasp seemed to have
no end, thrust her feet into knitted
slippers and, wrapped in d kimono OF
large-fgured cotton crepe, sloughed
shivering, through the gloom Of the
hall; raped in three staccatos at the
door adjoining, her whisper breaking
out into voice.
Mr.. Foddie - open please - Mr..
Foddie."
The door swung back to reveal him
in the flannel IreSSing- gown, peering
and quavering, and the hot medicinal
smell Of creosote pouring around him.
II was just coming for you. Miss
Annie He-littIe fellows bad"
Mr.. Foddie, Mr.. Foddie, he oughtn't
ing. Did you fix the tent arrangement
10 cOnfine the fumes%
Come i'll, Miss Annie For Gods
sake, do something. I never seen the
poor little fellow SO hard up for
breath" He dragged the door wide,
his face standing out Whitley.
She was i'll and past him, and to
the small crib, an open umbrella hung
Enthusiastically above it and a sheet de-
pending, tent-fashion. Beside it a dull
lamp burned into the gloom, its hot
antiseptic fumes rising.
THE lamp, Mr. Fodder! 1t can be
held inside for a while"
And grasping it like a torch, she
parted the tent curtains and plunged
In to her waist.
Outside in the gloom of one witch
ing gas-jet Mr.. Foddie paced short
stretch of floor. hands behind him and
fist beating into palm.
Miss Annie, if you think it's a doc
tor he needs, the poor little"
Hand me spoon there"
He inserted it, trembling.
as he"
Hand me another blanket"
'tHere"
1.-THE hot water kettle"
Here, Miss Annie"
"Shh-h-h-h!''
The small stranglings receded and
finally ceased, and her voice carse
through the sheet filtered and relaxed
"'Salright, baby. 'Salright now
| Sleep. Go to sleep, my ba-bee-
| ba-bee. Go to sleep, my ba-bee. Ira
| Ia-la la la! M-m-m-m-m."
! When she emerged from the slit il
the teepee, lamp upheld, the face OF
! her was in high luster, like Tiepolo':
| Cleopatra. Light slid down over he
milky arms, with the sleeves falling
back from them, and upon her hair, {
plait of it flowing over each shoulder
He's all right, Mr. Foddie. Yot
! just didn't have his little head low
enough and didn't know how to worE
the lamp"
my God. Miss Annie, l was afrait
! he'd choke. Poor little fellow jus
! looked like he'd never get his mex
breath. Poor little fellow
Now, now, Mr. Foddie you sit righ
down there. You're as white as
ghost yourself. They Cont amount T.
nothing. Mr. Foddie these spells o
Group with kids if you know how I
handle them. Honest, you men ar
The greatest ones for losing your head
right away and going all to pieces
Why-why, with my little hoy his dad
dy just used to go all to pieces
he only stubbed his toe. Honest, yo
men :"
But poor little"
"Why. you ought to see him now
Go take peek AT him for y0ursel.
sleeping there quiet as a top, with hi
little wool bear hugged up to hin
Easy now. shh-h-h!' -
He entered and emerged with hi
face cleared TO q smile.
well. I'll he darned-"
Didn't tell yOu?"
Laying there laughin' in his slee
and his little yellow curls just lik
you'd laid them there one by one"
II did"
"Wen, I'll be darned. Asleep an
cool as a cucumber" He sank into
chair, breathing rapidly and regardin
her.
"Mr. Foddie, you're letting yourse
get all excited over nothing"
Tim all right"
"You mustn't let yourself ga
worked up when he gets these littl
spells. Just call NE or Beasiey. the
don't mean anything. You mustn't g
excited. Mr.. Foddie, the way you
heart can act up
He was intent on watching her pl
shut the slit i'll the teepee, the sleeve
fallen back from her arms, her hea
thrown up So that her throat swelIe
and the print crepe flowing about h
| body.
There. nOw,'
You bet it acts up when your
around. Miss Annie. 1t acts up Ill
crazy"
Keep his head low now, Mr.. 20
die. but not toe"
You just her ii acts up. You gei
big whire-Skiune2 headed"
Nov I've ~-u"E 7r"~r ~ much