Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1922-09-06

4
Lulu.
There was a moments silence into
which Monona injected a loud Mum.
mum. nummy-num," as II she were the
burden of an Elizabethan lyric. She
seemed TO close the Incident. But the
burden was cut or untimely There
was, her father reminded her porten-
tously, company In the parior.
"When the bell rang. was so afraid
something had happened to Di." said
/ Ina, signing.
lets see" said DIS father. where
is little daughter tonightf"
/ He must have known that she was
/ at Jenny Plow's at a tea party, for at
noon they had talked Of nothing else;
but this was his way. And Ina played
his game, always. She informed him,
/ dutifully.
"oh. no." said he. absenuy. How
could he be expected TO keep his mind
on these domestic tribes.
I'VE told you that this noon," said
Lulu. He frowned. disregarded her.
Lulu had no delicacy.
How much is salmon the can nowf'
he inquired abruptly-this was one OF
his forms OF speech, the can. the
pound, the cord
His partner supplied this informa-
ton with admirable promptness. Large
size. small size. present price. former
price-she had them all.
Dear me-" said Mr.. Deacon. THAT
is very nearly salmoney. isn't 1T"
| Herbert! I" his Ina admonished, in
/ gentle. gentle reproach. MFR. Deacon
punned, organically. In talk he often
/ fell silent and then asked some Ques-
ton. schemed to permit his voice to
! flourish. Mrs. Deacon's return was
always automatic: HERBERT I"
"Whose BertT" he said to this. II
thought l was your Bert"
She shook her little head. "You are
case" she told him. He beamed
upon her. II was his intention to be
q case.
Lulu ventured In upon this pleas.
antry, and cleared her throat. She
was not hoarse, but she was always
clearing her throat.
'The butter is about all gone" she
observed. "Shall l wait for the butter
woman or get some c7eamery2
/ Mr.. Deacon now felt his little tocu-
larity lost before wall OF the matter
of fact, He was not pleased. He saw
| himself as the light of his home.
bringer of brightness. llghtener OF dull
hours. 1t was pretty role He In
sisted upon II. To maintain II intact,
1t was necessary to turn upon their
sister with concentrated Irritation.
Kindly settle these matters with
out bringing them to my attention at
mealtime." he said icily.
Lulu flushed and was silent. She
was an olive woman, once handsome,
now with fiat, blush shadows under
her wistful eyes. And II only she
would look at her brother Herbert and
say something. But she looked at her
plate.
81 want some honey" shouted the
child, Monona.
"There isn't any, Pet" said Lulu.
81 want some," said Monona, cycling
her stonily. But she found that her
hair-ribbon could be pulled forward to
meet her lips, and she embarked on
the biting OF an end. Lulu departed
for some sauce and cake. II was
apple sauce. Mr.. Deacon remarked
that the apples were almost as good
as II he had stolen them. He was
giving the impression that he was an
irrepressible fellow He was eating
very slowly. II added pleasantly to his
sense of Importance to feel that some
one, there In the parlor, was waiting
his motion.
At length they rose. Monona flung
herself uDon her father. He put her
aside firmly. every inch the father.
No. no. Father was occupied now,
Mrs. Deacon eoaxed her away. Monona
encircled her mothers waist, lifted her
own feet from the floor and hung
upon her. "She's such an active
child" Lulu ventured brightly.
''Not unduly active, l think" her
brother-in-law observed.
He turned upon Lulu his bright
smile. lifted his eyebrows, dropped his
lids, stood for a moment contemplate
ing the yellow tulip, and so left the
/ room.
Lulu cleared the table. Mrs. Deg
/ con essayed to wind the clock. Wen,
now. Did Herbert say II was twenty
three tonight when IL struck the half
hour and twenty-one last night, or
/ twenty-one tonight and last night
twenty-three? She talked Of II as they
cleared the table. bat Lun did not
/ talk.
Cant you renemberT' Mrs. Dea-
con said at last II should think you
might be useful"
| Lulu was lifting the yellow tulip
1 to set 1t on the sill She changed her
mind. She took the plant to the wood
shed and tumbled 1t with force upon
the chip-pile.
/ The dining room table was laid for
/ breakfast. The two women brought
/ their work and sat there The child
/ Monona hung miserably about, watch
ing the clock Right or wrong. she
/ was put to bed by It, She had eight
! minutes e-seyen--six--five--
4 Lulu laid down her sewing and left
i the room. She went TO the woodshed,
+ CROPPED about In the dark found the
stalk of the one tulip flower in its
/ heap on the chlp-pIle. The tulip she
/ fastened In her gown on her fiat chest.
| Outside were to be seen the early
/ stars. II is said that IL our sun were