Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1922-01-26
Continued from last week.
CHAPTER v.

spring and her firstling crept out ten
derby. Even close uI to the rim OF
the tiled highway itself, an occasional
colony of wood violets dared to show
their heads for the brief moment be-
fore they suffocated. The threat of
rain still lay on the air. but the Sun
day rank and file of motors threw back
tops, lowered winGshields and turned
shining noses toward the greening
fields.
In the red-leather tonneau, with her
little face wind-blown and barred to the
kiss of the air, Sadie Barnet turned to
her companion and peered under the
visor Of his checked cap and up into
his small inset eyes.
Isis that the house up on the hill
there, Jerry?"
mot yet. It's right around the next
bend"
Gee! My-my hands are like ice,
I'm that nervous"
"Lemme feel"
"No."
''That's a swell way to treat fell
low who's promised to marry you"
"YOu-you must excuse me today,
Jerry. Honest, with a wink of sleep
I-i'm so upset with poor Dee Dee,
and on top of that so nervous about
your little girl and the house and ey-
erything. And, Dee Dee-when think
of Dee Dee"
don't think, Peachy; that's the way
to get around that"
Ill can't help it. You ought to
seen her at the doctors this morning,
how-how the poor thing lost her nerve
when he told her that there-there
wasn't no hope"
~Aw, now, cut the sob stuff, Peachy
You can't help 1t. Poor old devil.
Maybe she's just getting what's due to
her."
jerry"
Sure 1 believe every one of us gets
what's coming to u.s.
.She-"
'Here we are, Tootsie. See, Peachy,
that's the house l bought her and her
mother, and they was kicking at it be-
fore the plaster was dry
obi Oh"
THAT'S concrete front. Neat amt
1t? That's mosaic-fioor porch, too,
built on a year after her and her
mother vamoosed."
Its a beautiful house, Jerry"
You're the kind of kid that knows
how to appreciate home when she
gets it. But her with her she-devi of
g mother, they no sooner got in than
they began to side with each other
against me-her and her old mother
trying to learn me how to run my own
Shebang"
Say, but amt it pretty Jerry, right
up over the river, and country all
around, and right over there in BACK
the street cars for the city when you
want them?"
This is going to be your street car,
Peachy, six-cylinder one"
She colOred like wild rose.
''Oh, Jerry, II keep forgetting
"By Cad it's good thing I'm going
TO give up my city rooms and come
out here to watch my p's and as. Gosh
darn her neck | told her to quit clut-
tering up that side yard turf with her
gosh darn little fiower-beds! Gosh
darn her neck There never was
servant worth her hide"
Jerry. why, they're beautiful! They
just look beautiful, those pansies, and
is that the little girl sitting up there on
the porch steps? Isis that Maisie7"
They drew TO stop before the box
shaped, ornate house. On the topmost
step of the square veranda the inert
figure of a small girl.
Jaw, amt she cute?"
Miss Barnet sprang lightly to the
sidewalk, and beside her Mr.. Jerome
Beck fiecked the dust of travel from
the bay of his waistcoat, shaking his
trousers knees into place.
'Jerry, call her here, the little girl.
You tell her who-who / am. Tell her
gently, Jerry. and-and how good I'm
going to be to her and--aw, amt the
silly. though, to feel so trembly?"
The child on the steps regarded their
approach with unsmiling eyes. nor did
she move except to draw aside her dark
stuff skirts and close her knees until
they touched
Hello there! Moping again, eh?
Get upl Didn't l tell you not to let
me catch you out playing or help
ing Cloonan around? Say howdy to
this lady. She's coming out here TO
live. Come here and say howdy to
her"
The child shrank to the newelpost,
her little face overtaken with an agony
of shyness.
"Cat got your tongue? Say howdy.
Quit breathing through your mouth
like fish. Say howdy, that's a good
girl"
Don't force her, Jerry. She's BASH
full Amt m, dearie! Amt you.
Maisier
''Moping, you mean. n II was her
month In the dirty Harlem fiat she'd
be spry enough. She knows what /