The Holly chieftain., 1922-08-31
MISS LULU BETT

very brows appealed.
1T was quarter" she said.
"There'll be five flowers"
"You bought it?"-
Eyes. Therell be five-that's q
nickel apiece"
His tone was as methodical as II he
had been talking about the bread.
"Yet We give you home on the
suppositiOn that you have no money
to spend. even for necessities"
His voice, without resonance. cleft
air, thought spirit, and even flesh.
Mrs. Deacon. indeterminateiy feel
ing her guilt in having let loose the
dogs Of her husband upon Lulu, in
terposed: "Well, bur, Herbert-Lulu
isn't strong enough to work. What's
tne use
She dwindled For years the fiction
had been sustained that Lulu, the
family beast of burden, was not strong
enough to work anywhere else.
"The Justice business" said Dwight
Herbert Deacon-he was justice of
the peace-"and the dental profess
sion" he was also a dentist-"d0 not
warrant the purchase of spring flow
ers in my home"
''Well, but, Herbert" 1t was his
wife again.
mo more" he cried briefly. with
slight bend Of his head. Lulu meant
no HARM" he added, and smiled at
Lulu.
There was 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 off untimely. There
was, her father reminded her porten-
tously, company in the parlor.
"When the bell rang, was so afraid
something had happened to d." said
Ina, signing.
Lets see," said DIS father where
is little daughter tonight?"
| He must have known that she was
at Jenny Plow's at 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. absently. How
could he be expected to keep his mind
on these domestic trif1es.
1--WE told you that this noon," said
Lulu. He frowned, disregarded her.
Lulu had no delicacy.
"How much is salmon the can now 2"
he inquired abruptly-this was one of
his forms Of speech, the can, the
pound. the cord.
His partner supplied this informa-
tion 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 it?"
HERBERT" his Ina admonished in
gentle, gentle reproach. Mr.. 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! 7"
"Whose Bert7" he said to this. n
thought l was your Bert"
She shook her little head. "You are
case" she told him. He beamed
upon her. 1t was his intention to be
l
a 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 wait for the butter
woman or get some creamery
Mr.. Deacon now felt his little jocu-
larity lost before a wall Of the matter
of fact. He was not pleased. He saw
himself as the light of his home.
bringer of brightness, lightener of dull
hours. It was a pretty role. He in
sisted upon 1t. To maintain 1t 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 If only she
would look at her brother Herbert and
say something. But she looked at her
plate.
II want some honey" shouted the
child, Monona.
"There isn't any, Pet" said Lulu.
II want some," said Monona. cycling
her stonlly. But he 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 1t 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. 1t added pleasantly to his
sense of Importance to feel that some
one. there in the parlor. was waiting
his motion.