The Washington herald., 1922-11-19
xxrFYou codld hev. b. xIah.

her feet. s-y \ : 3 y l..ss.s.s
Her lined. weather.burned fscs
had no acquaintance with cold
creams and tonics.
Her angular, energetic body had
never known pink-flowered stays
and satin brassieres.
Her hands W@rs worn, and stained
from contact with the ioom. with
lyes and soaps and firewood, with
ashes and candle grease. with
bloody feathers and sooty iron
pans.
The other women In the group
looked at her In surprise.
They were untimely aged bysthe
bitter necessities Of freezing win
ters and burning summers.
Their eyes were fearful Of
marauding animals.
Their ears were alert to catch
the crackle of forest fires. the
battle whoop Of Indians.
They had small leisure. small in
clination. for idle dreams. But
human hearts must feed upon them
sometimes.
A MAGIC BUTTON.
well. Sally" said the impatient
youngest Of the group. pushing her
sore. cracked fingers about to ease
them. "I've often thought what
I'd wish.
I'D have 1t that only had to
put my hand out, and touch a
magic button on the wall. and the
whole cabin would be full of light.
like the sunlight-with no grease
and SCOT and ashes and wicks to
bother about.
"And I could have It when /
wanted It, II It was only for a
minute. and when I didn't want it.
I'd just touch the button. and It'd
be gone again.
"I'd wish." another woman con-
tributed. diverted. ''that when I
was dead tired, and the babies got
restless, some OF the hot summer
afternoons. I could put EN- into
a-into a sort of little magic
wagon. without horses or reins,
and just whirl 'em off into the big,
cool woods, fifty miles-sixty miles
away! And when dark came. /
could just stick 'em back in and
whisk 'em home again.
The others laughed.
IT'D BE A FUNNY wORLDw
you'll be a long time getting
that. Susan Butlerr said one Of
them. shaking her head. Here's
what I've wished sometimes" she
added whimsical in her turn.
I've wished / only had to 10 to
my kitchen and turn a handle or
something and have the good hot
boiling water come pouring forth
out Of q hole In the wall.
"And I've wished, winters, that
there was q sort Of big box some
where. full Of real, good. summer
heat. and I could turn some Of II
loose all over the house-in Grand.
mas room. where IT'S so cold, and
down in the back chamber, where
the children DO their studying,
nightsr'
IT'D be an awful funny worid,-
another woman commented mildly.
why wouldn't you have the veg
etables come all done up in nice
clean jars. Maria Henrietta, while
you're about it3 And why wouldn't
you have the cows milked for you.
and the-chickens fed. and the milk
and eggs brought right to the
door,"
A BOX FULL OF ICE.
well, don't know why notf"
said Maria Henrietta boldly. land
I'd like to have someone come to
my door and pick up my wash
every Monday morning. and bring
it back to me all clean and whittier
And all you'd do would be walk
into a store, I suppose" said a
highly amused neighbor. ''and pick
out your children's dresses, all
ready-made in sizes to fit7"
"Yessir. certainly wouldw said
Maria Henrietta, getting reused,
"and their stockings and shoes, tool
And I'd have a magic box in my
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three drinks. and then don't
remember what happened. When
came to Captain Austin was
rubbing my hands and face and
telling mo that there had been a
raid.
"Vic Searles' wife, Miss Boulis-
ter, knew that I had no part in
the blackmail game that cost him
SO dearly after that raid. II she
were here she would s,Ihstanfiafe