The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-04-13
CHAPTER TX
Where FIJI Caesar Led.

So(ta
Several weeks had passed, and the
pink sweater had not been worm. 1t
was sometimes looked at, reposing in
a paper wrapper in the cleanest apple
box-Monday morning with high hope,
Saturday night with black despair.
Once Lettie had picked her way gin
gerly through five days of behavior
that might have been recorded with
a gold pen on a pearly page-and
then, prestol Humanity Imps
Cataclysml Once her impetuous feet
had trod the narrow way up to and
Including Saturday noon. The goal
was in sight. Miss Lettie staged a
war-dance in premature celebration.
caught her ragged sleeve In the handle
of a saucepan or the stove, dragged
1t over the edge, deluged the kitchen
with precious soup stock, soaking In
delibly into the rough board floor.
Lettie's contrition was always I'M
mediate and sincere, but 1t lacked hat
element Of projection which might
have fastened into the future and In
sured better things. Nevertheless, 1t
was a difficult problem to discipline
her. She had an unfailing perception
of right and wrong, and knew at any
moment which side of the fence she
was on. She never denied she never
contrary, she stood by In the thickest
OF the disaster, often very thick In
deed, and rem the atmosphere with
shriIl confession 81 lone 1t; done It."
1t was the purest futility to call her
attention to the fact that she had
sinned Lettie fo~restalled such action
by her lightning metamorphosis into
the sinner who repenteth and is
therefore entitled to the rejoicing Of
the beholder. But to sit down and
rejoice over a little girl who has just
wrecked half of your kitchen, obvi-
ously carries with 1t implications
which cannot be sponsored; and in
merely a silent and puzzled spectator.
standing by while Lettie put herself
through the stages of revulsion, an
athena, and self-infiicted penance.
Never did Mrs. Penfieid devise pun
ishments half so drastic as those which
suggested by Lettie, who de-
yin methods of s%elf-faggela-
ton that should translate the frenzy
of wrong-doing into a frenzy Of tor
ture.
Opposed to ali rules was Mrs. Pen
fields attitude OF neutrality, a of a
detached onlooker. You're too easy"
5aid Mrs. Wepple. you'll be sorry
when it's too late" declared Mrs. Cat
But Mrs. Penfield only
smiled at them gently. with a far
away look in her eyes which they re-
sented, because it showed that their
carefully pointed criticism had failed
IF its aim.
sTd punish her If she'd give me a
she admitted, "but when she
ioes 1t herself, l can't-thout heap
ng 1t up double. Besides, II q fell
er's conscience has stirred up a fight
n his own soul, anybody that takes
hand from the outside Is only put
ing himself on record as a meddler."
So the fight was Lettie's, and thus
II IN fiNiOiy Huu HOfcItQ III euS-
occasionally giimpsed, but
inclined TO fly high.
Ironically enough, the greatest OBJ
In her path of virtue was Mr.,
He acted as a reagent,
out and precipitating all the
7orst In her nature.
By a curious instinct, they wepe
9th conscious of a fundamental an.
agonlsm. complicated on Mr.. Wopple's
lde by the irresistible desire to
tart something. Turned loose in &
lenagerie, he would have entertained
imself by thrusting sticks between
bars of cages. that he might gloat
yer the torture of animals deprived
I the power to give him the retalia-
on he deserved. He was naturally
batter of beasts; and In Lettie he
,und a most satisfactory subject for
Is ingenuity.
II hate him." declared Lettie,
her foot. 81 hate him."
he eased her armful of driftwood
on the accumulation in the cor
sr and Strengthened up with a jerk,
sr black eyes flashing.
Mrs. Penfield. sailing the stew for
nch, smiled at her ~composedly.
That's one thing you got to get over.