The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-05-18

: Mrs. Penfield considered. "Yc
mean tree and trimmings and pre-
ents-"
Eyes, and presents for everybody |
The Custard Cup" supplemented LIE
, tie. 'Ev'rything swell-a big party |"
> why. Lettie IL you was to do 1t o
:. a big scale like that and have ev'ry
: thing grand, it'd take-Pm 'fraid IT.
take a dollar"
, Gravely Lettie reflected upon thi
huge block Of solid finance, as yet un
negotiated. III we'll raise a dollar.
she stipulated slowly. 'honest-to- good
ness earn II, will you show US how t,
heve big blowout Christmas-lots o.
presents and fixings-and strings Of
things all over the trees-and candles
and big partyr'
I'm do that very thing, Lettie,r
promised Mrs Penfield But"
TITS as good as DONE" shouted Let
tie. "Oh. Penzie, I love you harder all
the time" She flew at Mrs. Penfield,
strangled her for moment with a
thoroughness that was fortunately
brief, and dashed through the big door
into the driveway, to ventllate her ex-
uberance in the open air.
Crink followed. Say, Lettie," he in
CURED anxiously, how you going to
| do II"
She turned on h.-n disdainfully.
"Iandy patience. Crink. how do you
s'pose l known"
We'll" he returned In deep disap-
pointment. you told her sure, just as
If"
"Golly. won't you never grow up,
Crink? Don't you know you have to
be sure Of thing first, and then you
go ahead and do 1t afterward? I'm
doing the sure part now, and pretty
soon I'll think Of a way of pulling 1t
of. Trust mel"
Lettie's enterprise was complicated
by the fact that she was still in the
shadow of debt She owed twenty
cents on the replacing Of Mr.. Wopple's
window. 1t had been a slow matter
to accumulate tie money to pay for
her moment of impulsive violence and
never again would she be lacking In re-
spect for pane of glass. But now to
raise a dollar-no, a dollar and twen-
ty cents-in a week In less time |
There would be endless preparations to
make, and the money would have to be |
In hand before the plans could begin. |
She could not allow herself more than
three days. 1t was appalling. The
window money had been raised by |
long. weary hours of solid labor:
picking up wood, washing steps, run
ming errands. The rewards had been
In reverse ratio to the Intensity Of eff
forts and had ranged from one cent
up to dime per job. The latter had
been the insurmountable limit.
1t was painfully evident that these
slow methods must be abandoned in
favor of a gigantic financial coup. Let
lie discouraged the society Of Crink and
rhad, and withdrew to her favorite va
ant lot for purposes of meditation
Throwing herself down In the shade
# weeping willow. she proceeded to ,
translate her outburst Of assurance In
o plans for concrete wherewithal. ,
by jingoesl" she said to herself. 81
,otta get that money In lump. This
int no dime-bank stunt. It's race
tween me and Christmas, and I'm I
DING to get there first" Miss PenfleId g
saned over and pummeled the ground I
18th her fist. I'm gonta D'you heart
m gonta J"
Having registered her determination =
9th verbally and physically, she felt
relieved. Lifting her
yes, she shook of her tenseness and s
lrveyed the world In wholly recep- y
We mood. A boy was whistling F
round the corner. He came In sight, Q
stributing handbills. Lettie watched
i'm climb steps, slip q dodger under T.
lie door, run down again, climb other 1
cps.
Her gaze ceased to follow the boy, 6,
,came fixed dreamy. Her body was T
otionless. by Georgei" she muir T.
ured I'm getting an idea. 1 can
lost see It." IT
1t developed that this particular idea N
as not to be captured In the space Of ~ ~
n seconds. but Lettie stayed by with III
cTeulDle pdllenCe. iHhlly lne mentHl II
sioning was clarified. She sprang to b
r feet, wild with excitement and
pc. and dashed Off several blocks, to u
e OF her hunting grounds, the freq
ge Of lumber yard. Here she rum OF
iged until she had collected num- n s'a
r Of long, light pieces of wood. Sc
Itch she bound together with an old ris
re and dragged home. an
The afternoon and all Of the follow is
, day were spent by Lettie In the col
st secluded corner OF the Penfield an
ok yard. and no king In his castle IN,
S ever more unapproachable. Crink
4 Thad were left In no doubt re-
ding her desire for Isolation. The gi'
owed FIJI Caesar was Tended OF mi
h an active GOODNESS that wounded fer
affectionate nature. Bonnie Ger IN
Inc limped about the yard without , ,nv
iting even the feeting compassion Ma
her mistress. -
ire ponfald OIanrfpo from, ~