The Glenwood post., 1923-08-09
cents on the replacing OF Mr. WoppIe's

cents on the replacing of MIR. WOpple'S
window. 1t had been slow matter
to accumulate the 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 dollar@no, dollar and twen-
ty cents-in 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
for,s 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
tie discouraged the society of Crink and
Thad, and withdrew to her favorite va
cant lot for purposes of meditation.
Throwing herself down in the shade
of weeping willow, she proceeded to
translate her outburst of assurance in
to plans for concrete wherewithal.
by jingoes!" she said to herself. II
gotta get that money in lump. This
amt no dime-bank stunt It's a race
tween me and Christmas, and I'm
going to get there first" Miss Penfield
leaned over and pummeled the ground
with her fist. I'm gontal D'you hear?
I'm gonta!''
Having registered her determination
both verbally and physically, she felt
considerably relieved. Lifting her
eyes, she shook off her tenseness and
surveyed the world in a wholly recep-
tive mood boy was whistling
around the corner. He came in sight.
distributing handbills. Lettie watched
him climb steps, slip n dodger under
the door, run down again, climb other
steps.
Her gaze ceased to follow the boy,
became fixed, dreamy. Her body was
motionless. "By George" she muir
mured. I'm getting an idea. l can
most see it."
1t developed that this particular idea
|
ten seconds, but Lettie stayed by with
incredible patience. Finally the mental
visioning was clarified She sprang to
her feet, wild with excitement and
hope, and dashed off several blocks, to
one of her hunting grounds, the free
edge of lumber yard. Here she rum
mayed until she had collected a num-
Der of long, light pieces of wood,
which she bound together with an old
wire and dragged home
The afternoon and all of the follow
ing day We're spent by Lettie in the
most secluded corner of the Penfield
back yard, and no king in his castle
was ever more unapproachable. Crink
and Thad were left in no doubt re-
garding her desire for isolation. The
beloved FIJI Caesar was Tended off
with an active coldness that wounded
his affectionate nature. Bonnie Ger
aldine limped about the yard without
exciting even the fleeting compassion
of her mistress.
Mrs. Penfield, glanclng from the
window occasionally at the small fig
ure busily working with hatchet and
nails, sticks and old wire, was moved
to pity over the disappointment which
she feared was in store. 1t was ev,-
dent that the child's whole being WIS
set on success and that she was risk
ing everything on one venture. And
yet how could she make anything out
of her little old scraps that anybody
would buy? The tears gathered in
Mrs Penfield's eyes as she imaged the
probable crumbling of Letties hopes
Every little while there would be a
spanking Of steps through the yard, a
flash of black curls through the door,
a furious beating on the temper gong.
Take that, will you?" Lettie would
cry, addressing a spirit within herself,
often addressed before. "Lordy, I'll
beat you. You make me-tired-all
time trying to-get me! Now how do
you feel?'
The temper gong had long since
ceased to be n thing of wood Letties
imagination had endowed It with
: fraction of her own nature, the unde-
sirable fraction, and she scolded and
threatened and pounded It with fury
: that was sharper because of the per-
sonification.
Mrs. Penfield traced the frequency of
: these demonstrations to undue exer-
ton. "Lettie, dear, don't work so hard"
she demonstrated.
'Penzie, darling, l gotta" replied
Lettle firmly. "There amt much time
and the old thing balks on me-"
: But in the middle of the second fore
noon Lettie came into the house with
I impressive triumph. Her steps were
I measured, her head high.
"She works." announced the child
with brief nod toward the contriv-
ance she was carrying. It was a long,
slender stick with wires at one end,
but Lettie gave no explanation of its
| purpose. Instead. she took II into the