The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-08-03
LAST DAY OF GRACE

BY MARTHA M. BARTLETT


n HE Opaque glass door, with the
= words. Come In" was being eau
tiously opened. Then red head and
a freckled, anxious face appeared. AS
Doctor Trenton looked up from his
desk, the boy solemnly advanced and
presented a newspaper clipping to the
man.
The doctor read aloud: Wanted. An
office boy. BY an unmarried doctor;
height, six feet; age twenty-elght,
hair and eyes, black; disposition,
peac aceable-one-thlrd Of the time. VIII
aim to please the Office boy. Apply
soon. 2S Dollar road"
The searching eyes Of Doctor Tren-
ton noted every detail. He was EVIL
IDENTIFY satisfied, for he pushed forward
q pad and pencil, requesting the boy
to write his address, age. and name Of
parents.
In large, sprawling hand, the boy
wrote: Robert, 157 Washburn street,
age nine." AS he had no more room
on the paper, he gave this verbal in
formation: "Sister says that she an
are 'orfans of the flu.'"
"very good. Now, Robert, tell me
what you can do to make my office
look like Home, Sweet Home"
II kin sweep an make beds-my
bed; I make II as soon as hop out,
an Sister says It looks wonderful. I
kin peel apples. Yer see, Sister is
making pies ter sell. An kin feed
pig-my pig likes sour milk. Sis
ter's named her 'Swillhelmina,' but
call her Meena' fer short"
Excellent, Robert. excellent, but let
us stick to the text. What I need Is
a boy who can sweep, dust and wash
floors and windows; and besides,
have in the closet a skeleton that re-
quires a weekly dusting. Are you
afraid of skeletonsf"
"Oh, no, we've got twin skeletons.
only never saw them. Sister says
their names are Mortgage an Taxes.
They've got long, cruel, greedy fingers
reaching fer ev'ry cent she kin earn.
An she cries sometimes, an says. oh,
it's sumpen more than skeletons; It's
The blasted hopes, the blasted hopes 7
She didn't tell that TO me, though. l
heard her tell II to Mr.. Cunning He's
the feller with white suit. an he
comes most ev'ry day an looks In
through the screen door while she
makes pies"
Bobby" asserted Doctor Trenton,
part of your business as an office boy
will be to entertain me. Here am.
heir to my uncle's estate and prac-
tice. Came three weeks ago. Most
Of the town are taking breathing
spell from mumps, measles and
whooping cough. Not even an ade-
noid has shown It's nose inside this
room. As for nerves, Doctor Coue told
the women to forget 1t, and wash win
dows.' Now, as you were saying, "A
few nights ago.
Robert drew his chin down remlnis-
Gently. "Oh, yes, was sposed ter be
in bed, but l clum out er the winder
an perched in the apple tree. I
looked down through the branches, an
there was Sister an Mr.. Cunning.
"An' he says, How much longer you
gonter wait fer that scamp that never
came back7 You've waited now three
years, ever since you was nineteen.
I've got mummy, an you wouldn't halter
work no more An then Sister said:
Never, never shall l love anyone so
dearly as that man; but, oh, we need
the money so bitterly, an II he doesn't
come in--in-well, in three days, I'll
marry you. I'll give him three days
of grace Today's the last day, an
don't see where the real man is."
Perhaps" suggested the doctor, "he
may be searching for her."
That's what Sister told Mr.. Gun
ming, cause we moved long time ago.
But he JUS laffed an said: chat
fance.'
That's all. Now, kin I sweep yer
Hoorf First, I'll dust the chairs, like
Sister does; then she puts them In
q mother room. An I'll do yer desk
an cover 1t. Got an old sheet handyf'
In short time Bobby was at work.
pushing a long-handled brush. Sud
denly he exclaimed: 900, fergot
ter feed the pig. Kin l go home an
pull her some cornstalks7 She's only
three months an she depends on me
sumpen orful."
"Finish the floor first, Bobby; One
thing at a time, and that done well.
you know. / sympathize with Meena.
We'll both go, and I'll make arrange
ments with your sister concerning this
work."
Soon they were whizzing toward
washburn street. At 157 they alighted
Bobby to feed the pig, while the doc.
tor made his way to the screen door
There he paused. Mr.. Cunning, In
immaculate white fiannels, was gazing
at a slender girl, who was rolling pie
crust. On her face were little dabs Of
flour, clinging to the exquisite, damash
cheeks. Her eyes were troubled, fol
this was the last day of grace ant
there were the taxes and mortgage
and Bobby; oh, well, she would keeI
her promise, II 1t broke her heart.
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