The Monmouth inquirer., 1926-10-07
For Mrs. Grundy's
Sake
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
BY MARTHA M WILLIAMS
lcopgriEht.l

excuse for the envy, hadn't Madame
Doro gathered together company at
the ungodly hour of a. M. upon
pretense of listening to the winged
choirl Nobody could have expected
the company to listen raptly until it
had done with waffies, black coffee
and fine strawberries. The chatter
ers, though, We're bad losers witness
the groans all about when the cock
outcrowed them. Was it possible
the bird-study class was to be turned
into a vulgar poultry show?
Lord grant itr said Margarine
Dare wickedly. "A bird in the hand
is worth a hundred up in the trees.
"Such impertinence should be be-
yond even YOU" shifted Miss Eliza
beth Fancher, who persisted in being
zone Of the girls" in spite of the fam
lily Bible.
Miss Betsy When you know !
dare anything in a noble cause r Mary
countered. "And upon my word | feel
1t as wicked to tritie with a fine young
appetite as fine young heart. ("
"Maryanne, don't talk foolishments,
Wallace Dean reproyed. Hearts went
clean out of fashion way back before
the World war If you find one in
good condition, please notify me-"
"SoIdI' Mary cried, rising and hold
ing out both hands to him. "Not only
a heart to offer-take. too. the love
that has been feeding like worm the
bud upon my damaged cheek"
Get you better brand of rouge
or let me send you a vanity case
straight from Paris" Wallace Knocked.
Wallace had been going to Paris and
art since he was ten, yet at thirty
was no nearer getting there. Hard
luck this for first volunteer, espe-
eially one rearin' for to go, but was
withheld by the capacity he showed
for handling men and things. Uncle
Sam had refused to spare him until it
was too late. He was just ready to
sail when came the armistice.
Throughout the years since he had
been variously hindered. Yet he could
jest over it, instead of grouching or
whining. He didn't in the least know
it. but Maryanne found that about the
finest, knightliest thing in the world.
She Knocked him to mask her real
mind toward him. Friends from the
mud-pie era, Wallace held her not a
woman but a guiding star. A year
younger by records, she was in many
ways infinitely older. Indeed, her un-
canny elfish vision-she saw through
several times saved him from social
peril. Elizabeth Fancher, for exam
pie, had so reused his generous SYM
pathy, she had almost married him out
of hand. That would never have done;
she was fifteen years his elder; art
fully Margarine had beguiled her into
Renaissance that dated her, thereby
putting such a crimp in her plan it
came to naught.
Mighty sorry, but must go" said
Wallace; started haying this morn
ing-must see how the new machines
work before go to town"
"Take us with you'll Pleased
would like to smell the new-mown
hay !" Elizabeth cried in her best girl
ish manner
"Thatll be fine Maryanne nodded.
''Twos company, three a crowd, but
know Wallace loves crowds better'n
pie"
Twenty minutes later the big car
stood empty in the spread of the
grassland Three fine new motor
mowers ran one behind the other, the
tall grass falling unsteady in even
swaths as they swept forward. Wal
lace at the wheel Of the foremost, had
Elizabeth at his elbow. Maryanne had
managed that-moved in contrition by
sunshine's revelation of aging thinness
In the other woman's face She her.
self was driving the next machine. In
sensibly the pace quickened, the
chauffers did not fairly sense it, but
they were racing madly for the far
turn. BY rule they ran forty yards
apart Margarine meant to have her
motors nose at Wallace's wheel when
it came to stacking for the turn.
She played fair-had whistled q
shrill warning to the leader-it IL
censed the fellow back of her TO join
in the race. He was gaining in spite
of all she could do-not quite so much
as she gained on Wallace. Yet all
might have been well but for the
snake-a big copper-ringed cotton
mouth that dared the saw-teethed
scythe-and was cut to bits. 1t need
not have mattered but for Elizabeth's
nerves-she shrieked madly and
leaped down right in the path of that
ruthless blade. Wallace tried yainly
to hold her back; failing, he went
with her.
Well that Maryanne was at his
wheel; how she did it none could
say; miraculously she got into the
drivers place, barely in time. Wal
lace, desperately but not mortally
hurt, came to himself hours later to
find two doctors and the minister smil-
ing at him, with Maryanne holding