White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1927-12-09
CHAPTER II-Continued

VI
Mr.. Schwenckton looked sternly
disappointing. "You hadn't ought to
heist windahs where a persons layin'
sick |" he reafIirmed, and Aunt Rosy
added her Mortified prophecy: Eyes,
soon you'll have another wife dead on
you, Mister, with such goings-on as
soon as my back is turned around be-
hind me oncet!"
"Susie would be up and about In q
week If you kept her room aired and
clean," Nicely imperturbably affirmed,
"and the baby, too, would pick up.
There's nothing the matter with the
baby except that it's not properly
taken care of, Mr. Schwenckton."
"Yes, well, but when body's sick,
or for babies" Mr.. SchwencktOn re-
peated, 1--WE don't hold to openin' win
dahs on EN-"
"Susie's bed was plenty clean as 1t
was p declared Rosy. ut didn't need
changin' till another week yet. 1t
makes me too much work, such be-
haviors does! And Susies too sick
fur Nicely to take and wash her! Of
all-things! Washin' a person when
they're sick yeti"
Meely's reception of this criticism
was as impersonal as though it were
being directed toward anyone but her
self Her whole attitude to this fam
lily, her very presence here, seemed
tentative, experimental. When she
was not regarding them with wide
eyed wonder and curiosity, her face
was expressing suppressed amusement,
or pity, or impatience; sometimes be-
wilderment; sometimes the interested
suspense one might feel at a "movie"
or play.
Their attitude to her. however, was
entirely matter of-fact Evidently they
took her quite for granted, as she GER
tainly did not take them.
Just now her alert observation took
in the fact that Mr.. Schwenckton's
anxious glance was resting with atfec-
tionate concern on Lizzie's red eyes;
that he was aware of her desperate
effort to repress the little gasping
catching of her breath which betrayed
she was not eating any supper.
Reaching across the table, he took
her plate, piled it with food and hand
ed it back to her. EAT your supper,
Lizzie" he ordered in tone that for
him was a caress. 1--WE can't have no
more sick folks here"
"Ye-yes, sir" Though the food
strangled her, she would have to obey
and eat it to the last crumb when her
father so ordered.
Aunt Rosy never missed chance
to disparage Nicely in Sam Schwenck-
toms eyes; for she felt that If she could
get rid of this Objectionable girl, as
she had gotten rid of Nettie and Jakey,
the two older children of the family,
she would hold the situation in hand.
here in her young sisters home, with
much more confidence.
$50 you took another of them long
walks of yourn again today, Nicely,
ain't?" she just now remarked in
sinuatingly. "Seems so funny walllin'
lust fur the sake of walkin'l Amt
Sam? l guess" Aunt Rosy nodded
knowingly, "she goes to meet her
fellah |"
This bait elected no reply from
Nicely, though it manifestly touched
Mr.. Schwenckton's curiosity bit and
even Lizzies sickly interest.
"But why" continued Aunt Rosy
"are you so secret about it If you're
got fellah? You're welcome, I'm
sure, to keep comp'ny here in the
front room. Amt, Sam? You're go1
no need to meet him secret that way
It don't look NICE Looks like as II
YOU had somepin to hide yet! Amt
Sam?"
81 can't think" responded Mr.
Schwenckton refectively, "of any fel
lah round here that wouldn't be toe
common for Nicely"
"Ach, l don't know. She amt sc
much, so far forth as 1 can see," Aunt
Rosy frankly stated, "even If she i:
high-educated that way"
'aThe only educated young mer
round here is the two Creightons, ant
to be sure" said Mr. Schwenckton
''they only run with swells."
,"Creightons?' repeated Nicely in
quiringly.
Eyes. They're away-up folks, then
Creightons They're 'ristocratics, the.
are. Grand folks. None better. Ever
the swells that lives in town ain
nothin' much to the Creightons-
they're got so much, the Creighton:
has"
$50 much? Money, you mean, O.
course?"
.'.To be sure. What else?"
''Well, 1 thought you might NEAR
education or brains or even charac
ter-interesting things"
Eyes, well, they're got all then
things too"
slave theyY'
Zach, yes, they're very grand col
lege-educated that way, them two
Creightons. And the younger one, st
Croix, he's very. proud and high