The Bozeman courier., 1927-06-10


could have got along without; she put
salt in his soup; Pedro (the dog, full Of
fleaS) was put in his bed; his letters
were kept for infinite delays; and Don
old, helpless without Spanish, Michelline, |
triumphant without English, would argue
with each other in their native tongues.
AS the day before he left approached
she became even more pleased with her
self, if that were possible. Donalds
laundry was hidden in the kitchen stove,
and by the time the servant found it, it
was nicely cooked. The water in the
, doubtful looking bath was stopped up
by stufing Donald's shoe strings down
the pipe. She took his silver pencil from
his trunk, and having lost it swore she'd
never seen it in her life, etc., etc.
Lying and stealing were good English
names for what the de Barrada's called
in Spanish Michelline's "friskiness," and
Donald was disguSted all the time. The
little savage had no qualities in COM
mon with the civilized, not even educa-
ton, for the instructions for which his
silver pencil had been sacrificed were
desultory happenings of no benefit:
AIichelline considered study as form OF
human weakness, like the chills.
The Marquesa tried to age her child by
tinting her black hair with nenna,
squeezing her small feet in patent leath-
/ er pumps; sending her out with her girl
cousins of an afternoon for tea.
''Michelline is growing up, is that not
so, Donaldo?" the Marquesa limited hope
fully.
up" responded the embryo dimplomat
politely.
The Marquesa's motherly intrigues were
without result And now, poor soul, at
this eleventh hour, she was hoping still!
Whatever plan the optimistic lady had
decided on, she was, to put it mildly,
handicapped.
Donald in his blue pajamas, slumbered
on. But not too long.
The wretched Michelline, instead of
lying quietly till lunch, was up and bang
ing around the fiat. She burst upon the
drowsy Donald, wearing an unfortunate
affair with half the buttons gone, frayed
woolen bedroom slippers on her feet, and
cold cream on her face.
Listen, boy" she screamed, prancing
about, her stockings coming down,
Mama and papa-are going out to pass
the day. So you and I will have lunch
con by ourselves"
"Stupido," grunted Donald dolefully.
AIichelline gave his nose a wicked
pinch. At which Donald thrust out a
blue pajama'd arm and closed his big
hand around Adichelline's white neck.
"BrutoI Brutol" howled Michelline,
struggling free.
Donald watched defensively for a re-
taliation, but she had a sudden change
Of front. She became as tranquil as a
summer sea.
81 want to read a book" said Mich
elline.
Donald snorted. The only books that
Michelline ever read were her missal-
J her mother saw to that-and the motion
picture papers which she bribed the serv-
ant, or Donald, to get for her.
You have no motion picture papers?"
Wheedled Michelline.
! "You know I've bought you all the
ones there are" snapped Donald
drowsily.
: But I've got a special reason for want
ing some more. Listen" she persisted
excitedly, "I'1 tell you a big secret
T Mama said just now she would permit
me training for the cinema. I will be-
S come a motion picture actress, famous
( on the screen like the Americana Gloria! =
S she danced a step across the room.
! Donald was mildly puzzled. ''Yoa must
T have misunderstood your mother. Cause
y it isn't done," Donald, of clerical descent
S spoke right big brotherly.
e why not?" flashed the barbarian
r Surely that is a more agreeable way Of
S gaining money than to have stupidC
= Englishmen about the house"
Beastly-saying that right to his face
y Even Michelline ought to have some
: sense Of fitness. But she was thoroughly
f depraved.
: He told her so. He even dragged tht
= silver pencil from the past, and hinteC
It that all she had to do was to go arounf
k the corner to get her misdeeds pardoneC
2, by some Spanish priest! The institu
e, tions of the land were as wrong as Mich
e elline. God save the Prince of Wales!
It She listened with her bangs upon he
1t paws, the image of contrition, her Aral
"a eyes regarding the tiled floor. Then, lik
l. flash, she sprang and threw the con
l. tents of the water pitcher at her enemy
l. Before the half drowned Donald got hi
breath she seized his favorite chamoi
lie gloves and flung them out across the bal
as cony. They fop-hopped gaily to tn
re street, and were Immediately pounce
S. on by soldier from the barracks oppo
1T site.
he These engineers were used to keepin
IN open eyes for parts Of Donald's wardrobI
They were not interested in explanation
Id of the windfalls. Adequately pleasant
themselves were the cravats with Londo
5h labels and the soft silk union suit
er which Donald had chosen with sue
care. No wonder, he reflected, that th
US engineers were called the smartest POI
ton of the royal infantry.
We Left by himself to dress in what RI
ar manned to him, Donald wished he coul
tn go to the Yacht club for bit of lunc
TO instead of feeding with the infant car
nibal. But if he cut she would be cal
by able Of burning up his trunk. Oh Lort
ne Donald had visions of arriving in LoI
I'd don with nothing in the way Of baggal
or but magazine
n Tung-a-lung. Tung-a-lung. The ser
he ant rang the antique silver bell for lunc
III OOnalQ SaC down before SCeam1ng pla
Of pisto, flask of crimson wine and
'e- stew of lettuce stepped in oil. No sig
cd Of Michelline.
es, Where is the senorita?" he asked Il
lin maid
. The peasant threw up her shoulder
. flung out her hands, and cried excited
that Senorita Ndichelline-the Bless
Lady counsel her-had gone to walk wi
an unknown senior.
Why worry if the kid sneaks of Wi
strangers when her parents are avs
Donald asked himself. It wasn't his I
- sponsibility. The only pity was that s.
;an would not be caught and sent to sor
sm- Sm grim convent to cool off bitl For /
ec- as Spanish parents were in ordinary di
and cipline, even the Marques and the Ms
Pc quesa could be counted on to give tht
. only child the deuce for this. But y
could bet she was too cute to get foul
nd out. "The iniquitous shall prosper
mt King James version of the psalms. {
20 boshI Donald pitched into. his lunch a,
Ear. ate extremely well.
He had nearly finished when the e.
. vator door banged shut and MichelIi
rrr-