Evening star., 1928-11-24
Just in Time.

just IN llme.
A NNE SMELL slowly propelled the
~ lawnmower up and down the
"A small back yard of her home.
4 \ The old lawn mower creaked
and chewed rather than clipped
the grass. Anne loved that small yard;
In fact it was the only bright spot III
her life. She spent every moment her
mother would let her spare from her
household drudgery. keeping it closely
cropped and free from stray leaves and
weeds. If Mrs. Smell, Anne's mother,
had had her way, the girl would have
been denied even this bit of pleasure,
for Mrs. Smell was a hard taSk-mlStreSS
and did not approve of frivolittes. To
her life was a stern reality with always
the possibility of facing ones maker
lurking Just around the corner. She
had brought up her daughter to Shun
all levity and did not approve of any
thing but the Severest style in dress.
She was heard again and again to say
that she had no use for floating ribbons
and flying feathers. and that she did
not propose that her daughter should
go forth decked out in silly frumpery
like full-rigged ship to lure souls from
the straight and narrow way.
To Mrs Smell life was in reality one
long torture. She was little and plump,
and would have been pretty and sweet If
she had been allowed to wear anything
but black and white checked gingham
dresses made with long tight-fltting
sleeves and collars buttoned closely
about her neck. Her hair, which showed
a rebelliouS determination to wave and
curl, was brushed straight back from
her high, unpowdered forehead; her
shoes were stogies, not the new-fash-
ioned shoes, which combine style, grace
and ease, but severe eold-faShioned high,
substantial footwear, which had a way
of always looking old but never really
wore out. To Anne there were only two
things she loved, her father best of all.
He was plump like herself, and would
have been good-natured if his life had
not been nagged out of him and he
would have been generous and kind to
his daughter if he had dared.
Across the fence in the next yard
lived Mrs. Harriet Binner. who was a
lover of flowers. She always had yard
full of bright blossoms. That day when
Mrs. Binner was out in the yard at
work she noticed Anne leaning against
the fence that divided the Smell yard
from her own. The girl was gazing
with worshipful eyes at a big bed of
Mrs. BinnerS pansies. Mrs. Binner
went up to the fence and told Anne she
would be glad to give her some panSy
plants If she would care to set them out
Cared to set them out! Anne's soul
thrilled. To have some of those beauti-
full, velvety things right in her own
yard, where she could love and tend
them and daily watch them unfold and
lift their funny little faces to the sun
Without heSitating a moment, she ran
around the fence and with face shining
with happy anticipation tried to Stam-
mer out her thanks as Mrs Binner
pressed some pansy plants into her
waiting hands. Anne thanked her and
ran home fairly wild with excitement
AS she reached her own back door her
mother appeared. She gave the girl a
scathing look and said:
Il see you run over to Harriet Bin
ner's. Amt you got no shame, great
big girl like you running like that for all
the neighborS to see? Considering the
fact that Anne was 80 it sounded funny
to hear her mother speak as if she were
little unruly child, but Mrs. Smell was
too provoked to see anything funny in
her remarks. whats that you've got in
your handS?" she asked, peering over
her Steel-rimned glasses in an attempt
to see what Anne was carrying. weeds,
Ill be bound. Now Harriet Binner can
clutter up her own yard with trash if
she wants to, but won't have any of
her sinful foolishness Spilling over into
my yard. Keep your own dooryard clean
and unSpotted in the eyes of the world
and then you won't have to answer for
your neighbor'S wrong-doing. You
throw them things On t;1e ashpiIe and
get yourself in here and mop the kitch-
en-. You've wasted enough time out here
now without making yourself ridicu-
lous."
But, mother" pleaded Anne with