Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-04-20
CHAPTER fxII-Continued


the deep snow from the kitchen win.
dows, and had waved a greeting.
Now, rs she mounted the porch, she
shook her umbrella and stamped the
snow from her overshoes.
mo, amt bit wet" she said,
returning Mrs. Gray's hearty kiss.
I'm dressed real warm. If we're
goin to set In the Kitchen. guess |
won't lay off my overshoes. II
keep 'em on my feet, It'll take EN- Off
my mind
This point being satisfactorily set
tied. the two ladies sat down In rock
ers beside the stove and started work
on their sleeveless sweaters, Mrs.
Elliott, x usual, scarcely stepping for
breath before she began her recital
of the recent news of the neishbor-
hood
aHave you heard that old Mis- Hun
ter, up to White Water Is married
again? Mr.. Taylor tried to reason
with her, seem he's buried four of
her husbands already. but she said,
as long as the Lord took EN-, she
would. ShockIn'. aln't It?-How's the
babyi | shouldn't have thought that
Austin could haye borne to 60 off and
leave that little helpless creature, but
It seems to be thriyin'. don't III |
don't s,pose you have the least notion
he'd want to marry again, not for
while, 1nfway. Yes. knew he was
real fond|of Sylvia. but men are hu-
man. Writes you real regular, does
he7 And Thomas. too? I'm always
real pleased to hear about your boys.
but declare | steer clear Of Violet
MannIn these days You know how
get she was against Paul goin' to war.
But now she's got the biggest service
flag In town and we are 100 per cent
subscribed on her Liberty loan card
bet all she bought was $50 bonds.
don,t you Be that M tt may. morn
In. noon and night she don't open her
head except TO Talk about her hero
Goes around with letter of Pauls
In her hand, and"
HDoes he write her regularT
Seems To. can't make out that
he's ben In any great danger yet, and
I've questioned her close. Enjoyin
himself considerable, should say.
Them Mannln children always Just
itched and hankered to get out of
Hamstead and shouldn't be mite
surprised II that itchin' and hankerin'
didn't have somethin' to do with Pauls
patriotism and Blanches romance
And that brings me TO my main piece
OF news-philip Stars numbers
been called and he's goin' to Deyens
this week. Blanche's comm h4<ie for
the present and hear she's mad clear
through.
"Oh, the poor child!"
'Poor child nothln'. | don't deny
Blanche Is pretty and pleasant. but
there amt nothin very deep about
her. | bet she's lookin' forward to
comm here with lots of goodlookin'
clothes and new ideas and putin on
airs with her old neighbors. Mary's
got her faults, but I'll say this for
her, she amt near so high and mighty
as the rest of the family WE'LL
must start along home. Clearin'. Amt
it7 Well, this'll make nice sleighIn
j and that's one thing to be thankful
for. It's lucky we got a few comforts
Left
Philip had longed to volunteer ir
the first days of the war and Blanche
had been so bitterly opposed to II thai
he had given In TO her wishes. trying
not to let her see the bitter spiritua
struggle and loss of self-esteem which
1t had cost him to do this. But wheI
the draft came, there could be n,
question Of evasion or hesitation Hi,
little income would keep her com
Portable, and there was no child
This, Blanche knew, had been
source of disappointment and grief [,
Philip while she had secretly rejoicei
at mot being tied down right away
Now the fact that a baby might hav'
kept him nj home made her resentfu
that she did not have one.
Ii was out of the question for he
to stay on in the little I5rookline apart
ment alone, and there was nothing 70
her to do but to return, rebellously
to Hamstead. Philip, with never-fai
ing understanding and gentleness, sa,
how hard 1t was for her to do this
and insisting that 1t should hereafte
be called "Carte Blanche" to perpetl
ate his joke, urged her again to anus
herself by having the little law oflic
renovated to suit the plans, which h
had made so long before. This tim,
the suggestion was a godsend Blanch
became genuinely interested an
worked harder and more happily tina
she ever had done before In order |
have the tiny home in perfect ords
for his first furlough@ There was
merry little housewarming. whe
Philip appeared, wearing his sergeant
uniform, for all Hamstead wanted
see him.
But after the last guest had d
parted, he lighted fire In the wild
shallow fireplace OF the big. soft-ct