The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-11-26
SATURDAY-Continued

/ sat down at my dressing table
to comb my hair. Sarah fingered
She moved over to my table and
made some casual Encouragement
of the objects there. I knew some
thing was brewing in Sarah's mind.
did not speak.
'Mrs. Avery" Sarah began in
a low voice.
Eyes, Sarah," l answered.
Sarah appeared to forget that
she had spoken. Or was it that she
regretted and pretended she hadn't.
She took up my tray; then put it
down again fingered, doing
nothing.
what is it, Sarah?" asked.
"Oh nothing l guess, Mrs.
Avery" she answered.
"Oh come now, Sarah" l de-
manded, "tell mel"
''It isn't really important I guess,
Mrs. Avery. And yet, I think I'd
feel more comfortable if 1 told you
about it. It's about the Little
House"
YES" I encouraged her.
swell I went down there this
morning while you were sleeping
the way always do the day be-
fore the picnic. 1 always sweep it
out and dust up little and see if
everything is all right"
"And wasn't everything all right
there this morning."
Everything Was in order. But
well, I have feeling, Mrs.
Avery, that somebody slept there
last night
What makes you think SOP"
"Well, for one thing, when l was
doing the floor, something clattered
under the mop. l hunted long
while before 1 could find it. You
see it was just the color of the
floor. But finally l got it. 1t was
one of those wooden collar buttons
which come from the laundry in
mems shirts"
Yes" l said interrogatively.
THAT wasn't ALL" Sarah contin-
ued. "Outside in the bushes found
one of those sheets of stiff card
board the laundries put in mems
shirts to keep them from getting
wrinkled."
Somebody might have used the
Little House to dress for the mas
querade," 1 said slowly, although
/ can't imagine anybody doing that
without asking my permission. Of
course we never think of locking
it,
Somebody slept there, Mrs.
Avery" Sarah said with decision.
"The couch had been used. You
know we keep some comforters
folded up in the closet. Nobody
touches those comforters but me
and / always fold them a particu-
lar way-the way l fold everything;
the way you taught me. Whoever
used them, folded them too, but
very carelessly."
81 wouldn't say anything ali out it
to any of the girls who are coming
to the picnic" l advised. 1T isn't
important really-so long as no
harm was done. Of course l don't
like to think of strangers-tramps
or whatever-sleeping in the Little
House. 1t doesn't brighten me
though. But some of the girls
might feel a little frightened about
going there"
"Oh wouldn't say a word about
it to anybody" Sarah declared,
giving me a reproachful look. "You
can trust me for that"
81 know l can," l said, giving
her an affectionate look.
/ came downstairs and dawdled
for about an hour. The day was
dangerously beautiful. The after
noon was unnaturally tranquil.
Garden scents drifted onto my pi-
azza and into my house. 1 do not
remember that my telephone, usu-
ally so busy, tangled once. "Ev-
erybody," l remembered rejecting,
sis sleeping it off," l remembered
too wondering how many people
stayed until sunrise at the Stow
party. About three o'clock, Sylvia
came trudging up the driveway
Her face was flushed from two
hours Oh play in the sum- Dorinda
Belle looked a little the worse for
wear.
did Nancy conner" / asked.
mo, Aunt Mary" Sylvia an
swered. "She didn't come at all
and Dorinda Belle hasn't been