The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1939-02-23

naQ 10 get this mouse warm
somehow for your mother. l
couldn't let her freeze to death!''
There was something warm and
tender in his voice that brought
the tears to Marjorie's eyes and
great rush of love for the un-
known father to her heart.
Then the man suddenly drop
ped the bag from his back to
the floor, put his hands up to
head with a bewildered look,
staggered over to the stairs.
Father! Oh, Father! What is
it?" cried Betty rushing over to
him.
ooh, it's nothing!" murmured
the man with an effort. "Just
| little dizzy, that's all. I'll be
all right in a minute!"
"You had no breakfast! That's
what makes it," cried the girl
in deep distress.
That picture of her father sit
ting on the stairs, his head bow
ed in his hands, would stay with
her always, she knew.
I'll get you drink OF water!
and she vanished through the
door into the kitchen.
Marjorie saw there was door
from the little parlor where she
stood and opening it she followed
| and found her sister as she
brough back the water.
''I'll get him something to eat
J right away" she whispered. els
there a restaurant or any place
nearby where they have food?'
"On1y the drugstore. You
can get bottle of milk. Yes
bring it back quick"
Marjorie ran down the uneven
little sidewalk, breathless with
the thought of her father sitting
there in the bare ugly house
cold and hungry, dizzy with
faintness, and her mother, nc
tellinging how sick upstairs! II
was too dreadful!
Arrived breathless at the di-
minutive drugstore she found to
her joy that they had a soda
fountain and served soup or cot
fee with sandwiches. There was
hot coffee and there was hot to-
mato soup, that is, it wasn't hot
yet but the man said he could
heat them both in a jiffy. And
he hadn't had such a large or
der in weeks.
While he was getting them
ready Marjorie hurried across
the street to the grocery and
brought two baskets big enough
to carry her purchases, and al
so a dozen oranges, loaf of
bread, a pound of butter and a
pound of sliced ham.
Back at the drugstore she adj
ded a quart full of milk to her
other purchase and started to
the house.
Arrived at the house she found
the front door Unattached, but
her fother was no longer sitting
on the stairs, and she heard
sounds from the cellar.
Betty came hurrying up the
cellar stairs as she came out to
the kitchen, long streak of SCOT
on one white cheek and her eyes
wide and worried.
''He would go down and start
the fire." she said in distressed
voice. Il couldn't do anything
with him." Her voice was almost
like a sob. "He always thinks
a woman has to be waited on,
but he's had another dizzy spell
and his sitting on the cellar
stairs now. Did you get any
thing?"
Yes" said Marjorie eagerly,
Il brought hot soup and coffee,
and here's some aromatic am
monia. Perhaps that will help
too. And here, I have two hot
water bags nice and hot. Take
one down and put it on his lap.
Haven't you got a flannel or bit
of old something to wrap it in?
He ought to get warm right
away"
ooh, you're great" said Bet
ty and the tears were rolling
down hep cheeks. tears of re-
lief.
She snatched a nicked Gun
from the shelf and poured out
coffee and with a hot-water bag
under her arm hurried down eel