Glacier County chief., 1939-06-30

yIOntana state college, the girls nave
benefited from course in home man
these placards printed, and they must
of course all be distributed today"
Hereford saw that his father was
by now very much put out indeed,
turb his mother. So in conciliatory
tone he said:
"It was clever of youm, dad, to per-
suade all those house-proud people to
allow the children of Casterbridge to
be billeted on them, even for one night,
tomorrow is only a sort Of dress.re-
hearsal of the real thing. isn't it?"
Your father has been working at
this affair night and day for the past
fortnight" chimed in Mrs. Wake. TITS
just wonderful what he's DONE"
Her husbands face cleared a. and sol he
job ever took on! Most of those up
pish country house folk profess them
selves ready to do their bit when the
bombs begin to fall, but they don't see
why they should be asked to do any
thing now.
he thought it all a farce. But the old
chap couldn't frighten me. I took the
liberty of reminding him over the tele-
phone that he was what is called a
profiteer. Before he had time to cut
off. said that the last war had made
him a viscount, and that maybe the
next war will make him an Earl.
MY really big trouble was with the
new owner of Crown Lacy. The chap
declared that he doesn't intend to
have children quartered on him even
when war does come. He Also had the
impudence to inform me that he's. a
Lob hot Dat Ha iS,,bt lyv,n he
kind of man he was up against, son.
got on to the air ministry instanter,
and they brought my fine gentleman to
heel.
1T was my bad luck that he was a
famous airman in the last war, what
turn weak. Considering the size of that
huge house, would have forced him
to take in 500 babies. But they COM
promised with him on so kids Of school
age"
whats his name, father?"
stephen Langton, and l have taken
the trouble to find out all about him.
a 5e d Hb h an eey t @o Dsss hm
Taught flying for living. Then an old
war pal left him big fortune and he
bought Crown Lacy dirt cheap. He is
decent landlord, but he doesn't do a
hands turn for anybody but his ten
ants. Just now he is spending mint
of money making a big flying field"
That's doing something, dear" said
Mrs. Wake gently.
II am thinking of taking up flying"
said Hereford meditatively. IF war
does come, had rather have a short
life and merry one, instead of having
my lungs destroyed with mustard gas
as foot slogger."
While he was making that cheerful
remark, he was engaged in taking a
second helping of the thick dark OK
ford marmalade Of which a pot was
always put in front of him at break
fast when he was at home His father
preferred the thin, light, yellow kind.
And now all at once he saw with sur
prise that his mother had got up, and
was slipping toward the door. He. would
maybe little ashamed of himself,
could he have seen her face, and the
tears rolling down that dear face.
Hereford Wake was far more sensi-
tive and alive to what went on about
him than was his father, but he, too,
had that fortunate lack of imagina-
est asset in time of trouble.
Late on the afternoon Of the same
day two women were standing face to
face in the living room Of the ground
floor Of an ill-built house in a mean
little street in Casterbridge.
The one, Anne Gaskell, was a mild,
homely-looking, middle-aged spinster
lady. the other was a splendidly hand
some young working woman, Mrs. Bar
lock by name. She was a widow with
one child and regarded by her neigh
bors as proud and disagreeable for she
kept herself to herself and made a far
less good living than did the munition
workers by doing fine sewing.
Miss Gaskeli had been made All
turbulent part Of the town. She was
minister's daughter, and had always
done charitable work among the fac
tory hands Of Casterbridge so they al
knew and respected her.
II never thought I'd live to say No
to you, Miss Gasken. It seems a. poor
way to reward the kindness Of the
did me a good turn. But not even tc
please you can let my child be taken
from me and sent God alone knows
where.
4 don't forget last September, what
ever other folk may do. It was lucky
for me that I was DEMONSTRATING
s allowed ne her cgt s Fri 10 f &c syae
weeks the child couldn't be traced
That woman is my age, but those five
weeks turned all her hair gray"
But this Is very. different from Sep
| tember, Mrs. Barlock. It looked Like
real war then, and 1t was bolt from
thing is different now.
Miss Gaskell. as she spoke, was 81.
lowing her eyes to wander around thu
i room, Mrs, Barlock had the Nouut
floor Of Jerry-built house that 1acket