Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1940-07-25
IRISH EYES
by Kathleen Norris o oxtys ssn M9Ra'

When she came out, ten minutes
later, she looked her loveliest in the
blue suit, with the new blue hat.
The hemstitched frill that fell in
crisp folds at the collar of the coat
had cost thirty-nine cents, but it was
plain and fresh; Sheila's shoes were
shining, and if the channels gloves
she wore were still damp in the
tips from recent washing, and had
been snatched from the sunny back
clothesline, Frank did not suspect il.
"You brought your topcoat? Good
girl; we may be late" Frank ap-
proved. II love that coat!"
"You ought to. Your mother
picked it out for your sister Mon
ica," Sheila reminded him.
"Yu're goin' off for the day?
Well" said Mrs. Carscadden, be-
slowing upon her daughter the near
est thing she ever knew to praise,
''you look clean and neat, and that's
something"
"Tn say she looks clean and
neat" Frank agreed.
"We're going to buy you pres
ents, Mother!"
"I'n step over to the police sta
ton and wait for ye," Mrs. Cars
cadden said grinly.
ooh that reminds mel" Sheila
exclaimed. She flashed into the
house, flashed back with little
photograph held in the palm of her
hand. "Look what was forwarded
to me, a few days ago." she said.
They all looked at the picture of a
California fruit orchard, in all the
radiant flood of March bloom. A
plain little farmhouse intruded upon
one corner of the print, and in the
center a pruning ladder had been
leaned against an apple tree, and a
young man in overalls stood on the
ladder. Below him, deep in the
spring grass, was the stout, square
figure of a middle-aged woman, with
one hand dropped to her side to
touch the head of an eager mongrel.
The young man was facing out of
the picture. He was half laughing,
his shirt was open at the throat, his
shirt-sleeves rolled up; he had saw
in his hands.
''Who's that?" Frank asked.
"That's bad boy, the boy who
kidnapped us, and then went back to
his mother and is being good boy!"
Sheila said. She slowly tore the pic
ture into tiny scraps. ''Nobody's
ever going to use that against him."
she said.
"And is that all we're ever going
to know about him?" Frank asked,
smiling down into her honest, Sc
rious blue eyes.
"That's ALL"
Someone you helped?"
ct don't know. I'd like to think
I did,"
"Well, come on" Frank said. 'I'n
bring her back to you safely, Mrs.
Carscadden!"
GIVE no doubt yell try to-" Shei-
las mother said patiently.
'Ah, you love me, Motherl" Shei-
la was as radiant as the spring
morning as she kissed her mother.
"The black sheep is the fav'rite,
Sheila," Mrs. Carscadden said with
a resigned sigh.
"And I'm your favorite child,
MAJ"
II may as well say you are," the
mother said, "for it may be the
last chance I'll have to spake to We
for the dear knows how long! When
ye'd walk out of the house on me,
God knows Pm the last to know
when I'd clap eyes on We next!"
Sheila and Frank were laughing
as they ran down to the glistening,
long shining bulk of the roadster.
He helped her into the front seat,
and Sheila settled herself there
comfortably while he came about
to his own seat at the wheel. She
turned to wave at her mother and
sister as she and Frank whirled off
into the morning sunshine together.
1.-THE FND1