Evening star., 1940-03-03
by Baird Hall
Msssrofsd BY Worsn Rovasonsss

AShort Story Complete in This Issue
>EoPLE get mad at Oscar Brown because
they say he can't make up his mind
d about anything. 1t isn't true. Oscar
makes up his mind more times in ten minutes
than other people do in ten days. He takes
firm stand too - first on one side of ques-
ton, then on the other.
It's lucky thing for Tiny Brown that her
father is the way he is. At least. it was lucky
for her the winter the playwright came to
board at Pride's farm up in North Drenham.
Tiny was the prettiest girl in Dren. And
there were eleven pretty girls in Drenham
that winter, counting young widow Payedek
over by Drenham Station. Tiny was the pref
test, and being through high school she kept
on at the soda fountain in the fall. Oscars
drugstore is central and next to the post
Office. 50 everybody stops in. winter as we'll
as summer. Oscar does the prescriptions and
sundries and George Wharf does the groceries
at the back Tiny, for this particular winter,
was the main attraction at the fountain.
Oscar decided that Tiny had better wear
green uniform; then he decided it ought to be
white So Tiny usually wore pretty blue
dresses like her blue eyes, and funny little
blue bow of ribbon cooked in her hair.
More or less everybody in Drenham felt
the urge to protect Tiny from everybody in
Drenham. All the ladies said it was shame
the way the sweet motherless child didn't"
have soul to look out for her except Oscar
Brown - and him not able to make up his
mind to come in out of the rain. All the older
men felt that they were fathers to Tiny or
big brothers. All the young fellows got mad
at the way old ladies clucked over Tiny and
chaperoned her - and old guys tried to pat
her on the head. But they got maddest, of
course, at each other in the fight to date up
Tiny's free time.
Tiny was sweet girl. She loved her father
She always did exactly what he told her to -
if she could get it done before he decided for
her not to do it. She tried to behave as the
Drenham ladies said she should behave. She
was proud to call Mr. Fairchild and Mr.. Epps
and MIR. Hill all Uncle John and Uncle Hiram
and Uncle Ned when they asked her to-
lHE boys were the hardest. Tiny wanted to
be nice to them ALL but she couldn't help
having a special feeling aboutaEli Pride. She
couldn't help it if her heart thumped and her
cheeks got red and her eyes got soft and
bright Eli was big and brown and quiet. He
didn't talk much. 1t wouldn't be fair, Tiny
thought for Eli never to get date just be-
cause he didn't speak out as fast as other boys
did. Eli liked her to 60 places with him. She
knew he did, So, to be fair, Tiny would never
make date when there was chance Eli
might ask her ri in sort of humble at the
last minute Sometimes his face got red and
his eyes soft and bright like Tiny's if it was a
Young Peoples Club hike and he took her
hand over steep place.
The other boys made jealous cracks about
Eli Pride and the ladies did natural amount
of chattering you're awfully young, Tiny,
dear, to let one boy have so much OF your
time. And when he hasn't actually said any
thing -" Yes, there was little talk.
Then the playwright came to town.