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Cup . Florence Bingham Livingston CHAPTER X The Back-Yard Code. One of the hardest things that Let tie was ever called upon to do was to apologize to Mr. Wopple. In her chastened mood she submitted to this Item of penance, but the mere phys ical doing of it came near being be yond her. The words, half out of her mouth, seemed to turn and slip back down her throat. Difficulty was made the more difficult by Mr. Wopple's supercilious satisfaction In the hu miliation f his small antagonist. ' - "Durn It all !" burst out Lettle In exasperation. "Stop smiling till I get through doing It. can't you?" "Serve you rltrht to suffer a little, he cackled. "Mebbe It'll learn you better next time." "Shut up!" stormed Lettle. "I you don't shut" She stopped. She had recalled something that made It Im possible to go on. "Excuse me," she muttered, "I got an engagement" Black cuiis flying, she dashed Into the kitchen, whence presently ,Issued muffled sounds as of a tom-tom In the distance. When Lettle reappeared, She .was holding her right arm as though It ached,, and" her Hps were drawn Into a firm line that fairly pressed out their color. ; "Now, Mr. Wopple," she said, squeezing out the words as if she hated every one of them. Tap apol ogize' she breathed more freely "for everything I done and said this afternoon. Will you please to over look itr This formula, which was the frank result of collaboration, had been per sistently rehearsed before' a limited audience; Otherwise it would probably never have withstood Lettle's heavy distaste for its general sentiment.. Nor was Mr. . Wopple's acceptance characterized by that gracious mag nanimity which would have eased the tension of the interview; rather, it was prickly as with little hooks, from which hung various taunts and com ments and admonitions not calculated to Increase meekness. Lettle felt her temperature rising swiftly. Some thing must be done. Her legs being at the moment far fresher than her right arm, she discarded the thought of the gong and took to her heels, clipping through The Custard Cup to the freer air of te street. And let no one think it is always a coward that runs; flight Is frequently only the more active form of courage. Somewhat later Mrs. Penfle'd came out Into the yard, with the purpose of Interviewing her neighbor. "Mr. Wopple," she called, In the tone one nses to find out whether a person is sleeping or not Mr. Wopple was not. He appeared in his back door, his small eyes peering cautiously to take in the lay of the land. ;. Mrs. Penfleld, standing scrupulously within the boundaries of her own yard, crooked her forefinger In brief authority. "I want to talk to you." . He came slowly down the steps. He was slightly stiff from rheumatism. Lettle's treatment had not contributed to llmberness of Joints or muscles.- Mrs, Penfleld went straight to the point "What's your idea "bout Lettie?" Mr. Wopple was relieved. He had feared criticism; to be approached for advice was therefore doubly accept' able. "Well, my Idee Is," he said in a high, thin voice, "my idee Is that she b'longs In a reform school.' "Uml ( On what grounds?" Mrs. Penfield's voice was low and pleasant "On the grounds of beln a nui sance." , She smiled. "It's your Idea, then, to put all human nuisances into re form schools?" Mr. Wopple glanced at her sharply, and a dull red crept up under his sal low skin gratuitously, because Mrs. Penfield's question had been wholly Impersonal. ..- , : ':'! "That's my Idee with young uns," tie confirmed. I "With young ones! What would DICP.M. ABERNETHY VETERINARIAN Offtce FOWLER ft LEE STABLX MONROE, N. C. Phone SOS. ! Residence Phone 169-J. R. L. PAYNE, Jl D. Office Over Union Drag Co. Residence Phone . 466 Office Phone y"'-" 466 Dr. Kemp Funderburk ; Dentist . Office Over Lee Griffin's Store. J. C. Richardson, M. D. Surgery and Obstetrics. .'',' . - X-EAY ; B'onroe, N. C. C'lce la Ec"c-Lat"!7 BoHdiiif. C ..e Thoite hilt KiJence 697. L..: 941 ii li. , t (.) .4 ti.e old ones?" Iier Ki-s curved In amusement. "It don't matter," he retorted. "We're talkin' 'bout Lettle, ain't we?" "We started wltu her," agreed Mrs. Penfleld, still smiling, "but your mak ing a distinction that way set me thinking. Sounds like the younger a feller Is and the more he needs help, the more you'd be for branding him as had and shoving him out of some body's home care. Way I look at it is: "I Want to Talk to You." the main reason we older folks are hanging on to existence Is to look for the younger ones and try to help 'em go ahead of anything we've done. I flgger that's the only way to keep the world moving ahead. Mr. Wopple's lips snapped like a turtle's. "I can tell you one thing straight. Mis' Penfleld, If you want to shove the world along, you can get right in and shove. Me, I don't pretend to be one of these here new fangled social workers that thinks Children Is the first consideration. I do my part, and I ain't goln' to do no more." i "Tour partr queried Mrs. Penfleld sweetly. "What', is that?" "Why, I don't ask nothln' from no body. I work hard, and I earn ev'ry thing I get" "Land !" laughed Mrs. Penfleld. "That ain't so much! Ain't any cow in the country that don't do more. Why, there wouldn't no cow have any respect for herself If she didn't more'n earn her own living; and so long's you're a human being and belong to society, you got to do more. Sou got to do your- part toward that society. That's what I'm asking you to do toward Lettie. You got a social re sponsibility toward her." , Sir. Wopple twitched his head im patiently. ." 'Tain't o subject that's specially int'rustln' to me, and" "Wait, a minute," suggested ' Mrs. Tenfleld good-naturedly. "We been kind o' skimming the edges, but we're near the meat of the matter now. I've made Lettie give you an apology, although goodness knows I think she's as much entitled to receive one as to give it.. But that's all right, 'cause the feller that apologizes Is the one that gets the benefit. Now I'll tell you what I'm going to do." ajr. woppies eyes shifted nerv- ously. He was like a little fussy dog' that barks and threatens when he is the only one in sight, but subsides crlngingly if a powerful dog chal lenges. When It came to a contest of wills, Mr., Wopple could measure himself with remarkable but silent accuracy. .. "First tiling," she continued, Til have " Lettle replace that window. Then I'm going to put up some wire netting 'tween the two yards. That'll keep Fil on his side. Next, I'll see that Lettle never trespasses or inter- feres with you." If she ever does, you - let ,me know, 'thout taking mob law Into your own hands. Understand?" "Well," returned Mr. Wopple slow- ly, "yes, of course, If you'd ruther meddle" - i "I had," Interrupted Mrs. Penfleld briskly. "It'll suit me fine to be glen a chance on any such occasion, I can think of pleasanter Jobs, but I ' ain't stopping at nothing that'll help i I T . . .. r ir 1 - , . - . . I i-viiic. iuu er, iur. ivuypie, wvt ciuei reason you and I are' having this con- versation is 'cause we got difTrunt ideas about nuuian rights. You think children ain't "any' good unless thei families would make fine reading in n cyclopedia, and I b'lleve the Lord never'd let 'era be born so promlscu- ous as constantly happens if the main thing wasnt what becomes of 'em after they get here. 'Course they In- herlt n lot, but you can bend it or shape it in any direction you like.- "Aint no use in your looking down on Lettle cause you don't know where she come from. Chances are her family . tree's got as many live branches on it as yours has. ":; There ami much dlfTrunce .In i families when you come, right down to It no more'n there Is in Individuals. Th main dlfTrunce in folks Is in ths amount they'll confess. ;;, "Now, what all this comes to "Is: Lettle's going .to have her ehance. Tve .elected to give her breathing space and what help I can, and I'm trusting the Lord to right the human nature In her that's got a bit twisted. But there's one thing yon got to keep In mind. That Is. there aint nothing I won't do to help that child grow Into the fine woman she's capable of making. She ain't going to be f ', i -J s-'.a a'.ut t. tered; but sfce'a goicj t hu txt chance," Her right hand, resting on en old post between the yards, clenched sud denly . till the knuckles pressed the blood from the skin; her fine eyes glowed with unusual fire; but her even color and the mild curve of her lips sliowed how superbly she had herself in control. Mr. Wopple was paralyzed -not by the words, but by the fact that they had been spoken by this woman whom he had known for many months With out suspecting the dynamic will power "She's Going to Have Her Chance." hidden beneath her good nature. Once before he had caught a glimpse of it, to be sure when' she had risen to the defense "-' of Tliad but that glimpse had been mild compared with the tense determination in her pres ent attitude, i Before his astonished eyes her ex pression changed as swiftly and com pletely as the picture on the screen when a new slide is Inserted In the lantern. ' Her fingers uncurled, her body relaxed; the fire In her eyes blended into a warm glow; her Hps curved back from her white teeth in a smile that was unexpectedly youth ful. "Guess you can see this is a serious matter with me, Mr. Wopple. And you're dead right thinking I hain't got , any man to lean on. Uncle, Jerry ' ain't 'round 'nough to be counted on steady, and as long's rou'd noticed .' yourself that I need a man's help, I thought mebbe you'd be that man." I Mr. Wopple coughed. "Why er o" course " ' ;-" "That's the Idea," she encouraged. "You could do it so easy, you. know, r living so near and knowing Lettle al - ready and ev'rything. You y could kind o' praise her when she's doing well, and make a little suggestion now and then that'd start her In the right direction. v - Apparently Mr. Wopple's shoulders grew half an inch broader. i sne s sure too mucn tor you, juis Penfleld," he admitted, "and as long's you stand up for her through thick and thin, blamed if it don't make me mad. ' But now't you've come down trom yur nlSh norse- 1 d;)n't mtaA h el pin' out what I can." ' "Oh, thank you," she acknowledged with feeling. I I "S aU right" he disclaimed, with a magnanimous wave of his hand. "We're neighbors. All Is, I didn't i i quite understand what a hole you was In." 1 "But I knew yon would," put In Mrs. "' Penfleld gratefully, "if I could i only explain It to you right I can t tell you how much I appreciate It" With a Sunny smile she went back to her own steps. ' For several mln- utes she had had an eye on Dick Chase, who had come around the house and was patiently waiting for the colloquy to be over. v "Mrs. Penzle," he began directly, Tm in the devil of a fix." "Are you?" Her tone was sympa- thetlc, but there was in it no tincture of surprise. She was, accustomed to crises, Life in The Custard Cup pro- , - . 1 ' ' V- J I. ou"ea inera m aouauance. I "Come right on In," she Invited cordially, "and we'll talk It over." . "No, I can't sit down. ' I'm supposed to be on my Job, but I dropped In for ; r minute, because Lorene wouldn't b around. I didn't want her to hear -0f it." "Dick Cliase paused, as If hardly knowing where to -begin on the perplexity that had brought him to Number 4T. Mrs. Penfleld waited In silence. - 1 Presently the young man's gravity' was broken by a whimsical smile. "Say, Mrs. Penzle, . you're willing I should marry Lorene, aren't you?" - . "My dear boy," she smiled back, "you've got my consent and my bless ing. I believe you'll make Lorene happy; and Jf yon don't, Til be "bout the first feller on your trail" "Yon bet I'm going o try to save yon that trouble," he said, with re turning seriousness. "But the ques tion is. Will I ever get Lorencr v, "My goodness, yon dont . mean you've quarreled t" "Thunder, no. That might be sim- ' nler. Thered be ft chance that we might, get out here nnder the pepper tree and make it up. No, it's Mrs. Percy." ' "But, sorely," , the eKpoatnlated, i"urel you treot taking a nerrou. t a (.a 1 of ! r i ' "Yes, but It's small. 'Culess she earns something her- .', she can't live the' way she's been Uving. Lo rene has denied , herself to give her stepmother comfort and laziness some idea of obligation to her father's memory, I suppose. And so " "Good land, Mrs. Percy'll get used to it It may be a wrench at first but" "Mrs. Penzle, you dont understand. The point Is that she's getting Lo rene. Working, on her sympathy and conscience. Why, at this very minute we're further from being married than we were two months ago con found It I" " ', .-. 1 ' "Tell me about It" ' He laughed.' , "It is a reasonable re quest I was rather figuring that you'd take one word and make ten out of it Well, you know, Mrs. Per-. cy's thought up various silly schemes to make it unpleasant' And now it's her right side. She says she's par tially lost the use of it" He broke off, staring gloomily at the wall. Mrs. Penfleld watched him, but said noth-4 Ing.. .-.v--.;, .;'..:.v: .. . "You can see what that means," he continued. : "Constant care, and she can't afford a nurse or companion. Only a stony-hearted girl would leave her ; only ' a brute would ask the stony-hearted girt to do it either. Tears; upbraiding; general Chaos 1" "I didn't know about her her helplessness," begun Mrs. Penfleld gently. ' s "Know about it ! He turned and confronted her In swift indignation. "Nobody knew about It till two days ag She claims she hasn't been feel ing well for a long time, but she's en dured In silence. We've been trying to have her consult a doctor, but she wont listen to it says we've no right to annoy an afflicted woman when she can do her own diagnosing. "But you think there's no doubt" Insinuated Mrs. Penfleld slowly. "I think there's no doubt but that she's making the whole tiling up," ex. ploded the young man. "What I thought maybe you'd do, Mrs. Penzle, is to look us over from the stand point of an outsider and tell ns how to act" : . , . She smiled. "I can't tell you on the minute, but I'll see If I can think out anything. " Til go over tomorrow, and mebbe Til get a line on It Yon come around sometime soon, end I'll re port." ' . . ; ... He held out his hand. "Thank you. You're my mother, Mrs. Penzle, but Til bet you didn't know It I never had one that I could remember till now." . Before she could speak, he was gone, . . The next day Mrs, Penfleld crowded Tier work ns much as possible, thajj there might be time in the afternoon or a call on Mrs. Fercy. "Lettie," she called into the back yard, "won't you please pick metwut three of then pretty caterpillars offn the willow tree? Put 'em in this here envelope, and be careful you don't squeeze 'em." A little Inter Mrs. Penfleld set forth, gingerly concealing under' her worn Jacket the envelope which contained the three scraps of furry life. She ' At Xf . Don,t y0U want t0 run ,n t0 Mrg percy,8 me? ghe ,BquIred. understand She ain't well, and seems as if we'd oughter be a mite heigh borly." , "Oh, I hadn't heard," cried Mrs. Sanders, with instant solicitude. "Yes, sure I'll go." , The two ladles and the three cater . pillars proceeded on their way. . when they had rung, they could hear Mrs. Percy coming along the nar- Mrs. Percy's Eyelids Drooped Mounv fully. 'row hall with a Jerky, shuffling sound. She opened the door with her left hand. ' '' "Good afternoon," she greeted them laconically. "Come tn"y She usliered he- guests Into the tiny living-room and ' laboriously re moved a litter of magazines from one chair, a piece of sewing from another. An awkward toss with her left hand sent a white crocheted shawl from-a QM cna,f to 8ma11 talle- The tbrw ,ane' Pe tDM Med to be seated. "liow '"' feeling toOajV 1 ,oir,s1 p,nfi1 brlsktf. i 3 ;;-t i. .;' 'i . e I-.,.. .. - , ously. "Wain!ng!" echoed Mrs. .renfle'l "Good land, what do you meanT Mrs. Percy's eyelids drooped mourn fully. "I mean the forerunner of the the nd." ' "Oh, nonsense, I don't believe It," cheered Mrs. Penfleld. "What's wrong?" "You couldn't have been using your eyes," returned her hostess, in an ag grieved tone. "Maybe It doesn't show in my face yet but it's strange if you didn't notice the way I walked. My right foot drags. I can't scarcely use my right arm at all." "How long have you had Itr " "Three days. It came on sudden one morning." . , ' . ' . . - - "I s'pose you've seen a doctor," sug gested Mrs. Penfleld. Mrs. Percy sighed heavily. "No need. He couldnt tell me more'n I know. Tve Just got to wait And grow steadily more helpless. The hardest part of it is Lorene's leaving. I shall be alone, and I cari't do for myself now. Troubles always come together. I've been set against Lorene's mar rying from the first She might wait a while before she plunges; probably she'd marry better if she did,; Mrs. Penfleld appeared to be pon dering the situation. "I thought you felt that way, Mrs. Percy,- but that's a slight trouble compared with your sickness, ain't itr "Yes, of course, but" - 'Til Just bet," exclaimed Mrs. Pen fleld with conviction, "that if you could use both your arms and legs all right, you'd feel that was the main thing. What Lorene done would be so Bmall a point you wouldn't scurcely car which way It went, would your Mrs. Percy opened her mouth; closed It againi Mrs. Penfield's brown, eyes grew wde In a stare of Innocent surprise. "Why, land, you don't mean to tell me for goodness sake, Mrs. Percy, If your body was sfl right again, wouldn't you be so thankful that you'd be more'n willing Lorene should leave you for a life of her own?" A Blight flush colored her hostess' heavy cheeks. "Why, yea, of course," she acknowledged stiffly. "I should feel very different In that case." Mrs. Penfleld nodded condolingly. "Yes, J guess you would. Health's the main thing. Little troubles dont seem no bigger'h specks when a big trouble comes long to measure 'era by." ::---'.: Mrs. Percy grabbed this statement with vehemence. "I don't know much about little troubles, myself. Tve had bkr ones, one right after another. I haVen't never been reconciled to Mr. Percy's going. Doesn't seem right for a man to die because he was brave, way he did. He was a police officer, and he was shot while making an ar rest. It was reckless, the chance he took. It wouldn't seem so hard if he'd Just been sick and died of It" "Oh, you'd have felt it Just as much," began Mrs. Sanders. "Yes," echoed Mrs. Penfleld; "and as 'tis, "you've got something to be proud of. Tve always thought Td rather mourn , for. af .man that , was brave than cook for' a man that's a coward." , v,';' ;N'".;."'T' Mrs. Percy, repudiating this conso lation, tossed her head in some of fense. "I didn't mean It would have been easy in any event. The thing, after all, that makes me miserable Is my broken life. When you've had ton years of married happiness, you don't get reconciled to giving It up." . . Mrs. Penfleld gazed at her dream ily. "No, not reconciled! Being re signed to everything is a pretty good sign of moral prostration. But there's one thing you got to remember: if you had ten years of happy married life, you had exactly ten years more than a lot of women have, and you'd oughter be thankful for It long with your mourning." Mrs. Percy's Hps came together with a snap. An uncomfortable si lence spread over the room, pressing conversation out of existence. ' Mrs. Penfleld, fearing that she had been too outspoken, sprang p briskly; with the thought of breaking the tension. "You mustn't Imagine Tm unsympa thetic, 'cause underneath I been study ing on how we could help you. I can see one thing we'd better do that Is, look out that you don't take cold, entertaining us In a room that don't get any sun, Hfere, let me put this Ittle shawl 'round your shoulders. You mustn't take any chances, you know." Without waiting for assent ahe snatched the crocheted shawl from the table. and proffered it to her hostess. And Mrs. Percy, the . spoiled, the walted-on, was instantly mollified. She accepted the service with mur mured gratitude . - ' t No sooner had Mrs. Penfleld re sumed her seat, however, than It was Mrs, Percy who did the springing. She came to her feet-with a ponder ous agility very different from her previous manner. '. ' "Ugh I Ugh 1 ' The nasty thing I" she screamed. "Oh ! Oh I Take It off! Oh I There's two of It! Take it": , . . . i . , Mrs. Sanders plunged to the rescue. With a careless gesture, Mrs. Penfleld swung In ahead of her. "Ill do It" site announced In a tone of renuncia tion with which one takes the initia tive in a perilous enterprise. i: "Help me!" cried Mrs. Percy. "They stick. Take the ahawL. . With her left hand "she was trying to, disengage from the fussy shawl first ne end then the other of two smaU caterpillars. . "Wrti; I declare to goodness!" ex claimtd Mrs. Penfleld safely. Cler hands were busy with the shawl, but In some way, not explained, tt had beeomt entangled la the buttons of ..y f ,1. "IZiiL vt-cy'a tx..,v.i fci-adlly fci'ew. "They niuut have come in the wln dixw. I can't stand the. nasty little things. Oh oh. take it .off. Tear It anything! Oh oh, good heavens, look, look!" Her shaking finger pointed at. Mrs. Penfleld herself, and - two curious things at once became evident. One was .that Mrs, Percy was using her right hand ; the (other. that an active caterpillar was excussionlng up, the front of Mrs. Penfield's dress. - "Well, did you ever!" interjected Mrs. Penfleld. But at this point Mrs. Percy de cided that caterpillars were after her; and her nerves gave way. With a shriek, she wrenched and tore at the shawl, using both hands Indiscrimi nately. Fairly beside herself, she stormed about the room, forgetful of feet that dragged, of legs that refused to be supple. She shivered and screamed and fought the air with nervous lashing of both arms. Her dark eyes shot mad glances in every direction, searching for more caterpillars.'-'. , ' '' "I know what 'tis," she. howled. "It's a pest We're going to be over run. They'll come In the doors and windows. - And I hate the crawling things. Oh, what shall we do? What shall we" Suddenly, she 6topped. Her arms dropped. She had become conscious of the Interested, significant gaze of her guests a gare that reminded her of, many things. "Ugh!" she cried. "Ain't this aw ful? Til suffer for It later." Mrs. Sanders clasped her hands fer vently. ' "Oh, I'm so glad It happened. There ain't no more caterpillars here; Tve looked. And they they're brought you out of It." Mrs. Percy gasped. - "It was It was only a superhuman" "No, Mrs. Percy," broke In Mrs. Penfleld brightly. "I been watching how you did it and it was Just as natural as could be. You'll find itll be permanent mark my words.' Ifft plain as can be that the whole trouble was nerves getting wound up, on ac count of worrying, mebbe; and they've tmvnnnri now. Anv doctOrd tell VOU that you've limbered up to stay. Why, don't you blleve it? Well, then, Til tell you what : well have a doctor In to tell you himself. We ain't going to , have .you fretting over something that don't really ail you." Mrs. Percy looked at her helplessly, with a smoldering fire In her black eyes. "Much you know about it I expect It'll come back " r "No, It 'won't said Mrs. Penfleld firmly. "If It does, well have the doctor, 'cause The Custard Cup alrit going to see you suffer thout helping you out. We're your friends." "Oh-oh, yes, I" A , bright look flashed across Mrs. Penfield's face. "Oh, won't Lorene be happy? I cant wait to tell her. And now there ain't nothing standing In her wy. Doesn't It seem like a provi dence that you said you wouldn't ob ject any more if " "I I 'didn't say Interposed Mrs, Percy hotly. . . Mrs. Sanders eyes were very wide. "Oh, , yes, you did, Mrs. Percy. I heard you." . Mrs. Penfleld extended her hand with a genial smile. "Inm so truly glad," she said in a low, deep voice, "so glad that it wasn't anything seri ous. Folks are likely to think the worst, but you mustn't do It again. Come over and see us both real soon. It'll do you good to get out, and weH both be awful glad to see you." " TO BE CONTINUED . ir .-m' "'Jh. A Beautiful Complexion of Satin-Like Texture - The incomparable beauty of thousands of women that smooth, satin-like skin texture so much admired is the result of Nadinola Cream, which has proved itself for a quarter of a century, the standard bleaching and beautifying cream, v :. Scientists long ago discov ered and combined in Nadin ola Cream, elements which bleach the skin and remove tan, freckles, pimples and other discoloration!. Of its own peculiar virtues, it rids the skin of impurities and leaves it smooth and beautiful. -The 50c. package will re move mild cases, the $1.00 size more stubborn cases. Directions and guarantee in , each package, at your toilet counter. National Toilet Co., ' Fori. Tenn. Dr. S. A Alexander Veterinarian Office Phon 113. Ties. G5-J. s.r' N' : I'fl . M 111 1
The Monroe Journal (Monroe, N.C.)
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April 6, 1923, edition 1
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