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Show ji ji tlj. on.iii i X ,, rVi.1. V0 DIXIE GIRLS THE CORAL SWEATER 'X r Irize Story There is nothing perhaps, of the incidents of childhood, that stand out so vividly in our recollections as do the times when we were pursued home through a wilderness of darkness by a phantom. And not infrequently our reveries on these ghostly occasions do not carry us all the way back to infancy, though, like Betty Louise, we are loathe to admit it after a certain age. Betty Louise, well along in her teens, and a firm disbeliever in ghosts and goblins, simply adored Evelyn Campbell, so much so that what ever Betty Louise had that was new, or peachy, or stunning, or what eveh she knew that was interesting, or scandalous, or made swell gossip, the very instant she came into possession of such article or such knowledge, on would go Betty Louises hat, and off she would hurry to Evelyn's home. So it happened that just before sunset a radiant-face- d girl, arrayed in d a gorgeous new crocheted sweater, a parcel-pos- t arrival from aunt Belle that very afternoon, walked down the street with an air that would have told the most casual onlooker what part of her apparel was on special display. It was only two blocks and a half to Evelyns home and soon the girlish figure turned In at the little white gate, and down the garden path to where the object of adoration lounged leisurely in a hamloud-breathi- ready-to-grab-- coral-colore- mock. "Oh its lovely here among the cherry blossoms! You look like a sylph, Evelyn. "Thats exactly what I was going to call you, Louise? Evelyn did not use the undignified Betty, which was tolerated only because it was her father's contribution to her name. "What a perfect dream of a sweater. Turn around and let's have a squint Eveut the back. Oh its darling. And lyn clapped her hands in glee. youre a regular princess in that color. i Louise, ail smiles, told her how Aunt Bella, was the best crocheter in her club, how she always won the prizs at the county fairs. How she Evelyn listened patiently until an idea struck her, then she ran down file path calling over her shoulder, "Wait a minute; Ive been baking toCousin Joe let me make some day. cakes. Let's try them. A dainty table spread with cakes, sandwiches and lemonade, and a perfect spring sunset what more would Too early darktwo friends want? ness descended upon them. "Ugh. this is a spooky old garden, remarked Evelyn, as the shadows deepened. Come down to the lilac bush and Ill show you whre Uncle Jim says a girl was murdered by an insane lover in he early days. "I never heard of that, said LouI ise. Uncle Jim it And now Un- "Oh, it was quieted up. didn't know much about it, but was a terrible affair. cle Jim says that people believe her spirit comes back every spring when the lilacs bloom, in search of her old lover. What makes them laughed Louise. think so? cried Evelyn, clutching Hush, the others arm, "this is the bush, She lowered her voice. right here. "Smell the odor. Isnt it just the sort of atmosphere 'you could imagine a spirit hovering in? Maybe shes there now! Let's go. "Oh pshaw! I dare walk clear around the bush. "Look out, theres not much room between it and the fence. Oh, Louise, come back. I can hear something. I can see something, Louise! But Louise only laughed and coinpletJ ed the circle. "That was a tight squeeze. But there aint any ghosts or spirits. Im not afraid." Good! I was afraid you'd want me to walk up to the corner. And I guess youd be afraid to! Lut I must go now. No, They walked to the house. thank you Evelyn, I wont go in. Come over tomorrow and well go shopping. Good-nigh- t. Betty Louise sped down to the gate, and out the street. As she passed the lilac bush she heard a slight rustle, which came to her senses with a sickening schock. She increased her continued The speed. rusteling Her whole body tingled. Up and dowm her back crept a tickelish sensation that was indescribable. She felt the spirit fingers of her pursuer touch her shoulder, and move slowly down her back. She heard in the deathly silence of the night the panting of the object, its stealthy tread, or the rustle of its wings. And always she felt at her back the nearness of it, just ready to spring. Betty Louise was running when she came in sight of the light of home. It made her feel better to see the friendly twinkle, but she dared not lessen her speed, for the tickelish thing was right there, the spirit was still clutching frantically at her She threw open the gate but dared not stop to close it behind her. It went shut with a bang just as she and couragetouched the door-kno- b ously glanced behind her. The spirit was invisible alright, but she could still feel the awful presence, even after she crossed the threshold into the lighted room. "Oh, breathed Louise in relief, as she seized a chair and dragged it to the supper table where she sat down to rest. Betty Louise, your sweater! cried Marie, her younger sister, entering the room. My sweater! Betty Louise looked up at her. "Dont you like it? Why what has happened to it? The back its all raveled out! and Marie took see, heres the string. hold of the thin line of coral that extended from Louises sweater to the door. With a despairing gesture Louise felt her back. Sure enough it was raveled right off the back and part of one sleeve. The ridiculousness of the situation, combined with the relaxed tension which she was experiencing, to produce gales of tearful laughter and she tumbled on to the couch. Lets get a flashlight and wind it up before someone gets tangled up in Marie suited the action to the it. word and, clipping the yarn, began the ball, stepping forth into the dark ness as she wound. Up the street, followed by the gigglying Louise .with the flashlight, went Marie. Suddenly she became conscious of a gentle tug on the other end of line. She dropped the ball with a scream. Louise recovered, and, handing the flashlight to her sister, began the winding. Whos that coming? Why Dick! as the light fell upon a face in the darkness. I wondered who Is this yours? had been setting a net for me! he laughed, and handed her the ball he I got tangled up had been winding. over there by Campbells lilac bush, so I broke the thread and wound the rest. Im sure captured pretty. He surveyed himself in the light. All about him was wound the narrow gleams of coral, secured to buttons and wrapped around legs and feet. You look lirte a fly in a spiders web. laughed Marie, as she skilfully untangled him. But Im a willing victim, he volunteered which was an entirely uncal-ledfremark, but Louise didnt mind, since the darkness was there to hide her blushes. Vilate Roundy. OUR BROTHERS There is nothing perhaps which is such a paradoxical mixture of good and evil, sunshine and shadow, tenderness and gruffness, as are our brothers. They are the biggest nuisance the family affords. They never fail to be present when their loving sisters would like most to be rid of them. Especially when you are mopping the floors and getting everything in perfect order for some special occasion. You can scold at them until your voice fails you, but they will not quit until every rug is kicked up and everything in general is out of order. The more desperate you get the greater the pains they take to provoke you. Perhaps you have threatened never to do anything more for them. But. queer as it seems, the very next time they want anything done they win us poor, forgiving, sisters over by a kiss or kind words, and we find our selves doing something for them again within half an hour, like pressing a tie or sewing on a button, or buying them some small article that their pride will not permit them to be seen busing. They havent a notion of propriety or manners, always picking into a take you have made for the picnic or cutting into the pie that you have planned to treat your friends with. When there is some distinguished guest taking dinner with you, you are in utter misery the whole time because of the younger brothers lack They dish of proper table manners. such enormous helpings upon their plates, that if you dont keep watching them and giving sly, meaning, midges under the table, the guests would go hungry. However wThen the guests depart you always breathe a sigh of relief that they behaved no worse than they did. And the energy you spnd in trying to convince them that it is necessary to take a bath at least once a week and to wash their hands and neck and ears and to comb their hair! But very fortunately there soon comes a time when you will be relieved of all this anxiety for they become so fussy about their personal appearance that they nearly drive you wild. Of course the cause of this change of attitude is that they are anxious to appear well to somebody elses sister. They are extremely bored at times when you ask them to do some little task for you,' but how delightfully willing and anxious they are to do some little task for someone elses sister. But possibly the worst fault brothers have is bawling you out before folks about things that arent anybodys business, such as what time you got up, or how you burned the bread, or how much you spend on powder and face creams, etc. Our brothers give us lengthy lectures on the folly of using powder, rouge, lipstick, etc., but seem to greatly admire the other girls who use it most freely. It would be easy to go on enunier-thei- r many short comings; but after all the fact remains that there are a tew good things about them. They are always ready to dig up a half dollar when you have forgotton your purse, and if you get tired of dancing you can just give one of them the wink and he will take you home. And he will be perfectly willing that you go straight to bed, for you may be sure that he will not want you to sit up and entertain him until the wee small hour of morning. If you d o something well your brothers will always tell you about it and you know they are sincere. And if you fail to do something well they are equally truthful in telling you about it. Brothers can give you lots of good, sound advice and there is no brothers to help one like your difficulties. If you anyone hurts your feelings they are indignant in a minute and are ready After all they will to fight for you. do anything for you if you attack them when they are in the right un-rav- el mood. Brothers are indespensible and our homes would be greatly lacking in, fun and real happiness if it were not for our own and other girls brothers.. Mary Miles.. TEACHERS Teachers are a necessary evil. The y are always around just when you wist they werent, and never to be found when you really need em. You can be good for weeks and weeks, and they never know it, but be a little mean jist onct and their eyes pop wide open and look at yiju and you feel bout as big as a ant, and like youd ought to apologize for having been born. They can sure make yom Oh, boy! shiver when they roar out answer These are about the: preparation. worst words in a teachers vocabulary, unless it is "faculty slang, which they are very fond of rolling For teachers are off their tongues. privileged characters, and dont have, to follow the rules they lay down foi us. Oh, theres lots a more things I could say about em. But yet I dont know how wed git along without em. Do You ? |