Show miss selina lue AND TRE THE soapbox soap box babies by maria thompson daviess 0 I 1 illustrations by magnus G kettner LJ Coin right the dobbs merrall Coho company continued from december ath 1 I hate bate those fast elevators in the he skyscrapers myself miss cynthia had answered her sympathetically they are all jest a part and a parcel 0 of the running around 0 of things they aint no peace in it all and I 1 am one that blat holds thit peace are the air that religion breathes and it gits oft off from it it dies I 1 aint tempting providence by going down lessen business calls me and she had held to her determination if miss cynthia was delighted at the prospect of the excursion she was nas still more so at the sight of u miss selina lue as she made her way through the boxes and barrels and cans to the full light of 0 the front loor door the picture was one of 0 exceeding beeding majesty and the heart of miss cynthia was thrilled in awe alne the foundation of the toilet was a t black silk as stiff and rustling as any that lung in the wardrobe of mrs irs jackson page on the hill and a genius had bad fashioned it some bygone day up in warren county it was cut without stint of material and hung about the tall dignified figure of miss migs selina lue in bounteous folds also it was adorned with a multitude of small bands known as it lay gracefully on the floor at least a foot all around and was lifted in front by one of miss selina lues black lace hands A wide white lace collar encircled her neck and wai caught by a faded hair brooch but the bonnet was the file crowning majesty of all it was aide and scooped and adorned by a dee decorous brous black bow on the outside but in the front of the funnel there rested just above the gray sprinkled water waves a rakish red rose that repeated the note of excitement cit elt ement in fit tier her cheeks she was wonderful to behold was miss selina lue and too darling for words as miss Cynt cynthia lla told her with an impulsive squeeze where did you get it all miss selina lue she questioned excitedly lands alive child this is the dress my mother lad had before tho the war I 1 aint bored it often count of not having time but I 1 thought I 1 ought to put it on to compliment mr dobbs for asking me ter go along with em cm you see its this away mr ir dobbs is jest the salt of the earth fer kindness except cussing bussing but he aint never and joined the church so when he asked mary ellen and me ter go to this boat meeting with him though it do seem a kinder queer place to go to praise the lord a flatboat tied to a lock ik I 1 said we must make out ter keep heep him company mary ellen was fer backing down count of its being so lot hot to gear up tip tight and she eo 0 o easy ove overact rhet but I 1 perv ailed on her I 1 want us all to look nice ter git mr fr dobbs in a happy consenting kinder mind when I 1 see a curl of religion sprouting up I 1 think its best ter kinder shine on it pleasant like but not to take too much notice until it roots good there they come now aint they genteel ben ale and ethel maud look jest like a picnic and miss cynthia smiled delightedly as she exchanged greetings with the me enthusiastic family out on the quest for the soul welfare of the head member miss selina lues adjective had been an apt one that applied to them all TAI mrs rs dobbs was buttoned up tight in a dark blue coat suit and the perspiration rolled down her happy face from the crown of her black velvet hat with its remarkable blue bird into her white cotton 1 lace ice collar one hand kept up a constant mopping ethel athol maud laud was in white and starched to the limit of endurance and had pink bows tied wherever they would stick az ell 4 11 she was wonderful to behold was miss selina lue luc bennio bennie and mr ir dobbs were clothed in their sunday best and mr dobbs beamed with pride at miss Cynt hias compliments but denale stood on one foot and covered it with anith the other in evident consciousness of their brier scratched nudity ile he wear them shoes he had bad in the spring and I 1 impel him explained his bla mother my ily feets sore the delinquent grumbled shamefacedly sos mine whined ethel mau 1 standing first on ono one and then the other but soure a girl said her mother decidedly thus firmly settling the yoke of femininity on en her young shoulders are you ready miss heliny lue well I 1 think I 1 must be but I 1 seem to have foi got something heres my reticule and my pam palm fan and ive got money in my glove to put la in the collection but lands alive mis alls dobbs I 1 clean forgot to git anybody to mind the mablea and the store whatever will I 1 do mis MIR kinney have zone eone to the chait to stay till the boat comes by to give mr kinney his lunch and mis peters went into town and and oh miss selina lue please let me stay with the babies and keep store I 1 would love it and I 1 nill bo be ever so careful said miss cynthia with dancing eyes there now there never was waa anybody like you ter fer helping along miss cynthie and I 1 dont think they will be a mite of trouble you know how bow I 1 fed them at one and the oatmeal and milk Is hung down the well to keep cool dont let the turn over their boxes and put ll a bib on pattie tyne when you teed feed her I 1 washed that dress twice yesterday and I 1 am afraid it wont hold together till her mother gits back it if anybody wants ana anything thing tell you the price and put the money in the lug ug behind the left counter goodby good by goodby good by and the party started down the hill halfway half halt way down miss selina lue turned and called back to miss aliss ca cn n athla who stood on the steps with blossom in tier her arms mr alan lilies likes his eggs fried on both sides and his potatoes smashed heavens miss aliss cynthia had bad had no idea that lier her offer of attendance on the soap boxers had covered the duty of feeding the lion A wild idea of locking the grocery door and taking the entire small family home with her for the day instantly presented itself but immediately a sense of mortification overcame her the river bluff grocery doors had never been closed in her knowledge to those seeking food and her honor forbade her doing it now no she had assumed miss selina lues obligations and she holud w fulfill them to the letter even it if they did include serving the obnoxious barn boarder in a mental capacity eggs fried on both sides and smashed potatoes sounded terrifying in the extreme but miss ayn thias blood was up anil and she both mentally and literally rolled up her sleeves and sailed in to win it was on the off side of 0 12 so she decided that time was in her favor she smothered blossom with a kiss and attempted to deposit her in her box but the young lady clung around her neck in a manner most beguiling the two regarded her solemnly as if i taking measure ot of her capacity for guardianship and clemile seemed to find comfort in chewing the corner of her gingham apron pattie resorted to sucking her thumb complacently and grabbed at her own pink toes as it if she had de i on in case of a famine blossom dear I 1 must ask you to let me go and see to the smashing of 0 those potatoes smashing anything appeals to me right now said miss cynthia but blossom clung the tighter there was nothing for it but to take her into miss selina lues little cupboard of 0 a kitchen that also leaned to the grocery and enthrone ent brono her ber on a corner of the table now said miss cynthia to herself as she surveyed the held field 1 I think I 1 would better fry the eggs first as it will take some time to do it on both I 1 sides some people dont mind putting 1 others to any amount of trouble I 1 am sure under most circumstances I 1 would bo be satisfied with my eggs fried on one side but two it shall bo be if niles miss selina bellna lue says saya so j goo ah goo soo goo s g o o answered blossom from her perch 1 I thought you would think so dear niles ilias cynt cynthia his answered her ber 1 I dont doubt you would try fry them for him on three sides it if you could you blossom nodded delightedly with axi an air of perfect understanding 1 I though TSo sol wel 11 ana am going to do my best and then it if everything is not right it Is not my fault now that Is the fryer I 1 know and I 1 will let it get good and hot while I 1 find the eggs how many do you suppose the dear creature eats at a sitting blossom A halt half dozen again blossoms head bead bobbed cheerily she hugely enjoyed being taken into the conversation did the blossom well heres the half dozen and here goes dear me I 1 hope its as easy to smash potatoes as it Is eggs 1 I wonder if it Is right for them to mix up soa heavens the things are arc sticking to the fryer ill just stir them around for I 1 suppose what R hat miss lue meant by both sides to mix them up so they wont get so black they seem perfectly hard now so I 1 am going to put them in the dish and miss cynthia emptied out the charred mass on a plate and set it on the table of 0 course blossom I 1 have known fried eggs all ray my life but we ne dont have blare them and I 1 an am not perfectly perfect 17 r ure suro how they ought to look these seem nice and brown though those black streaks are not exactly artistic ore are they with reassuring eagerness blossom reached tor for the dish iro im glad you think so dear dar but you dont want that dinner yours comes later now for smashing the potatoes when toes does the smashing come in before they are cooked 7 miss cynthia paused to think 1 I dont suppose it makes much difference and after they are cooked they will be so hot hol I 1 am going to do it now it lucky miss selina lue lad peeled peek d them why I 1 never linew knew potatoes were vere so hard before they were cooked no wonder the great grand mogul likes his smashed I 1 like them smashed myself but how am I 1 going it to smash them blossom gurgled interestedly thanks for the advice blossom yes I 1 am going to set the pan on t the he table and wash the hatchet nice and clean and smash away miss cynthia worked with a will and succeeded in quickly reducing tho the potatoes to a watery i lumpy mass after a moments hesitation she emptied them into the frying pan to which clung fragments of burned eggs her delight was great when she remembered the salt and se poured in a double dose with exceeding liberality around and around she rho stirred the mass which quickly burned to a hue hua to match the eggs and thus declared itself done blossom she remarked earnestly why women make so much fuss over cooking I 1 cant see it la Is lust just too easy and nothing but selfishness makes them not want to do pie things for their families I 1 am going to put a plate and knife and fork here for him and tuck this ugly fryer out of sight then lie he can come and get ills his dinner whenever he chooses and blossom I 1 dont know whether you and miss selina lue ever do it but I 1 am going to put a spray of this petunia here on the table and take the lisk A series of plaintive little gurgles and a whimper or two through tho the door leading into the grocery reminded her of the soap boxers and she hastened to answer the summons roar foar solemn babies sat bolt upright and four pink mouths lew flew wide open bless your darling hearts its time for din din and miss Cynt hias a bad girl to get naughty mans dinner first here are the bowl and spoon right here and she is going to hurry burry but instead of hurrying miss cynthia four solemn babies sat bolt upright and four pink mouths flew wido wide otien stood dumb she had forgotten where miss selina lue had said the oatmeal and milk were kept in a panic she began a hurried search and it took her just five minutes to exhaust the possible hiding places of 0 milk and oatmeal in the river bluff grocery she even tipped up tip the vinegar jug and turned on the molasses spigot no milli milk and no oatmeal in the meantime the plaintive walls wails from the back ot of th the e store lad had developed into the roar of a hurricane which swelled by the instant but never ebbed the sight bight of the bowl and the spoon which miss cynthia had bad set on oil the stool before them was the red rag to their rage the two had settled down steadily to the busti bustness business I 1 of making an uproar and as they screamed each kicked the toot foot of his bis box with maniacal strength clemmie wasted no force in any exercise save that of the vocal chords and shrill and high she shrieked each output more startling than tho the last pattie had bad the wisdom to seek a key and note all her own onn and she gave out sepulchral groans and ghastly chok bebok ings by the minute only blossoms in a tier box where miss cynthia had put her was quiet and pale with terror her wide frightened eyes added the tha finishing touch to miss Cynt hias plight and she sat dowa dowid on the floor by her box and buried her head in the 1111 mites tes small pink abrott aaroa then suddenly in vie the storm thero there came a calm deep and breathless miss MIES cynthia looked up and behold relief stood on the threshold in one hand mr alan held a tin bucket buckel full of the brown sticky manna and in the other a JUK jug of milk both dripping from their immersion in the well sho she eat bat as motionless as the babies and it if her mouth did not stretch open no will of her own prevented it the mixing of the potation was the matter of a few seconds and the feeding began without delay as the gray raven perched on the stool and ladled out dripping spoonfuls miss Cynt cynthia hla was almost surprised that he failed to offer her some in her turn but she sha tat sat on the floor and watched him with deepest gratitude 1 I find the dinner site sha said eald in a small voice do you think they will vill be ill As she kesho sho looked up at him with wide trustful eyes that reminded hini him in expression 1 l f all the other five pairs fixed upon his no indeed the little rascals 1 I 1 I have heard them do worse than that nhen hen hiss selina lue happened to be behind time tim euith the quick lunch ills his big comforting voice revised her so that she rose to her feet miss selina lue has gone up to the lock with the Dobb dobbles Dobbs ses cs and r stayed to take care ot of them for her your dinner Is on the table her meekness was fast vanishing and her eyes drooped in a way they had bad that meant mischief oh now really you ought not to have troubled about me bother the girl his ears were getting hot again and he was sure sura she was laughing at him though why he could rot see it really was no trouble she answered again sobered by her responsibilities ties let me finish feeding the tha babies while you eat your dinner dinner her voice was positively solicitous arent you going to have some som with me he asked politely TO BE CONTINUED |