| Show A LEMON FOR IKE 88 by MABEL K HAYES a 0 mcclure newspaper Paper syndicate vlee WIM service HE pease twins were isaac T THE and michael in the family bible but ike and mike in every day life and sadie lemon had picked mike for her own mike was settin up with sadie not the first girl he had set up 21 with by any means but that is neither here nor there every saturday night saw him over on blackberry HUI hill the twins were handsome hus husky ky six footers with red cheeks and blue eyes they were alike as two peas no pun intended except tor for the expression of their eyes in mike mikes S lurked two laughing demons while ikes were grave and steady you remember that in those good old days card playing was a deadly sin while those who played for money you know what happened to them ike cared nothing for cards or girls either for that matter but mike was different there was something in the forbidden card that appealed to his reckless pleas ure loving soul and a game of euchre in the back room of the village store was a wild event ike knew of his twins depravity and time and time again threatened mike with the dire results should he be discovered but mike just laughed at him on saturdays the twins took turns going to the village for grain and household supplies and on this particular saturday that started ikes education in a new direction it was mikes turn it was a cold day and he returned with blazing cheeks and sparkling eyes ike waiting in the barn bam tor for the horse florse saw that it was not wholly the weather that caused that blaze and sparkle and was not surprised when mike said in an excited whisper ike theres a game on tonight im goin to no said ike you cant itts its sadies night im goin persisted mike and she wont know bothin about it t cause go over and set up with er ike shrank as though from a blow mel youre crazy 1 I 1 wont do no such thing I 1 never kissed a girl in m my life I 1 go over there and make love all night I 1 know how he turned away to liang hang up the harness as though the matter were settled now ke ike pleaded mike dont let that love makin worry you none Sa madieu diell do all that all you got ter do is toiler foller her lead if she should put up her face I 1 spose you could kiss it you ike blushed 1 I spose I 1 could coul d but I 1 aint a goin to for half an hour mike beseeched beseeches ched then mike played his highest trump by turning hurt eyes on ike and saying with tears in his voice aw ike you go back on me your own twin would yuh that settled it of course ike could never do that so after supper he started for blackberry Back berry hiu hill wishing the two miles were ten ills feet 1 dragged ged he buoyed himself if up with a hope perhaps sadie would be sick then his spirit sank perhaps she ile he was trembling in every limb and wet with perspiration when all too soon he reached the lemon farm and knocked on the back door it was flung open and sadie pounced on turn him dragging him into the warm kitchen ki chen she began to unwind the muffler around his neck why mike she squealed 46 what s the matter youre all asla a re e elan swea sweat tIll artsy great guns 6 3 thought ike what at shall sh I 1 say oh er er I 1 hurried so to 9 uia here quick sadie dropped her eyes oh mike you do say the sweetest things she stood before him expectantly and as he SS made no mo ye said shyly well aint you sl g oin ter kiss me now sadie was a very pretty gi ri with her rosy and bri eyes of perfect hea alth she wore a green velvet basque very becoming to her pink cheeks and big brown eyes now lifted to ike for a moment ike helpless then slowly reached out a long arm encircled her tiny waist and drew her close gasping a 3 bit he closed his eyes an and d kissed hs her he liked g iti he le drew d re off 0 ff a little stared stare at her r then he n repeated ape a e d sadie laughed joyously huhl HT yassa think never kissed me before come 8 on lets 90 in 1 the other boorn roo she led lh him through ss the 1116 kitchen kitche into ino SS the cozy S ont settin room where ike sat down on the old oe haircloth sy drawn up before the blazing logs lo 10 in S t he fireplace sadie sank beside bede him h and quite naturally ikes arm slid around her shoulders mike she said what do you spose I 1 heard since you were here last week ike shook his head and sadie leaned nearer 1 I heard that you play cards and her voice sank to a horrified whisper ifor for money her eyes questioned and ike raising his right hand said solemnly sadie I 1 swear that I 1 never played a game of cards in my life and since the truth is always convincing vin cing sadie sadi e believed him im so glad chaps ike and got you mixed up does ike play cards he does hotl I 1 can swear to that too well sputtered tiered sadie you take my head off folks do get yo you d mixed though I 1 dont see how they can I 1 never have any trouble telling you apart and she laid her head on his shoulder shoulder with a low satisfied laugh ike began to feel nervous he had read that love was blind but he knew that sadie was sharp and if she kept harping on the subject she might make a discovery so he clawed around mentally for a subject that might consume her entire attention and considering that he knew nothing of women his intuition was marvelous he drew her close closer and whispered coaxingly S a d i 1 e we be married sadie was startled she gasped blushed then looked coy oh mike I 1 im not quite ready ive got my sheets and things but I 1 wanted to piece another quilt and fill a feather bed and a few pillows this spring still if if you want me very much I 1 could be ready by the first of may mayl right in planting aimel how on earth would mike take time to be married then still ike flung caution to the winds and continued to plan with sadie until the wee small hours gradually forgetting mike and planning for himself at last he tore himself away sadie with a last long kiss let him out into the chill graying dawn ike did not feel the cold his spirit soared he walked with a springing tread head lifted to the skies not until he was nearly home did the truth intrude itself sadie was marrying mike it was for mike he had planned those kisses were for mike slowly he entered the house and climbed to the chamber where his twin reposed in bed but not in slumber well said mike yes answered ike 1 I guess so ive done the best I 1 could for you mike you and sadie are goin ter be married first of may youre goin ter build near the lemons so sadie can have her mother close by and 2 what thundered mike who started that marlyin mar business why why mike faltered ike sadie said she was all ready but a few things and I 1 thought 11 mike snorted rate any girl is always ready but a few things any time you ask em I 1 aint a goin ter marry sadie lemon ashes a nice girl I 1 like her but I 1 aint never ast her ter marry me wel awell sighed ike you have now not by a long shot I 1 aint aina retorted mike you ast her and it if you want ter marry her you can ike stared long and hard st his twin his face grew very red mike you mean that yes I 1 do then by gurn gum I 1 will said ike and he did not the first of may for it took mike some time to td engineer his dismissal by sadie but eventually ike and sadie were married and she does not know to this day that the first time she kissed ike was not the first time if you know what I 1 mean |
