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PRUDE
of the PARS ON A G E
( H obbs-Corjrrljrht,
i
"• ‘¿ W R
L
By E T H E L
HUESTON
1916 )
■ .
after nineteen years lu the parsonage,
had learned to know and dread.
Prudence and Fairy enter
“ And where is the clmlr-bottom
now?” she Inquired. “ And why did
tain the good ladies of
you take It?”
the congregation and the
“ Why, we wanted to make— ”
result is rather disas
“ You and Lark?”
“ Well, yes—but It was really all my
trous for Prudence.
fault, you know. We wanted to make
a seat up high In the peach tree, and
the bottom olt the chair was Just line.
Mr. Stsrr, a widower Method
It’s u perfectly adorable seat." bright
ist minister, has been assigned
ening. but sobering again us she real
to the congregation at Mount
ised the gravity o f the occasion. “ And
Mark, Iowa. He and his daugh
we put the cushion in the chair so that
ter Prudence— she is nineteen
It wouldn't be noticed. We never use
and the eldest of five girls—
that chair, you know. I'm so sorry
have come on ahead to get the
about it.”
new parsonage ready for the
Carol was really quite crushed, but
younger members of the family.
true to her parsonage tralniug. she
The whole town, especially the
struggled
valiantly
anil
presently
Methodist element, is very curi
brought forth a crumpled uud sickly
ous about the strangers, and in
smile.
dividually
members
of
the
But Prudence stalled at her kindly.
church call at the parsonage and
“That wasn't very naughty. Carol," she
“ pump” the girls for all they’ re
said frankly. “ It’s true that we sel
worth. But the Starrs soon ad
dom use that chair. And we ought to
just themselves to their new
have looked." She glanced reproach
surroundings— and after much
fully at Fairy. “ It is strange that In
preparation. Prudence and Fairy
dusting it. Fairy— but never mind. You
are going to entertain the La
may go now. Carol. It Is all right.”
dies’ Aid society. Some of the
Then she apologized gently to the
members are arriving now.
Indies, and the conversation went on,
but Prudence was uncomfortably con
scious o f keen and quizzical eyes
CHAPTER III—Continued.
turned her way.
Evidently they
thought she was too lenient.
“ Not on your life," said Carol
“ Well, it wasn’t very naughty." she
promptly and emphatically; “ he’s worse thought wretchedly. “ How can I pre
than Prudence. Like as not he’d give tend it was terribly bad, when I feci
me a good thrashing into the bargain. In my heart that it wasn’t !"
No— I’m strong for I’rudonce when it
The meeting progressed, and the
comes to punishment— in preference business was presently disposed of.
to father, 1 mean. 1 can't seem to be So far, things were not too seriously
fond o f any kind o f punishment from bad. and Prudence sighed In great re
anybody.”
lief. Then the Ladies took out their
For a while Carol was much de- j sewing, and began industriously work
pressed, but by nature she was a buoy ing at many articles, designed for the
ant soul, and her spirits were presently clothing o f n lot of young Methodists
soaring again.
confined in an orphans’ home In Chi
In the meantime, the Ladies o f the cago. And they tulked together pleas
Aid society continued to arrive. Pru antly nnd gnyly. And Prudence and
dence and Fairy, freshly gowned and Fniry felt that the cloud was lifted.
smiling-fneed, received them with cor
But soon it settled again, dark nnd
diality and many merry words. It was lowering. Prudence heard Lark run
not difficult for them ; they had been ning through the hall and her soul mis-
reared in the hospitable atmosphere of gnve her. Why was Lark going up
Methodist parsonages, where, if you stairs? To be sure, her mission might
have but two dishes o f oatmeal, the
outsider is welcome to one. That is
Carol’s description o f parsonage life.
But Prudence was concerned to ob
serve that a big easy chair placed well
back in a secluded corner, seemed to
be giving dissatisfaction. It was Mrs.
Adams who sat there first.
She
squirmed quite a little, and seemed to
be gripping the arms of the chair with
unnecessary fervor.
Presently she
stammered an excuse, and, rising, went
into the other room. A fter that, Mrs.
Miller, then Mrs. Jack. Mrs. Norey.
and Mrs. Deed, in turn, sat there— and
did not stay. Prudence was quite ago
nized. Had the awful twins filled It
with needles for the reception o f the
poor Ladies? At first opportunity she
hurried into the secluded corner, intent
upon trying the chair for herself. She
sat down anxiously. Then she gasped
and clutched frantically at the arm of
the chair. For she discovered at once
to her dismay that the chair was bot
tomless, and that only by hanging on
for her life could she keep from drop
ping through.
Up rose Prudence, conscientiously
pulling after her the thin cushion
which had concealed the chair’s short
coming.
“ Look, F a iry !” she cried.
“ Did you take the bottom out o f this
chair? It must h aw been horribly un
comfortable for those who have sat
“ Isn’t That a Handsome Venus?”
there! However did It happen?”
Fniry was frankly amazed, and a be innocett, but Prudence dared not
little inclined to be amused.
run the risk. Fortunately she was sit
“ Ask the twins,” she said tersely; ting near the door.
" I know nothing about it.”
"L u rk !” she culled softly.
Lark
At that moment, the luckless Carol stopped abruptly, and something fell
went running through the hall. Pru to the floor.
dence knew it was she, without seeing,
“ L a r k !”
because she hud n peculiur skipping
The Ladles smiled, and Miss Carr,
run that was quite characteristic and laughing lightly, said, “ She 1» an atten
unmistakable.
tive creature, Isn't she?”
“ Carol I” she called.
Prudence would gladly have flown
And Carol paused.
out Into the ball to settle this matter,
“ C arol!” more imperatively.
but she realized Unit she was on exhi
Then Carol slowly opened the door— bition. Had she done so, the Ladles
she was a parsonage girl and rose to would have set her down forever after
the occasion, O n m l led Trlasomilj— as thoroughly Iricotop'-tent- she could
Carol was nearly always winsome.
not g o ! But L «rk mu it crane to tier.
“ How do you do?” she said brightly.
"Lark!" This was Prudence's most
“ Isn’t it a lovely day? Did you call awful voice, and l«ark was bound to
me, Prudence?”
heed.
“ Yes. Do you know where the bot
“ Ob, Pm e," she »aid plaintively, “ III
tom o f that chair has gone?”
be there In a minute. Uar/t you wait
“ Why no, Prudence— gracious 1 That Just five minutes? Let me run up
¡chair!— why, I didn’t know you were stairs first, won’t you? Then I’ll come
going to bring that chair in here. gladly! Won’t that do?”
Why— oh, I am so sorry! Why In the
Her voice was hopeful. But Pru
world didn’t you tell us beforehand?’’ dence replied with dangerous cairn:
> Some of the Ladles smiled. Others
“ Come at. once, 1/ark.”
(lifted their brows and shoulders in a
“ All right, then.” ami added threat
,mildly suggestive way, that Prudence, eningly, “ hut you'll wish I hadn’t.”
Then Lurk opened the door a woe
ful figure! In one hand she curried uu
empty shoe bo*. And her face was
streaked with good rich Iowa mud.
Her clothes were plustcreil with It. One
shoe was caked from the sole to the
very top button, and a great gash In
her stoeklng revealed a generous jsir-
tiou o f round, white leg.
Poor Prudence I At that moment she
would have exchanged the whole par
sonage, huthrootu. electric lights and
all, for a tiny log cabin In the heart
o f a great forest, where she and Lark
might be alone together.
And Fairy laughed. Prudence looked
at her with tears In her eyes, and then
turntnl to the wretched girl.
“ What have you been doing, I-nrk?"
The heartbreak expressed In the face
o f Lurk would have made the angels
weep. Beneath the smudges o f mud
on her cheeks she was pallid, and, try
ns she would, she could not keep her
chin from trembling ominously. Her
voice, when she was able to speak, .waj
Imrely recognizable.
“ W e— we— we
are making— mud
Images, Prudence. It—It was awfully
messy, I know, but—they say— It Is
such n good— and useful thing to do.
We— we dldu’t expect—the— the La-
dies to see us."
"Mud Im ages!" gus|>ed Prudence,
nnd even Fairy stared Incredulously.
“ Where m the world did you get hold
o f an ldui like that?”
" It — It was In that— that Mother's
Home Friend paper you take, Pru
dence." Prudence blushed guiltily. “ It
was modeling in clay, but— we haven’t
any day, and— the mud Is very nice,
but—oh, 1 know 1 look Just— horrible.
I— I—Connie pushed mein the— puddle
— for fun.” \nother appealing glance
Into her sister’s face, and Lark plunged
on, bent on smoothing matters If she
could. “Carol la la J u t tine at it.
really. She— she’s making n Venus de
Milo, and It's good. But we cun’t re
member whether her arm Is olT at the
elbow or M o w the shoulder— ”
An
enormous gulp, nnd by furious blinking
Lark managed to crowd back the tears
that would slip to the edge o f her
lashes. “ I— I’m very sorry. Prudence."
“ Very well. Lark, you tuuy go. I do
not really object to your modeling In
mud, I am sure. I am sorry you look
so disreputable.
You must change
your sho.-s and stockings at once, nnd
then you can go on with your model
ing. But there must be no more push
ing and chasing. I'll see Connie about
that tonight. Now go.” And Lark was
n \\ Ift to avail herself o f the permission.
Followed a quiet hour, ami then ill«
Ladles put uslde their sewing and
walked about the room, chatting lu
little groups. With a significant glance
to Kit try, Prudence walked calmly to
the double doors between Ibe dining
room and the sluing room. The eyea
of (lie Ladles followed her with lllter>
, st. and even enthusiasm. They were
hungry. Prudence slowly opened wide
the doors, and stood amazed t The
Ladles clustered about her, nnd stood
amazed also. The dining room waa
there, and the table! But the appear
and1 o f the pine« was vastly different I
The snowy cloth was draped urtl*-
11 o(i 11y over a picture on the wall, the
lowest edges well above the floor. The
plates and trays, napkin-covered, w er«
safely stowed away on the floor In dis
tant corners. The kitchen scrub buck
et had been brought In and turned up
side down, to afford a fitting resting
place for the borrowed punch bowl,
full to overflowing with fragrant b n»-
onudo.
And at the table were three dirty,
disheveled little figures, bending seri
ously over piles o f mud. A not unrec
ognizable VetlUS de Milo occupied Ibe
center o f the table. Connie was pains
takingly at work on some animal, a
dog perhaps, or possibly an elephant.
And—
Tlie three yotmg modelers looked up
in exclamatory consternation ns the
doors opened,
“ Oh, ar«- you ready?" cried Carol.
"Mow time has flown I We bad no Ides
you'd be ready so soon. Oh. we are
sorry. Prudence. We Intended to hava
everything fixed properly for you again.
W e needed a fiat place for our model
ing. It's u shame, that's what It Is.
Isn’t that a hnndsotue Venus? I did
that!— I f you’ll Just shut the door oo*
minute, Prudence, we’ll have every
thing exactly us you left It. And we’re
as sorry us wo call be. You cun have
my Venus for u ecu ter piece. If you
like."
Prudence silently closed the doors,
and the Ladles, laughing significantly,
drew away.
"Don’t you think, my dear," began
Mrs. Prentiss too sweetly, “ that they
are a little more iliun you can munnge?
Don't you really think mii older woman
Is needed?"
"I do not think so,” cried Fairy, bo*
fore her sister could speak, “ no older
woman could be kinder, or sweeter, or
more patient and helpful than I’rue.”
“ Undoubtedly true! lint something
more Is needed, I urn afraid ! It ap
pears that girls are a little more dis
orderly than In my own young dayal
Perhaps I do not Judge advisedly, but
It seems to ine they are n little— tm-
ninnngenble.”
Don’t you think that Mr. Starr
would
save
Prudence much
worry and responsibility If he
gave a little less time to his per
sonal duties and a little more to
helping her manage the young
sters?
tTO UK CONTINUI-.I.».»
And Overdue Notes.
Tho train was late, «veil Inter than
Is usual on a l tosi «ni A Maine la— d
Hue, mid us they crawled through ono
station u weary traveler was heard to
exclaim:
"W hat n vllllnnoue station this Is!
They try to Irritate one on purpose,
l ook at those alrls In the refreshment
room! Why do they dress them all In
black ?”
"D on’t you know?" eutd a ftdlow
passenger, lu a most solemn tono of
voice, nml with a look of a wo on his
face,
"N o ,” replied tho curious uml fret
ful traveler.
"W h y ," said the other, "bccutiso
they are In mourning for tho Into
trains."— I ’hlladelphla Lodger.
A iMistuI «'»r«l te Csrllcld Tse Co., Ilrooklyn,
N. V . nuking fur »ampli" wlll rrpsy you.
Now Sister Stays Home.
The alleged young woman was out
rowing with a possible suitor and had
taken her little sister, who was ex
hibiting much fear at the waves.
"W hy, Murtliu. If you are so nervous
now. what wlll you be nt my age?"
“ Thirty-nine, I suppose,” meekly re
plied the little sister.— Man Francisco
Chronicle.
Unangello Appearance.
"You used to say that girl was an
angel."
“ Yoa. And I'tn sorry I said I t She
got Interested In flying and, after B o o
ing her in bar aviation costuma, 1
mast sity she doesn’t look tho part.”
— Washington Htnr.
MOTHERHOOD
WOMAN’S JOY
Suggestions to Childless
Women.
Among the virtues o f Lydia E.
rink ham’s Vegetable Compound is the
ability to correct st< rility in the
rum s o f many women. 'I Ids fa rt is
Wi ll culabilidleii M • videnced by Ule
following letter mid hundreds o f others
V-
litiled in 1 1:
i ’oplur Bluff, Mo.
’ ’I want other
women to know what u blessing Lydia
K. Pink ham’ s V ac*»
table Com|Hiund has
been to me.
W«
hnd always wanted
n baby in our h«-m«»
but I won in poor
health ami not ablo
to do my work. My
mother nnd h u i -
band both urged mo
to try Lydia F.Pink-
h a m ’ s Vegetable
Compound.
I did
so. my health Im
proved nnd I am now the mother «if a
fine baby girl and do nil my own hotjso
v. irk.” Mr-, ai . ua B. T immons , -ic
Almond St., Poplar Bluff, Mo.
In many other horn«1«, once childless,
there are now children because o f tho
fact that Lydia E- Pinkham’ s Vegetable
Compound makes women n o r m a l ,
li< nlthy and strong
W rite to the Lydia F. Pinkhnm Medi
cine Co., Lynn, Mass., for advice—it
will be confidential arid helpful.
Dodging It.
“ Austria, retreating before the Itux-
Got the Best of It.
Druggist Found It Easy to Dcc'pher slans on <>nc front and before th«
Italians on tbo other, reminds me o f
Agnes— I hear that you and your
Handwriting That Had Proved
Ited face Leary.”
flaneo had a fight. How did It come
Puzzle to Drummer.
The speaker wiih Lieutenant Mur* out?
Edith (flashing her so litaire)— You
John Carpetbags was one o f the burg, the young Baltimorean who, as ,
a volunteer in the English army, has wlll notice that 1 am still In tho ring.
most successful travelers on the mad.
— Boston Transcript.
distinguished himself.
On one occasion he wns sent out by
"'H o w did Hed-fiiee meet Ills deathV
bis people to try to get an order from
What Can a Poor Girl Do?
n visitor to Tin Can Inquired.
a big firm which gave all Its orders to
“ ’H edidn’t meet It at all, stranger,'
N ell— Oh, dear!
I ’m In such n
:i rival firm.
tlie mayor replied. ’The boys had to quandary.
Such were Ids persuasive powers chase him 17 miles before tlo-y could
Bello— What Is It?
that within half an hour Ire hud se Slip the noose around Ills neck.’ ”
N ell—Jack promised to stop drink
cured u big order in tin.1 handwriting
ing if I marry him. ami Tom threat
o f the senior partner.
Hops and Pork.
ens to begin If I don’t — Boston Trans
Unfortunately, this gentlemun pos
Ilops and plgs go together In Fug cript.
sessed such an atrocious style o f callg- himi, Ilio reusou heitig flint all bop
ruphy that not a word was legible. growers’ hreed plgs for tlielr nmnurlal
No Danger.
However, Carpetbags remembered that va lue, and It is polutod out flint II Is
Fond Father— My son Is taking al
druggists can usually rend anything to thè piibllc Interest te assist l ’.rltlsh i gebra under you this term, Is he not?
in the way of handwriting, because of hop production r.n«l ¡li.ovbj Iticr'-nse I High School Teacher— Ho has been
their wide experience with doctors’ tlie homo supply o f pork.
In l'-iOi exposed to algebra, but I doubt if he
prescriptions. So he handed lu the tb e re were 51,8-1” nere* of hops In Eng- will take It.— Life.
land ami over ■l.<KJO,(KK) pigs, excluslve
letter to the local druggist.
“ I wonder if you can read lhat?’’ o f those kept by rottagers. In l!»lfl
Constipation, indigestion, sick headache
tlicre were «>nly ili,,’150 ncres «>f bop*, and bilious conditions are overcome by a
lie asked.
The druggist took it and returned to nnd 2.1 17.1)IO plgs, n declino In linth counte of (iarllcld Tea. Drink on retiring.
the back of the shop. Ten minutes la cnses o f 10 per cent over thè prcvioti*
Explained.
ter he reappeared with n small bottle yenr.
Tho Man Jobbs saya ho ia a self-
wrapped in paper and sealed.
made man.
Time for Silcnce.
Tho Girl— Do you know, 1 often
“ Ob, yes. sir! It was quite easy!
The motlicr of little Jack reinnrkcd wondered why ho bagged so at the
Here’s y«n*r medicine!
Fifty cents,
timi she must wrlte to gratulimi. Jack knees.— Baltimore American.
please!”
—■
offerì*! to ilo tlils for li « ■»*. No morlicr
sald she would Ile down nnd tnko a
To keen clean and healthy take I)r.
Shipping on the Ohio.
nnp. Noticing how qulet Jack wns, she Pierce’s Pleasant Pellets. They regu
There are yet some persons, unin nsked him If he Imd finlshed bis let late liver, bowels and stomach.
formed, of course, who believe It Is fol tor. Ills reply wns. “ Sii, sii, uiollier,
ly to think o f nuvigutlng the Missis you wlll wake yourself up."
sippi river and its tributaries with
anything larger than u scow o f shallow
Out of the Calculation.
draft. For the benefit o f those per
“ Do you think there lire people up
sons the Cincinnati Enquirer printed In Mars?"
recently nn article about the many
“ What difference docs It make?” ro-
ships that were built along the Ohio Joined Senator Sorghum.
"Even If
The World'* Createti
river and loaded cargoes there for there are they are loo distant to vote
External Rtmrdy .
ports across the sea, nnd sailed down or even drag us Into dlplomntlc con
Rhoumatlsm,
the Ohio nnd Mississippi and thence troversy.”
Lam e Back,
out upon the Gulf o f Mexico nnd the
—Any Local
broad Atlantic.
Grasping Opportunity.
Fain,
They were not smnll craft, either,
“ June, there Is a friend o f mine
/ n t / i f an
but schooners, brigs, barkantlnes nnd who Is very anxious to know If yon
Having
full-rigged ships with square yards, wlll marry him.”
ALLCOCK’S
big and seuworthy enough to voyage
"T ell him o f course I will.
Who la
he?"
to any port In the world.
REALLY
TR O U B LE AT ALL
A llc o c k