The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-08-31
! VOL. mo. 4o.--WHoLE4 NO. 154s }ore sra,rs.

Ithicket. we came in sight of a queer ohject
percbed upon a little mound, among dead
sticks and leaves. 1t wus diminutire child
who. Judging from her face, aid not her size
might be eleven or twelve years of age. "A
little, brown, weird face it was, with keen eyes,
/ Tightening out from mass of stringv black
] hair, that wandered distractedly from the con-
fnement of an old comb. as.-s,
There's Mrs Walkers Betseyi ] do de
clareP whispered Matty Holmes. She often
goes home from school this way, and now she
/ is playing truant She'll get a whipping il
her mother finds it ont ' 81 asr8
Miss Burke interposed another. in an en-
ergetic whisper, .see what she has in her
handr I looked. and there. to be snre, was
my lost parasol
4 There noc,' sdidn'r we say cor don't she
look guiity9 .Impudent baggagef were the
low ejacnlations of my Indignant vigilance
commitlee; but in truth the girls appearances
] was unconcerned and innocent enough. She
sat swaying herself about. opening and shut
ting the wonderful Instrument, holding it be
tween her eyes and the light. to ascertain the
quality of the silk, and sticking pin in the
handle to try # 1t were ivory or mere painted
wood. N
Let's dash upon her, and see her scamperi
was the most benevolent suggestion whisper
ed in my ear. s g ssf
/ No. said, 4 wish to speak with her alone
4 first. AlIsof you stay here out of sight. and
/ will return presently They fell back dis
satisfied. and coutented themselves with peep
ling and listening, while I advanced toward the
fororn child. determined to win erconfdenee
Eso far as 10 persuade her of my friendly in
Iteutions toward her, before referring to the
wrong she had done me. She started Iittlt
as approached, thrust the parasol behind her
4 and then pleasantly made room for me on thu
little hillock where she sat.
!. We'll this is a nice lounge I said droppine
down beside her; Just large enough for two
and softer than any tete.n tete in Mrs. Ora
hams parIor. Now. little girl should like
to know your name?l for l thonght it best t.
fain ignorance of her antecedents.
sBrtsr was the ready reply.
.Betsey what2' i.lsss.tf +
Bets Walker, mother says; but I say Al
mold. That was father's' name faint n
difference though. It's Bets anyway
Well. Betsey. what do yop suppose mad
this little mound we are, sitting upon2' ask
ed merely 10 gain time. s7a
Q -
, i never heard she answered. looking u
: curiously in my face. Maybe a rock got cos
cred up and crowd over, ever so far down.
Maybe an Ipjunis buried up there
I told her had seen larger mounds tina
contained Indian remains, bnt none SO sma
as this. se.es-zss -, s.
1T might been a baby, though she re
8 5tnrned. digging her brown toes among th
leaves, and winking her eyelids rougishly. !
!. papoose, yop know, real little Injunl | wis
: it had been me, and I'd been buried here; L
: like,it first ratei only / wouldn't wanted ih
girls should come and set over me-
) why do you talk sol What makes yo
:, wish yourself buried here?' said l.4r So.
Cause dol It's better to bea dead II
: jun than live nigger.' she answered resolut'
/ " ..a & aas,
= You're not quite so dark skinned as that
. said with a considerable gravity. a2
: She burst into a pleasant and musical laug
= i wasn't thinkin' of my skin and you know i
Mother and old Walker make a nigger of m
and send me to get drink for 'em, when
y rather get 'em pizen. The old man drinks, ar
2 mother she's learning, and expect to take
70 bime by, The school girls treat me wor
y than niger. too. If Ididn't want SO ba
; to get to read the books father left, I'd new
: go TO school another day. I wouldn't. so!'-
% And her brow darkened again with evil EN-
u tions. s
H. Did your own father leave you booksa'
u Yes, real good ones. Only they're old al
er torn some Mother couldn't sell 'em for moi
er in; SO she lets me Keep EN-. She sold ever
y thing else Then suddenly changing her tol
erl she asked silly: a57l5 7fs & ri II
ef You hain' lost anything, have you?
er Yes answered, 4 see you have my ST
or, shade Soa h=s
dy She held it up, laughing with boisterous
IN uinph. You left it hanging in that tree "
let der,' she said, pointing to low branchi
". beech at little distance. 1T was kind
or careless, too. Sposin' it had rained?'
me Astonishment kept me silent. How coul
RS have forgotten what Inow!so clearly recall
hanging the shade upon tree, the pre-
BE, GUS afternoon. while descended a ravine
led flowers? felt bumiliated in the presence
orn the poor little neglected and suspected chill
ay, We'll. Betsey, ] was certainly dreadfr
- careless, and am greatly obliged to you for
aid king care of my lost property. Now l N
d go with my class, who are waiting for me
Dm, er yonder. So only one word more this I'll
the but will see you again soon. Keep on
1t ing to school, and try hard to learn D.
bit no,ice what the girls say. but act rightly.
yht make them ashamed 10 plague you N
yes term. if you study hard, you will get into
no department, and we will see then if ii
e or books can't be mastered very soon. AT ht
EN- be patient and gentle to your parents,
ling never, neuer taste that wretched drink! g
ilty bye .siis, .sais i-se ,siaes sr,
She 8 Good bye Her eyelids we're winking ag
and but not this time with mischief. She tos
The on her ragged bonnet, and before had
IS Joined my ambushed class, was out of 81
con Forlorn and friendless little waife,-how
,ect- heart achod for her! IS n
ltter i found the ambushed faces consider,
they elongated, and m uch more serious than