The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1865-10-05
BRAINS.
[From Harper's Weekly.1

~
1 turned with start. 6 was quite alone,
as l thought, and the fine treble of that odd
little voice struck strangely upon my car
L had been saying that | was tired of life, or
some such repining speech, which / never
allowed myself except in solitude, and this
object at my knee answered me, 'Yes'm!'
/ looked at her in amazement. She was a
little morsel scarcely as tall as a well grown
child of seven, but with grave, mature,
preternaturally wise face, which might have
belonged to any age from fifteen to twenty
five. Was she goblin or mortal?
who are your asked.
My name is Susan Mory, ma'am, but
they mostly call me Brains They say I've
an old head to be on such young shoulders
And she laughed, small, fine, queer laugh,
as uncanny in sound as her voice. was
hardly yet convinced that she was human.
How old are your r.
Twelve, ma am, last, birthday 3
And what do you want, Brains ? How
came you here?, G#EraEs2
1 want to do your errands ma'am.
heard you needed some one; and your door
wasn't quite shut, so | came in. Excuse
the freedom And here she bobbed me a
droll little courtesy, quite in keeping with
her voice, and her laugh, and the quaint
correctness and propriety of her conversation
1t was true | wanted an errand girl: but
what could this odd morsel of humanity do:
What wages did you expect?' | asked,
more from curiosity to see what estimation
she put upon her services than with any Sc
Brious intention of employing her.
& heard you had been paying three dol
lars week, and the girl boarded herself. 4
think could earn as much. 53E
But she was large girl I said, in sur
prise. She swept and busted my room
carried home all my work, and shopped fol
Innings and trirnmings.' L4L4-
'Yes'm' She spoke with an acquiescent
air, as if she thought the work had men
toned was not at all too much for her. Sht
seemed so ready and CHEEKY that couldn'
bear to refuse her. 81
Can you sweep | asked.
IF you'll try ME ma'am, l think my worl
will please you. If not, you know it's only
to send me away again.
There was no room to dispute her asser
ton. l began to like the quaint, neat LITTLE
creature, with her earnest, unchildish face
Iwould question her a little more, thought
Have you homer | asked. AtDo yol
live with parents?
with my mother There are three of u
mother, and l. and Body-I mean m.
sister Jane; she grew 80 fast, and was 81
careless and thoughtless that father Away
used to call her Body, and me Brains. Whei
the war broke out he went as private sol
der. but he was shot the second summer
We have eight dollars month you know
mothers pensior-but that won't quit
g. III orsS, oil OF
and 80 thought if could do your errande
maam. IT,
So she, too, had lost by the war-she il
one way and in another. The though
made my heart warm to her yet more, s.
You may come tomorrow morning.
said. Come at half past six, and ask tn,
porter for the key of No. 10. You will fin
broom in that closet behind the door, AM
you can get the room swept and busted be
go fore the girls come to work
3. FYes'm.' =s
Another droll little courtesy, and she wa
gone.
Then went back to my thoughts agar
They were a little less melancholy and sell
compassionate, however, for the diversion
Yet had lost so much. Before the war b.
pan. nv father had been one of the wealth
merchants OF New 4 Olh. A4O q AeSi 8
wholesale business, mostly with the Soutl
and when the crisis came it ruined him u
terly. In the summer of 1861 we went
little place in the country which belonge
to my mother, and there he died. | thin
il was his trouble which brought on tn
Iong,sIow fever from which he never rallies
Then. in that fall after his death, had
decide upon my future We had scarcel
hundred dollars in the world beside Il
little place that sheltered us, but which i
sured US only roof over our heads. N
mother was delicate woman, accustom'
ever since her marriage to be petted al
waited on and tended. She was utter
broken down by her grief at the loss of Ii
father. must think for both aud wo
for both.
I. too, had been accustomed to luxur
and never trained to any thing useful
had received fine-lady sort OF educatlo
could play and sing-with science.
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