The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1869-03-04
MINNESOTA, THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1862

aloud, saw her drag him across the floor
and OUT Of the door, which she closed
after her. Then she heard her drag
him dowo the stairs, and tho little feet
fall bump! bump! from step to step.
Mrs. Void had turned her bed so that
she might amuse herself looking down
nto the yard, SO she saw her drag him
up on the kitchen porch and into tho
childreu's diningroom, and heard her
clear ringing tones as she called him
"beast," "wretch," and the like.
Even in that rage, the peculiar,
Websterian correctness of Miss Iron
toms pronunciation would have attract
ed attention, as she strobe along like a
biped Pythoness, dragging a victim to
her den. Peter made no resistance,
no cry, and after space Of about IF.
teen minutes she once more appeared,
still dragging him by the arm, and u.s.
ing her whole force, she threw or .slune
him out into the yard, 50 that he fell
full twelve feet from where she stood
and lay there apparently lifeless.
From where she lay nargaret could
see it all; see the little form lie limp
and motionless; with only one short,
loose gsrment which covered the arms
and chest. The face of his tormentcr
was white as chalk, her teeth set and
eyes cleaning. She walked into the
kitchen door aud left him lying. Mo.
ments passed, which appeared hours,
and still he lay. 1t was raining slowly,
chill November rain. Margaret shiv.
cred and hoped he might be dead, bu,
at length Aunt Becky came, took him
in her arms and carried him in, up stairs
and back into the room from which he
had been taken, arranged his bed and
put him in.
He was living, and did net appear
much different from what he had been,
only that he spoke oftener aud only. to
call for "Water ~ "Water water! a
drink Of water!" were the only words,
the only want, the little, blue, unlovely
lips should ever utter more.
Aunt Becky staid by him as one de
tailed TO that special duty, and answer.
ed bis pleading cry with every word of
tenderness in her vocabulary, but gave
no water.
Margaret signed to her, ond when
she came close, said as earnestly as
weakness would permit, "Do, Aunt
Becky, do give him a drink of water p
The old creature turned her dull
sunken eyes upon her, eyes over which
age was drawing a milky film, rested one
hard, long, black hand in the other as
she leaned upon the bed, a picture of
distress, and said:
II dassent missus! I dassent to do
it.! He'd lose hi, bed, sho' as you live
eff did, an then she'd chunk him =;
she would sartin an he isn't able to
bar no mo- chunken. She's :hunked
i'm mighty-chunks all on 'em mighty,
an Peter, he amt able to bar no mo-"
She wiped away large tear with the
back Of her hand, and turning up the
skirt Of her dress applied it to her
nose, as with trenor in her voice she
repeated ale amt able to bar no.
mo-"
She returned and devoted herself
once moro to soothing the little suffer.
er with vague and delusive' promises so
often used 70 amuse children and make
them forget, saying: eyes, honey, Use
a gwine fur watah. Peter shall hev
hui cup full, jes by an by. Use gwine
to de pump fur it 'ircctly, an when
Peter gets we'll he shall 60 down to de
run an jes drink his fill, an roll undah
do trees. I spec dar's watah an trees
up yonder," she added soto voice.
can he shall put his little hans down
in de watah an splash" and Aunt
Becky made b'lieve laugh at the
thought Of the coming sport. "Sech a
little mite of hans as dey be too, to be
sho' now an 50 white an so fine,
mos like chicks claw!'
But Peter heard nothing, unless the
singing Of the little brook, now swollen
by rain, penetrated his ear, and un-
needing all her tenderness, said, "wa-
teri! "a drink of water p as often as
he could gather strength for the effort
The sound was so faint, 50 feeble, that
Margaret rather felt than heard it. All
the day previous he had been begging
for water, and had had his one little
cup full carly in the afternoon, and his
cup Of skinned milk for supper, Tut
Margaret had not known Of his having
either that day. So she induced Aunt
Becky to go and ask permission to give
him drink. It was Saturday, and
Miss Ironton was in the house. Becky
went, and returned shaking her head,
saying:
"No, not a drap. She's mighty
mad, I tell you; a tarin' roun' awful,
an all tho cdillun's frightened as
chicks when de hawks comin'v -
The feeble wall for water was kept
up, as Peter struggled and panted and
gasped and clung to his breath. TIE
little piuched, freckled face, tho dim
med. the sunken blue ewes. so full of