Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1869-03-05

Louisa Mccoy.
Louisa sat i'm her little room amid
books and papers. She was nearly
sixteen, tall, with well rounded
face. She was studying very hard,
and a sigh escaped her as she heard
voice from below.
Louisa Louisat Do you leave
your books awhile, and come take the
baby. I'm so tired I'm ready to
drop" ....
Coming, mother, directly" an
swered the fresh young voice to the
feebler one that had called; and, as
the quick steps came down stairs, q
rested look came over the mothers
face. Mrs. Mccoy was not over for
ty, but she looked much older. She
was bent by toll and sickness; her
hair was thin and streaked with gray,
and her, expression was jaded and
worn. Her lot In life might be told
In four lines:
She married man unleaned and poor,
And many children played at her door;
And care, and sorrow, and childbirth pain
Len traces on her heart and braini
There, however, her similarity to
Maud Muller ended. She had meyer
been beautiful or romantic; and be-
ing In no wise superior to her hus-
band, she had lived with him con-
tentedly, with never a thought of
some better "might have BEEN" Mr..
Mccoy was hard working mechanic,
steady and sober; brought his weeks
earnings and poured them into her
lap, feeling that he might safely trust
them to her management. He was
an indulgent father. and very proud
of the successive babies who made
their appearance In his home. If his
Mary Jane was faded and premature
ly old, he did not know 1t. She was
his wife, and that was enough. 1t
hardly occurred to him his eldest
daughter was handsome but he was
won't to boast, over his pipe; to q
confiding friend, that Loo was very
smart at learning, and fine help to
her mother" -
Commonplace people were Mr.. and
Mrs. Mccoy, and commonplace were
their children-all but Louisa. At
her birth surely good fairies had been
present, for to mind of no ordinary
strength were united in her case two
adjutonts that are not always found
In the same connection--a graceful
person nnd sunny temper.
''Go and lie down q little while,
mothor,n said Louisa, as she took the
heavy year-old boy in her arms.
"You do look worn out; I'll get sup
per ready after Fred goes to sleep"
"Wby, Em. can do that" remark
ed Mrs. Mccoy. "But where has she
gomez I declare, Louisa, En-. and
Kate are the plaques of my life.
Two great girls, and not worth their
salt.u
"Oh, yes, mother; they are good
girls" said Louisa; I'll call them !;
they're not far off, for / hear Ems
voice, singing" l..
The weary house mother was per-
suaded to rest, and Louisa rocked the
baby and sung to him, till his stub
born little wide-awake eyes grew
heavy and shut up by degrees. OF
course he awoke with start the first
time she tried to put him down In
the crib; and, of course, Johnnie
and Eddie came in with clatter,
and disturbed him the second time /;
but the third time she was successful,
and she tucked him up and turned
away with feeling of triumph
which was not unlike that Of Gen
eral who, after fighting at immense
disadvantage, and against great odds,
at last achieves success.
"Louisa." said Eddie, Johnnie
was punished to-day, in school,"
"What, again, Johnriie ?" said the
sister, looking at the boy. who color
ed under her steady gaze.
"Only on my hand" said Johnnie
"Three slaps; who cares for that %
"You cried as II you cared" sait
Eddie. "That old ruler stings some
/ tell you and Miss Cook hits prett,
hard.n =
Hush, Eddie, What did you do
Johnnie ?"
81 stuck out my tongue, and called
her hateful thing" said Johnnie
"And 80 she Ia, stealing fellow
marbles!"
"Did you have your marbles out Ii
school ?n
| II just took them out to look ut
and one rolled on the floor, and sh
saw 1t. Then she took them away
and | got mad"
| "Oh! Johnnie. I'm sorry!" sal,
Louisa. "You were disrespectful I.
your teacher. and you broke tb
rules Of school. You forgot the Fiftl
Commandment, too"
"How do you mean?n
why, Miss Cook 10 in mother
place while you are at .scheol an,
you ought to obey her, just the sam
!, as you would mother. Try to behay
better tomorrow, dear"
i ~ will, because you want mo to,
said Johnnie.
"Well, sit right down now, an,
learn your lessons, and I'll hear them
Here, come. En-. and Kate
] I'm. was twelve years old and Kat