Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-06-06
BY ROSELLA RICE.

BY RosELLA RICE.
have to keep the window curtains
drawn all the time, for if don't | aOjU
peep out and watch Oakley, and his
dog Prince. Prince is a big, yellow,
rollicking young dog, and he is all the
playmate Oakley has.
Oakley used to wish he had little
brother to play with, he said Prince
couldn't talk, and couldn't understand,
and couldn't sleep with him, nor read
in his little primer, and he'd rather
have a brother than dog.
One morning early, this winter he
woke, and the room was warm and the
lamp burning, and out i'll the kitchen
his grandma was getting breakfast, and
il smelled so good that he raised up in
bed and locked all around. His aunt
Becky, who lives over the river, was
helping his grandma cook, and his
aunt Rozana. who always wears red
flannel round her throat, she was
there He felt down to the foot of the
bed to reach his little nubbins of pan
falcons, and just then he heard a fine,
wee cry of baby in the bedroom.
"Oh, my goody! goody" he said
with big round eyes, and gave the
blanket fling, and his pillow a toss
away to the foot of the bed.
"I'll see what in the world that is, J"
said he, as he tumbled ont of bed on
his shoulders, and looking as much
like little boot-jack as boy-baby,
he darted off in the direction of the
cry.
Grandma he squeaked out, "t'ot
| heard n baby cry !"
at OoS baby, Oakley" said she
smiling.
"Who b'longs to--who's baby is 1t 2"
said he. catching his breath.
"Ours," said his grandma, stopping
over to turn the steak.
Jus nv pas an my mas and mine
and Princes" said he bending over to
look in her face and nearly pulling her
apron of.
YES" said she, with feigned gray
ity.
''Oh dear! Oh, whatll I do7"
said he, in transport of delight, as he
pulled her apron, and jumped up and
down in his Joy.
"Why, the first thing will be to
have your hreeches on, and go and see
your little brother, and make him well
come"
4 don't care for my breeches, !"
shouted Oakley! "snow don't make
me cold. [ don't want to wear them
they're too much trouble; Oh, what'll
| do} what'll [ do2 and he was so
excited he jumped up and down, and
round and round.
just then he heard his mothers voice
from the bedroom, calling, Oakley,
come and see your playmate.
There was flip of a brief little shirt,
and transient glimpse of two pretty
bare legs, and Oakley was gone.
He sat on the side of the bed in a
crumpled-up heap, and his mother held
his hands while he sparkled over the
Wee baby. He was very much excited.
He begged to feel of 1t, and promised
to touch 1t very gently. She was al
most afraid, vt she told hun to spread
out the palm OF his hand, and she laid
the tiny baby-hand in his.
What hand what hand !" said
he, it'll be so nice to lead him by it
mthe summer days, an when he gets
~ l II ~ 4 iltAll i4ttc III III ll1N NIAONI-
barrow. O mother, won't he be glad
to see the new railroad bridge, and the
binds to the 'cademy, and won't he
like Prince and won't he like to ride
on Princes furry back, MAJ My
what nice, stout Land He took up
the little finger and Strengthened tout.
and said, Pail say, See the mus
Gle won't he motherl He-he-he !!
Does everybody know we've got baby,
pose mother Oh-oh what will |
do, you little wee dear, your Can't
yon come out, and look around, and
see how you like things, eh2" and he
lay right over on the new baby, and it
sereeched out like a little mouse.
Make him squeak more, mother, =
more,-I like to hear it-punch him
there, like / do my doll, and hear if
ne Il squeak more-that way-punch
Lin, mother, -le-he,' and he thrust
ms chubby fist into the tender breast
g the baby rather roughly.
Grandma came and took the little
fellow away. ana told him to get his
areeches, and She would put them on
him.
tell You, grandma, l don't want
3 more of these little breaches, he
INSPIRED. IS a drew her head ,lown