The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-09-26

mignonctto? No, Roses ? No,
Dandclions-Iargc, dazzling dandcl-
ionsj nothing moro, nothing bet
Ntcr."
"Thcsc would look rather bright
and pretty on your table wouldn't
they? she said, and deep red sud-
denly lighted up her brown face.
"lndccd, they would" answer
ed. "And have you brought them
for M" /"
"Thcy arc no. half good enough
for you,' she replied; "but if
you would acceptthcm, it will please
nc"
81 took them from her hand, and
at once pronounced II culogy ON
dandclions, assuring my blushing,
modest little friend, Patty, that if
dandcIion seed had only come over
to us from England or France, or
any other part Of Europe, dandcl-
ions would 'bo all the rage, and
would have u choice place among
the choicest flowers Of the garden.
"Patty told me she thought so
too, "lor Mrs. Archibald Archer,
who lived in tho great splendid
house near them, had somc little
homcly, dull-bluc flowers in her gar
den; but she thought everything of
them because the seed was imported
from Europe"
"A'tcr doing full justice to dan
dclions, | took the bouquet, and put
it into IL tumbIer on my desk.
"You pay my dandclions u great
deal OF attention." said Patty, in II
certain quaint way, peculiar to her
self; and, Of course, | assured her
and most truthtuIly, too-that
both she and the dandclions dcscrv-
cd all possible honor. Then, for
getting that | was II tired school
master, | offered her chair, with
all the gaIIantry Of gallant young
gentleman; begged her to be seated,
that we might have II pleasant chat
before the school-bell sounded. She
sat down timidiy, and certain fear
Of meheld her inrestraint at first but,
in answer to many friendly inquiries,
she told me more about herself than
[ had ever known,
"We are very poor" she said,
"and it isn't likely we shall ever be
any other way. l have to work pct
ty hard"
CATER n minute, during which
she seemed to be thinking, she add
cd, with that same qualntneSs of
tone and manner peculiar to her
when she was speaking seriously :
"But I don't know as | ought to
speak SO. 1t don't sound very wo-
manly"
"Womanly!' | exclaimed, "Bless
your heart, little Miss Patty, how old
are you ?''
"Almost twelve. It's time l was
womanly."
Good heavens| | exclaimed to
myself. Womanly at twelve; and
| not manly at thirty%
81 looked admiringly at Patty, for
I always admired virtues, woefully
deficient as l was in the practice Of
them.
"Patty," | said, a new idea sud
denly Selling me, wouldn't you like
it if some rich man would adopt
you? | don't mean II man who was
rich, and nothing more; but kind,
ailectionato man, who would make IL
daughter, IL pet Of you"
"Patty's brown eyes-as brown as
her face ana hands--were i'll IL mo-
mcnt fixed on me, and | telt as if |
were being looked out Of counte-
nance.
"Ohl do you think, sir, that |
would 90 away from homo and leave
them all to get along as well as they
could? Why, | couldn't do such ~
thing. They couldn't keep house
without me"
"Not keep house without you !!
How can that be, Patty, when you
are not quite twelve years oldY
81 don't like to talk so much
about myself" replied Patty, mod
estly twisting the corner OF her pock-
et-bandkerchief, to relieve her mod
est timidity, But, oh! you have no
idea how it is with us. | have lit
tie baby brother, and he's only just
begun to creep. Then there's my
little sister, only three years old, and
another brother seven. There are
two more of lis children, Tommy
and |. Tommy is two years older
than | am, and tho smartest boy |
ever saw, and just as willing as he
can be to do everything, SO that he
could amuse the little ones; but you
see he hasn't the time. Father, you
know, tries to support us by keeping
garden, and Tommy has to help him
to raise the vegetables. SO a great
deal comes upon me.
"And sometimes" added Patty,
with puzzled look, 81 don't know
| what to do. George is on y sixteen
months old, and | must hold him
when he wants me to. But Katy
thinks she's baby, too; and l don't
wonder, for she's only three years
old. Sometimes try to hold them
both, when Katy cries, and begs me
to take her; but my lap is hardly big
enough for them both"
Patty paused a minute, and
seemed to be thinking. Then she
asked me, in all confidence, as if she
supposed I was qualified to answer
her: "What would you do if you