The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-10
PIDGET AND MIDGET.


black lace wells.
"How do you do, Mrs. ?" Aunt
Lizzie hesitated.
"Pm Miss And 'sen," replied Pidget.
"I'm Missis Taylor! Misss Taylor !"
piped Midget's clear little voice.
~ know very well who you are"
laughed Aunt Lizzie. Pdget, in her
choice of names, was capricious and
changeable, but Midget never varied. She
was always "Missis Taylor"
slow are your children ?" asked Aunt
Lizzie, when her callers were seated.
Sick !" replied "Miss And'sen." sol
emily.
"What! all of them?" inquired the
lady, compassionately.
mo, not all, not only but ten"
"What's the matter?"
'They breaked Quit"
"What with ?'
"Chills !" with an ominous shake of
the littlecurly head.
"One of my husbands is awful dead"
chirped "Missis Taylor" from her corner
of the lounge.
Indeed !"
Eyes, he's awful dead! Good-by !"
The large bonnet5 trembled with the en-
ergy of the parting salutation, while the
tiny fingers adjusted the lace wells to the
immense satisfaction of the little wearers,
as they took their departure.
Now it happened, as they turned to go
into the nursery, Pidget's blue eyes sped
the bright sunlight streaming into the hall
below, and she knew at once that the front
door had been left open.
Lets do some really calls" said she to
Midget.
"Where 2" inquired Midget.
"Anywheres,o was the reply, and the
two little figures passed noislessly down
the stairs, and were out upon the pave
ment in an incredible short space of time.
They didn't stop to shut the door, Pidget
having an indistnct idea that it would
be rather more convenient to fird it open
upon their return. Down the street
round the corner, where the pretty 'grug
store" stood, up little farther by the
large toy-shop, whose windows We're so
very enticing, passed the two children.
And so doing, they were lost quite as eff
fectually as if they had suddenly found
themselves in the wilds of Patagonia.
They did not know it, however, but
walked on, pair of funny little ladies in
white pique dresses and wonderful head
rigging. Many were the smiles and many
the remarks which their strange appear
ance elected from the passers-by.
"You've run away | know you,"
cried hilarious school-boy, laughing
heartily.
1--WE didn't run'd away; did we, Pid-
gyT'
Pidget didn't answer, having a faint sus-
picion in her little heart that the boy had
told the truth.
IT'S we run'd away, Pidgy?" q
Don't Know" replied Pidget, shortly.
Why don't we find somewheres ?"
Poor little Midget was shvering with
cold. Pdget looked at the great houses
upon each side of the street into which
they had now turned. They looked stern
and forbidding.
81 guess bad people live here" said
she.
''Do they ?" Midget's eyes grew large.
"Yes. Well find our 'grug store.'n
"Here 'ts," cried Midget, joyfully, but,
alas when they reached the place, they
found it was not their own familiar corner.
Everything was strange, and such for
lorn sense of loneliness came over them,
the Keen wind, Dis it whistled by, almost
tearing the unfortunate bonnets from their
''moorings," seemed so cruel to the unpro-
tected little shoulders, that both the chill
dren cried bitterly.
They found friend, however, in the
kind-hearted clerk, who took Midget in his
arms, brought her into the store, and
placed her on tiny stool behind the count
er, Pidget following with wide.open eyes,
from which surprise had chased away the
tears.
He produced handful of tempting gum
drops from a jar, at the sight of which
Midget's grief assuaged. They had "got
to somewheres" after all. Pidget, how
ever, being older, had more realizing
sense of the dread fact that they were far
away from home and friends. TO her
small mind the chances of ever seeing them
again were dim and uncertain. So, though
the gum-drops brought consolation, her lit
tie face still wore decidedly anxious and
careworn expression.
"Where do you live ?' asked the clerk,
at length. -.
"ln my papa's house," replied Md
get, who was complacently munching her
fourth gum-drop.
ION what street ?"
Pidget had often been told, but she
couldn't think now. w.
whats your fathers name ?"
Mister Taylor ~ cried Midget, in a
sudden spasm of affection, bestowing upon
him the name she loved best. o.. .
"Oh no, Midget! His, names John
Junior Aliens. Mamma said sou
His names Mister Taylor !" reiterated
Midget, positively.
"What does he do ?" inquired the
amused clerk.
"Some things" answered Midget,
screwing up her little mouth most be-
witchingly.
docs he have store like this ?" ,.
"Yes." .. ....
"oh no, Midget; he don't have any
sgrug store.'"
"Yes, he do" persisted Midget. Pidg-
ct was much distressed.
"She's telling lots of stories, but |
guess she don't mean to-" she said, apol-
ogetically. sa
"What does your father keep in his
store 2" asked the clerk, turning to Pidget
as the most reliable authority.
g / don't know" .. ll.. -
doesn't he bring mother something
from his store sometimes?"
"He brings her rubbers some days when
her feet gets all wet"
He bringed my mamma a TURKEY
once" put in Midget.
Customers came in at that moment, and
the interrogations were discontinued.
When they had departed, the clerk took
down o large book from one of the shelves.