American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-09-05

lifted his nose an inch or two, straight
encd the knee he had cooked up, gave Il
dolcful whecZe, and started on, the
chaisc-top shaking back and forth and
going " crecchy, crec-chy, crec-chy" with
every step of the jog trot. They were
past the back gate before Polly started
up and screamed:
" Oh, Bctsey. Joey -"
ooh. stop, Miss Bash'by. Wother!
Nofher!'
Her mother heard her above the click
of the reel. and came to the back door,
shading her eyes with her hand.
Jocy's in the garrett" shouted Polly.
=" In the smokehouse, shut up"
screamed Betsey, in the same breath.
Their mother nodded her head, hear
ing something about Joey and the garnet
and guessing at the rest
The chaise drove on. The mother went
back to her reel, expecting every moment
to hear joey come tramping down the
stairs in his sturdy fashion; but presently
n neighbor came in, and she forgot all
about him.
In the meantime the youngster was
very comfortable. The girls were gone
boy TO spoil the fun by coming out of his
hiding; so he just tucked his thumb in
his mouth and went to sleep.
There was no end to delights at Miss
Bash'by's. A cuckoo clock, for one thing,
and the twelve apostles done in wax, and
great china bowl full of the loveliest
little shells-gold and silver and pink
exactly like delicate 1ower-petals. And
there was cross old parrot, that went
siding about and tried to snap at the
children's toes. Polly was in mortal
terror of her and was never happy if she
was out of her cage; but this did not
often happen.
While they were watching the twelve
apostles and trying to make up their
minds which of the vicious looking indi-
viduals was Judas, they were startled by
vivid flash of lightning.
''Goin' to be "A heavy shower" said
Miss Bash'by, coming in to close the
windows.
"S'posin' we should have to stay all
night" whispered Polly, when the rain
came down in great sheets, and Miss
Bash'by made them sit on "a feather cush-
ion and curl up their feet.
Betsey only shook her head and looked
at Miss Bash'by. She was curled up on
another cushion; and somehow Betsey,
who was a famous laugher, thought they
looked like three toads, squatting there
with such big, solemn eyes, and at that
she giggled aloud.
Don't laugh, child, when the Lord is
shaking the heavens" said Miss Bashby,
severely. And at these awful words poor
little Polly almost cried.
The long and short of it was that they
had to stay all night. The thunder
stopped-only now and then low growl
away in the south; but the rain never
stopped moment until after dark. Polly
wanted to go home then; but Miss BASH
by wouldn't hear word to it. She made
them some lovely flannel cakes for sup
per, and gave them clear, yellow honey
in the comb and real tea in tiny china
cups. She sent them to bed early in the
spare room, with two funny, ruffled night
caps on; and the children were as wide
awake as owls with the novelty of their
surroundings.
''Betsey," said Polly, by and by, edo
you s'pose mamma heard about Joey?"
course she nodded her head"
"But maybe she don't understand
bout the smoke house, you know"
AZ guess she did," said Betsey,
family.
And if she didn't, and just looked in
the garnet an didn't see him, and no.
body come to let him out, and he should
be shut up there"
"Polly Lathrup, I'm going home this
minute" said energetic little Betsey,
sliding down from the high feather-bed.
"She won't let you" walled Polly,
terrified at the dreadful picture she had
conjured up.
Il shan't ask her. l can get right out
this window, and mother'u send word in
the morning"
Two little girls slipped on their clothes
in the dark, crawled out at the window,
just as the moon made it's way
through the clouds and showed
the puddles of water and the
little rivers racing along the bitches
by the roadside. Two little barefooted
girls trotted hand in hand down the hill,
leaving footprints in the soft mud all the
way, and finding the two miles not SO
very long or dreadful. Two little girls,
frightened and out of breath, ratified
at the back door just as their
mother was going to bed.
Mercy sakes, how came Miss Bash'by
to let you come homer"
'.She didn't let us. We came cut the
window; and oh! mother, where is
Joey?"
I'm bed, hours ago." said their mother,
wondering; and at that Polly began to
cry and Betsey to laugh.
As for Joey, he had Weakened from his
nap at the first peal of thunder, pushed
open the door, which was only slightly
fastened, and presented himself in the
kitchen, saying:
'Want my betfus."
And that is the end of the story.-N.
J. independent.