The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-08-05
Little Miss Simmons.

| 4uccc vert Tue WOIuS LAldO odlulCu TIC
ear of a distinguished officer who presides
at West Side police station. The officer
turned and beheld a child, a little girl of
about nine years of age, standing on tip
toe so as to rest her chin upon the railing,
the better to get at him. She was very
neatly dressed, but in sort of old woman
ish way that struck one as odd, though
not at all outlandish. Her hat strings
were tied with quiet and Quaker-like pre-
cision uuder her chin, and there was a dig
nified look to her face strangely in COZ
trast with her years.
"Well," said the officer, "what do you
want?'
"Are you the person in charger" said
the child.
"Yes."
"I am Miss Simmons" she replied very
seriously.
The officer smiled slightly, but again
asked what she desired.
"You see," said Miss Simmons, with
great gravity, "these boys are giving me
lots of trouble. have stood it about as
! IORg as | can"
''What boys ?' said the officer.
"The boys in the neighbOrhOod," said
Miss Simmons, giving her place of resi-
dence. "SOme Of them big ones. too, that
ought to know better"
@Why do they trouble your" asked the
officer.
"It's in EN-" said Miss Simmons. 81
guess it's in most all boys"
"What do they do? ?" queried the officer
again.
"They thrown torpedoes against the
windows, and then they come the dutch
doll trick" she replied.
"What is that?'
''It's making ghost out of pillow
and sheet and broom-stick, and then
they stick it inside the doors or up against
the windows, and groan," she returned.
"And does this frighten you?" said he.
"No, sir; [ amt afraid of their tricks,
| but when / amt there they come you
know, and scare Nathan you see."
| "Who is Nathan?" said the officer.
"He is my pappy, sir, who lives with
me, cause ne has no home of his own"
| "Oh! he lives with you, does he?"
said the official, "and he's your father"
| Yes, sir"
"And why don't he go out and drive the
boys away?"
: Bless YOU" said Miss Simmons, smil-
ing at the officer innocence, she wouldn't
drive away any body. He's as weak as a
kitten"
$50 when you're not there, he is afraid,
is he?"
Eyes. and sometimes when | am home,
and the boys come round shooting their
torpedoes and groaning, he bothers me so,
hanging on to me that can't work."
What do you do, Miss Simmons? ,
said the officer, leaning forward and get
ting interested.
"I'm a DIR. ssmaker,' - returned the child,
"and sometimes make work-shirts and
Overalls."
"And do you get plenty to do?"
pretty plenty, though these are rather
hard times, don't you think" said she,
with great air of business.
Yes, they are, truly returned the
officer. "Miss Simmons, I'll call down
to see you, and L promise the boys shall
STOP"
Tbs child thanked him, and turning
round, walked quietly out. 1t was pain
ful. as well as amusing, to see her. There
was no CLEAN Of childish joyousness in
her blue eyes, no skipping along the side
walk with the exuberant step of youth.
If she had ever known child's life, she
gave no evidences of it then, but seemed
one on whom years of sad experience had
been laid, while yet she was almost in her
cradle, And the officer visited her house
and found it as she had said. The father
had lost the use of his limbs, in great
measure, and from one cause or another
was imbecile and helpless. He watched
her as a babe watches its mother, ready to
smile when she petted him, but as ready
to whine piteously when she denied him
attention. 1t was in the morning when
the officer visited the house, but he found
the two little rooms as neat as wax, and
as if fresh from the hands of an expert
enced housekeeper. When Miss Simmons
got ready to leave for her work, she turn
ed to the little old man as if he were a
baby, and. putting marbles and blocks
and wooden soldiers on the floor beside
him, told him to be good. "rll be back
soon, Nathan" she said, cheerily, as she
rumpled up his hair and patted his head.
4" I'm going to get nickles and dimes and
quarters for you. Then we'll have fun
And she went out while he sat gazing
after her with a halEcOnscious smile on
his withered face, but look of perfect
trust and confidence in her. 1t was a
strange sight, that infancy leading age
the birding guarding the nest, and YET
only strange because preternaturaly ex
hibited. For the days come quickly when
childhood glides into stately age and age
into dependent childishness, and the space
is so brief between them that we hardly
note the change.
The bows do not trouble Miss Simmon!
now, for the kind officer has warned then
not to annoy her, and, besides, her life
has become known through the officer
story, and, instead of throwing torpedOes
the bigger boys stand aside respectfully
to let her pass, and say to each other il
the midst of boisterous revelry. and will
) instant effect: 'Hush, boys! Here come
| Miss Simmons "-Chicd0o Irter-OcEGn.