The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1875-09-03
LITTLE MISS SIMMONS.

/ ear Of a distinguished officer who pre-
| sides at West Side police station. The
| officer turned and beheld a child, little
| girl of about nine years of age standing
| on tiptoe so as to rest her chin upon the
railing, the better to get at him. She
was very neatly dressed, but in a sort Of
| old~womanish way that struck one as odd
| though not at all outlaRdish. Her hal
strings were tied with quiet and quaker
like precision under her chin, and there
was diguifed look to her face strangely
in contrast with her years.
Well, said the officer, "what do you
want p
Are you the person in charge 2'' said
the child
Yes"
81 am Miss Simmons" she replied
very seriously.
The officer smiled slightly, but again
asked what she desired.
You see, said Miss. Simmons, with
g. eat gravity, these boys are giving me
lots of trouble. I have stood it about as
long as l can"
"What boys2" said the officer.
1.-THE BOYS in the neighborhood,' said
Miss Simmons, giving her place of resi-
dence Some of them big Cnes too,
that ought to know better.
Why do they trouble your asked
the officer.
"Ifs in 'em," said Miss Simmons. T
guess it's in most all boys"
"What do they do 2..' queried the offs
Ger again.
"They throw torpedoes against the
windows, and then they come the Dutch
doll trick" she replied.
"What is that p
"1t's making a ghost out of pillow
and sheet and brOomstick, and then
they stick it inside the door or up against
the windows ard groan," she returned.
" And does this fTighten you p said
he.
No sir, I amt afraid of their tricks;
but when L 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 be has no home of his own
"Oh he lives with you, does he p
said the official; " and he's your father2"
Yes, sir."
And why don't he go out and drive
the boys away p
"Bless you" said Miss Simmons, smi>
ling at the officers innocence, che
wouldn't drive away anybody. He's as
weak as a kitten.
So when you're not there he Is
afraid, is he p
Yes, and sometimes when I am home
and the boys come round shooting their
torpedoes and groaning, he bothers me
so, hanging on to me, that | cant work"
T" What do you do, Miss Simmons u
said the officer, leaning forward and get
ting interested
'F am a dress maker" returned the
child, and sometimes make work-shirts
and oveIalls."
"And do you get plenty to do2'
Pretty plenty, though these are rather
hard times, don't you think p said she,
with great air Of business.
" Yes, they are, truly" returned the
officer. " Miss Simmons I'll call down
to see you, nd promise the boys shall
stop"
The child thanked him, and turning
round walked quietly out. 1t was pain>
ful, as we'll as amusing to see her. There
was no CLEAN of childishness in her blue
eyes, ne skipping along the sidewalk
with the exuberant step of youth. Ifshe |
had ever known a child's life she gave no |
evidences of it then, but seemed one on |
whom years Of sad experience had been |
aid while yet she was almost IN her era
de- And the officer visited her house |
md found it as she had said. The father |
bad lost the use of his limbs in a great |
measure, and from one cause or another |
vas imbecile and helpless. He watched |
her as a babe watches its mother, ready /
% smile when she petted him, but as
ready to whine piteously when she de-
lied him attention. 1t was In the morn
ng when the officer visited the house, but
le found the two little rooms as neat as
wax, and as if fresh from the hands of
IN experienced housekeeper. When
Miss Simmons got read dy to leave for her
work she turned to the little old man as
f he were baby, and, putting marbles
md blocks and wooden soldiers on the /
loor beside him, told him to be good.
'Fll be back soon, Nathan she said
,heerily, as she rumpled up his head and
,atted his head. "Tm going 80 get
lickles and dimes and quarters for you.
Then we'll have fun" And she went out
While he sat gazing after her with half
conscious smile in his withered face, but /
/ look OF perfect trust and confidence in
Ter. 1t was a strange sight, that infancy /
eading age, the birding guarding the /
lest, and yet only strange because pre-
exhibited. For the days /
come quickly when childhood glides into
stately age and age into dependent child
shness, and the space is so brief between
hem that we hardly note the change.
The boys do not trouble Miss Simmons |
now, for the kind officer has warned /
hem not to annoy her, and, besides, her
life has become known through the Off 1
GERS story, and instead of throwing tor- |
oedoes, the bigger boys stand aside re-
to let her pass, and they say to |
each other in the midst of boisterous |
revelry, and with instant effect: Hush, |
.- = H. ,o,,,os Nice C;u,naoDs .