Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-07-22
THE SONG THE TEA-KETTLE SANG.

THE tea-kettle was humming something
that sounded like this, and started n ora,
who was halfasleep by the fire:
Puff, puff, puff, steam, steam, steam!
Wake, little maiden, cut of your dream,
There's beggar at the door;
Steam, steam, steam, puff, puff, puff!
On the table there's supper enough
For one little maiden more.
Dear mer' said she to herself, Il did
not hear anyone at the door What a fun
ny tay-kettle! / believe, after all, it's tell
ing story
But no; for, sure enough, when she
opened the door there sat a forlorn little
being on the step, with white hair that
looked like thistle-down, and so long and
tangled that it hid her face entirely. All
that Nora could see of her was her head
and bit of old cloak, and, as she re-
marked afterward; "The white reminded
her, for all the world, of tall thistle
stalk in the autumn, that had caught and
was clinging to bit Nv rags"
Come in and warm yourself, won't
you?" said she, half afraid of the weird
little object
The child arose without word and fol-
lowed her into the room. Nora placed
her seat by the fire, and she spread out
her tiny purple hands to catch the heat
with an air of great satisfaction.
4 wonder if the taykettle conjured her
up, sure" thought Nora. "She might be
steam sprite, if there be any such, but
indade l niver heard of the like"
She was the possessor of a learned vol
ume which went very deeply into fairy
lore; but it did not mention anything of
thu kind.
Where do you live, sure? Did We get
lost, poor little thing?" she questioned
the child
:" live down by the wharf and I didn't
get lost, only dog stole my basket with
all had for the day in it, and [ don't
dare to 60 home. Aunty whips me when
| don't carry anything home, and she'd
kill me for losing the basket said the
mite, in precise, piping little tongue.
What's yer name, thin?'' said Nora,
her rosy Irish face ali ashine with SYM
pathy
Mamma used to call me Tina" said
she, but aunt calls me Mary
And where is the mother, that We live
with the aunt?"
"She said she was going to heaven,
but they took her away in a box. | sup
pose they carried her there, though they
didn't go up when l saw them She was
sick, oh, such a long time! and | wanted
her to go because she said she shouldn't
be sick any more, but be happy with pa
pa said the little thing, solemnly.
And the aunt is q cruel thafe of d
woman and sends We out a-begging, with
your poor bits OF toes to the ground, in
weather like this! Bad cess to an aunt
like that I'd lave her to herself, entirely
You shall stay with me tonight, anyway.
We're poor enough ourselves, me mother
and |. Me mother lives out in hotel.
She use to be cook and made lots o money,
but then she got sick, being over the fire
so much, and now she only helps the
cook and does little odd jobs, and little
wages she gets. l worruk, too. I'm cash
girl at Haberly's, and, with what we both
earrun, re get along. Me mother sleeps
with me nights, and tonight, coz It's Sat,
urday night, she's coming to supper It's
her I'm kaping the table for
VIII she like to have me here 90 said
the child, looking anxiously toward the
door.
" Sure she will. Me mother has the
kind heart. Don't you fear, me dear
How could anybody shut their doors OF
the like o. you? You'll look like bi
of fairy"