Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-07-01


Pi-dy, wildly, tidy, ri-dy;
Nice in-si-dy, apple-pie
1t was Saturday There was no school,
and her brothers were playing in the barn,
and oh how providential this was, for
presently they heard scream Jumping
up, and all crying out together: g Why,
that's sister - they rushed out of the
barn.
Nothing was to be seen but the garden,
the green fields, the blue sky, and the little
birds, and the boys ran hither and thither
almost distracted. Then strange gurg-
ling, smothered sound reached them 1t
seemed to come from Sister Sniffen's
grounds. In an instant they had jumped
over the fence and were hunting in every
direction.
In one corner Of the garden was a well,
the curbstone of which was even with the
ground, and the water in it only few
inches below. Not board nor protec-
ton of any kind was placed over the
mouth of it, for Sister Snifen had no
children to fall into it and she knew that
Jemima Ann hated water worse than she
did dogs. The edge of the curb was
overgrown with grass; and poor little
sister, singing and dancing through the
garden, looking up at the birds, who
seemed to be playing tag in the air, had
suddenly plunged into the cold, cruel
water.
Charley knew of this well, and he al
most flew there. He was only just in
time. One tiny hand was dinly seen far
down below the surface of the water,
slowly sinking for the last time. He threw
himself fiat on the ground, he plunged his
arm down in the water, and he just caught
the little hand. With desperate effort he
drew her up till her golden head rose to
the surface, but he was not strong enough
to lift her out alone and wild cry of "Oh,
come come! she is drowning!' brought
the other boys flying from the corners and
bushes where they had been hunting and
calling for sister.
With fearful ruggle-almostf falling
in themselves-they drew her out of the
well and laid her down on the grass, but
only for moment, for with wild anguish
in their hearts they said, ooh, bring her
to mother!" and lifting the insensible lit
tie form hey hurried through Sister sniff
fen's gate into their own house.
A little, gaSplng moan, a sO0bing sort Of
sigh, as they laid her down on the sofa
and called aloud for their mother, made
them burst out crying with mingled sor-
row and joy, for she was not dead-oh, no,
no, she was not dead!
Dear little wee lamb! In a few mo.
ments she opened her eyes and smiled on
her mother and brothers, who could hard
ly be persuaded to leave the room while
warm, dry clothes were put upon her; and
when they were again admitted every one
of them must rub her hands and little
white teet-one apiece, as they said-and
kiss her again and again; and when she
was quite recovered they knelt down with
their mother, and thanked God that He
had sent them to save little sister from
death by drowning in that dark, and now
to them that awful, we'll What a silent,
empty house it would have been, even
with those four noisy boys, if her dear,
tiny, patterng footsteps had been heard
no more! How they loved her now
Though it had seemed, as Charley said,
that they had loved her with all their
might and main before, but now they had
i" l0ved her aa0ay from death.''
Little sister writes letters to my friend
Rose, who told me this story-that is, her
mother does the writing, while sister
& talks it, as she says. The last letter /
received was just after her accident. Here
it is:
DEAR RosIE-I did most drowned; not
quite, though. I'm pity well this day. have
only two dogs. Ones RUINED off. Dick sent
me rabbit, but I 'faid it is going to die-oh
dear. cause it eats the edges of the carpet.
Charley says if it eats enough it will have fig
ures like the carpet. He's named Christofe
Clumbus. Pm tryin' to be a good girl, but
get tired sometimes.
Good-by. Doyou love wabbissy RASPBERRY
jam? lido. From SISTER
Hampers B1ear.