The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-03-11
be caught again, but sometimes he would
get away, and roguishly hide under q

be caught again, but sometimes he would
get away, and roguishly hide under q
sofa or chair.
What possessed him to commit the act
that caused all our sad trouble l cannot
tell; for, though he was apt to bound
about in the widest way, he was soft
hearted fellow, and had never been
known to injure anyone.
But in the excitement of the game, per-
haps, Rubber Ball went farther than he
really meant to. At any rate, he bound
ed through an open window, straight
across the verandah, right into the wet
grass.
"Oh, my poor ball! It's gettin' all
wetted!" sobbed Elsie, and my sister and
| were compelled to go with her, as she,
too, went through the open window,
down the wet steps, into the grass,
where we were completely soaked
through and through in an instant
Elsie was espied from another window
the nurse ran out and carried her into
the house, through the basement door.
My poor sister and presented for
lorn appearance when we were torn from
Elsie's feet and thrown in q heap on the
cold, hard floor.
At first we could only cling to each
other in dismay at our sad plight.
But presently we tried to look at the
case more hopefully, and we trusted that
the house maid would kindly wipe us dry,
and we would forget our woes hung away
in our dear, blue bag.
Sorrowful to relate, however, we were
left to get dry ourselves as best We could.
And then-yes, indeed, it was then
were our worst fears verified!
shrunken, distorted, wrinkled, dis
colored-our beauty had vanished like a
dream!
We had scarcely begun to realize our
wretched condition when we were sud-
denly seized on by the house-maid with
"Arrah, me spolt beauties! but yees'll
do jist tor puir Irish body that's beg
gin the loikes at the dure!"
Sure enough! At the door stood mis-
erable-looking woman who clutched us
eagerly and thrust us under her shawl.
"May the blessing Of Hiven hayward
yees" she said, and grasping us as if she
had found a great treasure, she made her
way along the streets.
After tramping for a long distance she
began to climb what seemed to be an in
terminable flight of stairs.
The stairs proved to have an end at
last, and she entered a bare, desolatc-
looking room, crying out:
"Come, Biddy, me darlint! and say
the illlgant yollah shoes I've bringed ye!
Come"
A barefooted child that had been
crouching by the window came forward,
and the woman took her on her knee to
put us on her feet.
We shrank from this, my poor sister
and /, who had always lived in the midst
of luxury and refinement; and when my
poor sister was subjected TO the ordeal
of going over Biddy's bare toes she re-
sisted with all her strength.
The mother tugged with might and
main till, with cry OF distress, my sister
..s s ...,Jr, saying hath, viQtsn4tlapYp n4tlapYpea ea
in the sames, it is. an bad luck to thin
as didn't give dacint pair to fit yees"
"Sec, here" said surly-looking man,
entering the room, GIVE orders to turn
you and your traps out if you haven't
the rent ready this time.'
The poor Irish woman began to groan
and to cry, and on her knees begged to
stay one day, one night, longer.
But prayers and tears were OF no avail
The cross man was inexorable and thrust
us all together down the broken stairs.
My sister was accidentally kicked into
the street, where cart-wheel passed
over her her soul parted from her body,
and so her existence terminated.
AS for myself, l fell in the gutter,
where l lie in the dirt, exposed to the
scorching sun, the wind and pelting rain,
torn and utterly down-trodden.
Alas! that my last days were but my
first days. And thus ends my fearful and
heart-touching story.-Prairie Farmer.