Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-11-16

|
1t was about six weeks after that
that we got letter from him. John
reao it over to me. Uncle William
wanted US to give him one of the chill,
| aren. = s.z-l.sr.+-r 4..r- -...- .... .,...s
| {" What doyou think about it" saws
John. g
II don't KNOW" says 7. You see,
it come so sudden that I hadn't had
time to think it over. Maybe it would
| be the best thing we could do. Uncle
William would do as well by 'em as
we could and they'd have a good
home. And Uncle William wrote he d
give all his property to the one we let
him have, when he was through with
| it, and send him or her to school, and
take as good care of it as if it was his
| own.
"YOu don't know how lonesome it
Is since got home," he wrote. 81
keep thinking Of the children, and /
want one to keep. You've got more
than you can take care. of. You
wouldn't miss one
Like enough we'd better let him
have one,' says John, after thinking
it over spell. fWe,. ..H# 1T
Which one?' says l, and some
thing seemed to choke me when I said
it. * ar, .t.a
| don't know" says John; A" which
do you think we can spare best ?'' t,a.
Il couldn't spare Mary" says I !;
''she does most all the house work. [
couldn't get along without her at all.
An Johnnie an Joe, we need them
the worst way, too; they're good boys,
and help keep things together. We
couldn't spare them, john
"No that's So" says he, "we can't
spare the three oldest. Wen have to
let one Of the little ones 60"
81 don't know which one." SAYS I.
feeling great lump in my throat;
which one would you think, John ?'
81 don't know" says he, slowly:
let's go and look at 'em.''
So we took the candle and went I'D
stairs, where the children were all
asleep.
Dear me, ma'am! I felt somehow
as II they were dead, and we were
taking a last lock at the dear things.
My hand trembled so I could hardly
hold the candle.
"Of course we can't think of letting
Mary or johnnie OF Joe co. says
John, and his voice sounded yarv
queer. cit must be one of the Others"
So we went to the bed where the
three youngest slept, and I sat down
on the bed and looked at 'em. Minnie
had little Georges head on her arm,
and his yellow curls were all tumbled
over his face, and he was pretty as
any picture of an angel: and Dottie
Dlmple, as we always called her-she
was such wee midget Of a thing
was cuddled down beside 'em, with
her dolly in her arms, fast asleep.
81 couldn't think of letting Minnie
co. says John, s'she looks so much
like mother; and she's always took to
me, so she wouldn't be contented away
from me-" And then he reached over
and kissed her, and | saw a tear
shining on her face in the candle-lght.
can little Georges always been
mothers boy" says /, choking I'D
again at the thought of letting him go.
HE sets by me morn the rest; some
way l wouldn't part with him. Amt
he pretty, John p an [ held the can
die so it could shine on his yellow hair.
YES, he is a bright, dear little
boy, says John, proud as he could be
of the little fellow, if he was mothers
boy. But you wouldn't think of let
ting him have Dottie Dimple, would
you?' an, L declare, his voice shook
so he could hardly speak plain.
Oh, no, nor says |, breaking
right down, an reached. down an
Rugged little Dimple up tight to me.
There shan't anybody have little
Dimple while I'm aliye!'
81 don't see how we can spare any
of EN-" says John; 81 don't believe
we cam
1--WE can't" says /; "Pm willing
to work twice as hard. John, but
amt willing to let the children 60.
God gave 'em to US to keep, and it
wouldn't be right" s~ea rss@A&
And then, ma am, we kissed 'em.
every one, and we wrote back to
Uncle William that we couldn't let
let one go. And he sent down lot
Of things the next week-enough to
last us half the winter, till John got
we'll, anyway-and he wrote he didn't
blame us bit. Il wouldn't have let
one go if I'd been in your place. says
he. ,..,.-
You see, ma'am, it's hard to tell
which one you. can spare best, and
when you come to choose, you find
Ill