The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-11-09
BRAVE LITTLE DOLLY.

"Dolly! Dolly! Polly Dolly Ade-
linew
"Here I am, when you get through
your noise,' remarked Dolly, calmly
creeping out from corner Of the hay
NOV, her hair fun of chaf and her
apron of eggs. DO you want any
thing particular, or are you just hoL-
lering?"
81 want something particular, Miss
Goodness" said her big brother Joe,
who stood on the ladder leading to the
NOW. his head ON a level with DOWy'S
feet. Il want to know if anything
will stir you up?'
Yes ans wered Dolly, slowly. Il
suppose could get very vexed, Joe, if
you leased me hard enough; only you
never do, you know"
"It's not my fault if | don't. you
good little duck said Joe. remorse-
fully. 81 will help you down with
your eggs, for mother wants You TO
take care of Poppet while she goes to
Trenton
well, said Dolly, sercnely.
She wasquite used to taking care Of
Poppet, and if you think that was Il
small thing to do, 1 wish you could
have tried it once.
He was dear baby brother. but he
would do more mischief in one half
hour than most babies think of in a
month.
Dolly loved him dearly; SO when she
had watched her mother and Joe drive
away, size Rugged Poppet, and called
him the best boy in the world.
Then she began to wash up the break
fast dishes, and Poppet proceeded to
fill his pinafOre from the coal-hod and
drop the contents into the flour barrel,
which his mother had left uncovered in
her haste.
80 naughty, naughtyw said Dolly,
when she spied the mischief, and went
Il wash the little l!laGk hands ban Poppet
to be kissed, and scrambled away to
catch the kitten and stuff her head-tirSt
into the jar of yeast which was set to
rise by the stove.
Pussy punished that deed by scratch
es that made PopPet roar loud and
long, and refused to be comforted un-
! til patient Dolly rocked him to sleep,
singing all the tunes she had ever
learned in her ten years of exist
ence.
She gave a sigh Of relief when she
| laid him in his trundle-bed, and care
fully covered him with blanket.
| Il wish he would sleep an hour, y
she said to herself; "only he never
does, so l suppose / should be fright
ened if he did now
Poppet gave his sister no such cause
of alarm, you may be sure. In about
half an hour he was out in the kitchen,
all pink and warm from his nap, ask,
ing for bread and butter.
Dolly gave him a large slice, and
left him to eat it on his little stool
while she went down cellar to get pc,
tatoes for dinner. When she came
back, no Poppet was seen. either IN the
bedroom, kitchen or pantry.
Dolly called and looked, but only
when she ran out into the yard did sht
espy the runaway.
There he was, standing on nearly the
top round of the tall ladder which
leaned against the shed. How hi
baby feet had carried him there, Doll!
could not imagine; indeed, she coul'
not think of anything but Poppet
danger, and if Joe had seen her whit
face and trembling limbs he could no
have called her "Miss Goodness
then.
One step more, and the little rogu
stood on the sloping roof, Laughing
with delight at his high position.
Dolly dared not call out; if he wa
| startled he would surely fall. Butsh
ran like deer across the yard, up tn
stairs to the shed chamber, up the lad
, der to the trap-door in the roof, Whic
| she softly pushed open.
Very gently she put her head throug
t the opening, and said, forcing hersel
a to smile:
4 Nice Poppet! Good boy to elm
f way up. Now come to sister, and &c
n sugar"
e That was what Poppet liked, and
Y he toddled up the sloping roof, laugl
g ing and patting his baby hands togetl
: er. while Dolly held her breath an
: watched him.
Il At last he was within reach, an
n Dolly caught him in her arms and ha
|. him safe on the shed-chamber floor.
e Then she sat down and cried, an
e trembled and cried, while Poppet, fee
n ing himself cheated, roared and kicke
|, and called for "sugar," and pusht
e his sisters hands from her face, unit
J, she had to rouse up and pacify him.
d Poppet could not understand WI
h Dolly hurried him into the house
s fast, and why she locked all the doc
Is in the house, and poured the conten
y of the sugar-bowl into his lap, al
If then sat on the floor and held his dire
D. with both hands.
" But he liked it, and went on eatil
d sugar until home came his mother al
IS Joe to hear the whole story.
ID "My brave little DollyV said h
ct mother, and Poppet wondered to S
pit them both crying, and to be Rugged
le hard by Joe, who rubbed his jack
o, sleeve across his eyes, and shifted VI
it lently, before he said, in a chok
e. voice:
e "You got stirred up then, did
lyou, ducky?"