The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-08
WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR.

sofa IN the DreaktaSt-rOOm with u lap full
of flowers.
"Willy! Willy! William!" somebody
called from upstairs.
Down went the cinnamon roses, and
columbines, and lilies of the valley, all
over the floor, while Willy flew upstairs
two steps at time, to see what auntie
wanted. Willy wasn't a boy, as you
might suppose from her name, but a
brisk, bright little girl, eight years old
She was named for her Aunt Wilhelmina,
this very auntie who was sitting there on
the floor in her room unpacking her
trunk. But Wilhelmina was name
quite too long for every day use, and SO
the little girl was called Willy for short,
and sometimes William for fun. Well,
there sat auntie in the midst of her pos
sessions, and WHY'S eyes grew big as she
saw the pretty things that were scattered
around.
"Of course you've brought me some
thing, auntie, haven't you? You always
do, and what is it,"
80 dear! shall never be able to teach
this child politeness and GRAMMAR" said
Aunt Willy, with funny face. "Should
you mind it very much if there wasn't
anything for you this timer"
81 don't know, ma'am," answered
Willy, rather family; but I'm afraid l
should. l didn't think about it last
night, because was so glad to see you,
and, besides, your trunk hadn't come"
Well, here's a rubber doll for Bess,
and two books for Lucy, and new dress
for Bridget, and, oh yes, here's some
thing for your Cousin Tommy, and you
may take it right over to him"
Here Aunt Willy held out long pink
box tied up very tightly.
"There, run along, and you shall have
your present when you come back"
Willy took the box and went down
stairs, wondering all the time what could
be in it. Tommy's gate was exactly op-
posite, and she ran across, pushing it
open with the box, and leaving it to shut
itself as it always did.
How cool and fresh everything looked
as she walked through the winding path
by the great evergreens. Bright drops of
dew sparkled in the sun and the close
cut grass was like green velvet. The
tulips were gay in all sorts of colors and
the birds were certainly crazy with joy
or they wouldn't have sung so loud and
and sweet.
There was no Tommy to be seen in the
garden, and Willy went round to the back
piazza. There he was, sure enough, with
his long brown apron on, playing he was
a painter. He had little green paint
pot and a real brush with long handle,
and was painting the piazza in very
workmanlike manner. The paint was
only make believe, of course, but it was
all the better on that account, as any
sensible child will tell you.
Hullow says Tommy. "Pm glad
you've come, but I'm very busy and
can't stop to play. Don't you want to
help me paint? I've got another brush. u
Can't you stop long enough to see
this? auntle brought 1t from Boston"
and Willy waved the pink box before his
eyes. The painter forgot his hurry,
dropped his brush and seized the box,
while his cousin looked on with great
interest. After fruitless attempts to
break the strong cord Tommy took out
his little jack-knife with superior air
and cut the string.
"That's the way boys do" he re.
marked. "Now if had been a girl ]
shouldn't have had any knife in my
pocket"
Scissors are as good as knives any
day." said Willy, producing round.
toed" pair that had evidently seen long
service. 81 guess you couldn't cut many
paper dolls with your old knife"
"And l guess you couldn't whittle
many sticks with your old scissors" re.
torted Tommy. But like girls, after
ALL" went on the small lord of creation
as he unfolded the long bundle of white
tissue paper that he had just taken from
the box; " and o Willy, isn't this nicer
If his auntie could have seen the little
boys brown eyes then she would have
been glad, l know-they shone with
such happy light as he spread the
pretty dark blue silk umbrella and held
it over his head.
Just what we wanted so the othel
day when it rained and we had to carry
that old big thing to school. And, don't
you know? it kept shutting down on oul
heads and acting dreadfully all the time
And here's my name on the silver thing
in the handle, so If it gets lost some
body1l always find it. But it sha'n't gel
lost. Don't you believe had better &C
right over and thank Aunt Willy?"
His cousin didn't answer at first. Since
Tommy had opened that umbrella she
had met an enemy and fought a battle
He was such a mean little enemy, too,
that she was ashamed to think he should
dare to come near her. But he did come
near enough to whisper in her ear, and
this is what he said when he saw the UNI
brella: " There, Willy Morton, that's just
what you wanted your own self more
than anything else in the world. YOU
Aunt Willy always gives Tommy the
incest things. And it isn't big enough
for two, and you'll have to carry the
horrid old bulgy one. Probably auntie
has got a stupid book, or ribbon, OIL
something for you that you won't care
| for at all"