The Russellville Democrat., 1877-05-24
Little spriggins' Brother.

"Run Spriggins, ana call 0nariey to dinner"
 Little Spriggins, dumped black Dinah head first into the wood-box and scampered out the back door. She was always ready to call people to dinner, especially when she knew they were to have fish and cream gravy, and raspberry pudding.
 70 dear! if she has walked the baby I am discouraged, sighed Mrs. Morrow, wearily, jogging the cradle with one foot, while she wenton peel, ing potatoes. "Seems to me Charley and Spriggins are the noisiest children a woman ever had.
 Certainly Mrs. Morrow did have her hands full, with the care of them and the baby-anybody could sec that. They were so nearly of an age that sometimes in sport strangers would ask Charley which was the oldest and he would always answer briskly:
 "Tm the oldest of Spriggins, and Spriggins is the oldest of the bahy.
 Of course her real name wasn't Spriggins, though it might just us we'll have been, for nobody ever thought of calling her Fanny.
 "Tan't find Farley, mamma, :" shouted she, presently, peeping in at the door, with her plump, rosy chin resting on the upper step. "Ian't find Farley, mamma, not at all
 And that ended the baby's nap.
 Mrs. Morrow set the potatoes in the warming-oven with sigh, and took the child with another.
 "You must find him, Spriggins, !" she said, "for papa'll be home in a minute. Look down by the brook.
 Of stubbed little Spriggins in high glee, chewing the hem of her pink cali co apron. It was not often the clumsy wee body got leave to go the brook, and to be actually sent there? why, that was as nice of paper dolls.
 Dess Tarley's bakin' mud pies, thought the little witch. "Dess I'll bake some, too, if Tarley'll only wait for me.
 Sprigyins always made up her mind in atwinkling, it was such very small mind to make up! But when she came to the shallow place in the brook, just below the alders, where Charley was allowed to play, he was not there baking mud-pies, or building dams, or wading knee-deep in the water He was nowhere to be seen, though upon the bank lay his clothes in tumbled heap.
 "Tarley! Tarley!" called Sprig. gins, standing still in wonder.
 A squirrel chattered in the buttcr- nuttree above her golden head, and from the topmost bough of the willow a robin answered his mate, but no re- ply came from Charley.
 With low cry of fear Springgins seized the clothes, and trailing them behind her, ran back to her mother.
 See, mamma, they've tookened away my Farley. They've tookened him away all but these!"
 Mrs. Morrow turned white to her very lips.
 My boy is.drownedl she shrieked, rushing by Spriggins with the baby in her arms. Help! help! won't some body help2"
 A short bridge spanned the brook several rods below, and at this mo- ment there chanced to be several men crossing it on their way from the mill to dinner. Hearing Mrs. Morrow's piercing cry they hurried after her te the waters edge.
 "There's where he went in don't you see?" she walled. throwing up her arms wildly. "That's his little footprint. o Charley, Charley!"
 70 Farley, Tarley!" echoed Sprig- gins, sobbing into the skirt of her mothers dress, and greatly terrified by the tragic scene which she only half comprehended.
 "No use in looking up stream" she heard one man say, the current would carry him down..
 "Unless the little man has sunk among the alder snags," suggested an other, in lower tone.
 "Let's drag the breok both ways ]; it may be satisfaction to her, said third, with jerk of his thumb toward Mrs. Morrow. "The child must be sutfocated before this. but who's the heart to tell her sol?
 A part followed the brook to the cascade above; part searched it be. low fully half mile to the dam, feeling cautiously with poles in the dark hooks where the pebblv bed could not be seen; and still no trace of Charley.
 !" But we'll try again, said the men to MT. Morrow, who had now arrived {" we won't rest till we find him. :"
 Mir. Morrow could not speak. but silently handing his wife Charley's small worn shoe, that had laid sole upward on rock. he, too, joined in the quest
 Meanwhile, at his house, the neigh l bors had been hastily getting ready | hot water, and blankets, and soap. | stones, and everything else they could think of which might aid in restoring