Fair play., 1877-10-11
MISCELLANY.
THE BABES OF THE PRAIRIE.

lie quiet now. W iiil"- and you too
Mary. Sit down on your little stool,
and be just Il, still Is mice. I've just
got the baby asleep, and want him tu
lave good Ion" nap. for he isn't 4 hit
Twell. There. there, take Your primers
and your 4 Il C'S." And the mother
took from the upper drawer of the hu-
reau the carefully treasured books. -
But I'm SO fired Of si'.in" still"
said the little boy. :. Mayn't we 20 out
doors, ma? Say yes, do. Well "nly 30
down +" the harn. say, mayn't we go
see the tw" little hossies?'' and he look
cd up pleadinsly into her face.
Little MARY jumped up n the same
moment, and tossing her primer on
TO the bed joined in with a ..Do. ma.
do-,hcre'> GOOD ma Cause the hos
sicS are 81 cunning, do lovc to sec
them
Yes, 90 little while but mini an,
he GOOD children. and don't take duwu
the bars 80 the calves will get into the
harn-do you hear
They mad been gone half an hour or
81. when they came rushing in:" the
cabin cNciaimin" with on" voice: - Ma.
ma. mayu't We have our little pals and
go straw wbcrrNin@5 There's Il whole lot
of them right on the gopher'> mound,
'to;her side ofthc barn, ami they re just
aS red and ripc as they ran he. 10 H.,
us go and get them. There's enough for
q nice shortcakc, and pa loves them So.
and they'll taste - good 1" him when
he comes home from the mill - tired"
The lndulsrcni moi her took down the
little pals, and handing one Ia each. land
bidding them be careful and not stain
their clean aprons. watched them until
their little dancing feet had carried
them 10 the place they spoke oi.
"llnw glad they are" she said -
herself Is she turned from the door.
..aud how proud they will be when they
sc; their pals full" And she resumed
her patching.
Aircd She certainly WAS. and half
sick, though she would hardly have
owned that, aud as she sat there now.
..plvinS her needle and thread she
was sensible "f unusual fatigue. and in
spite Of all ner efforts. her patches set
awry. and her darniug was uneven.
There WAS Il pleasant drow>ins>> in the
sof, hush ii the golden summer after
noon. and after while she Welded tn it
invnluntarilv, and closed her evc>.
Starting up ere she had hardly lost her
self. she ran up to the door. The two
little ones sat side by side upon tine
gopher mound, and the echo II their
CHEEKY voices was the oniv sound thar
broke the intense quiet uf the prairie.
They are 81 busy. and the baby So
sound asleep, believe l'll> lie down Il
little while, for my back aches terribly.
and my head i inst ready ,u split with
pain. William says nU-h; to take a
nap every day after dinner. but | wrn-
der when my sewing and mending would
ce, done ii didi"
~ She spoke she drew mosquito
bar over the cradle. and turning down
the neat patchwork quilt that covered
the bed. dropped of her shoes and
stretched her woiry frame "u the white
sheets The weary woman uninfen-
tionally slept on, and did not wake un-
Ill the cry nf the hungry baby in ,h,
cradle reused her up
NEa quick. nervous movement she
sprang from the bed. and drawing it to
her bosom. ran IL the door. To her
surprise il WAS almost sunset, Her iir>.
sorrow was that she should hc htla,s,!
with her supper, and The Thought OF her
tired husband coming home and having
tn wal, i moment for his meal WAS not
T. Ice endured. With the hahv'S lips
clinginr To her bosom. she hurried "a
the stove and took of the rriiiic> and
r..ke,i "ul the ashes. Then putin. the
only haifsati>tied child i'll the cradle
and giving il crust nf bread n bite on.
she caught up her klndlin- basket and
ran to the chip pile. She mad filed /,
aud loaded her arms with wood. when
-hc suddenly remembered tina; she had