Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1878-09-05
DIPSY AND DELLA.
Della had run away.

~Della Hau run away.
She was little girl, nine years old,
who had been picked out of on orphan
asylum by old Mrs. Blidge: Old Mrs.
Blidge lived at the foot of mountain,
close to Enchanted Land, and a very hard
mistress she was, as Della soon found out.
She kept her ali day picking berries, and
then locked her up lest he@should es-
cape, while she IMrs. Blidge) trudged off
to sell them at the nearest village. Some
times she fed Della and sometimes she
forgot to feed her, until Della grew thin
and lean; and as for clothes, any old rag
was good enough.
One day Mrs. Blidge sent Della out to
draw water at the we'll, and by some mis-.
take the chain slipped off the cylinder,
and down went the bucket crash into the
we'll. 80 Della took the tin dipper: and
threw it after the bucket. "a
ellie there, both of you" said she. cpl
never touch you more?'
And away she trudged up the noun
tain to seek her fortune.
Pretty soon she met another little girl,
picking bluebarries off the bushes, and
eating them as if she was half starved to
death.
"Who are you'll" said Della.
''I'm Dipsy," said the strange little
"And what are you doing here2" asked
Della.
! "Oh," said Dipsy, tive run away"
"1sn't that funny?' said Della. $50
have I. dropped the bucket down the
we'll. What did you do?"
II let the oatmeal porridge burn" said
Dipsy. "And while my cross old grand
mother was looking for nice timber
stick to beat me with, ran away"
"And what are you going to do now?'''
asked Della.
IL don't know" answered Dipsy,
"Neither do l." said Della. ssLet's
take hold of hands and go up the noun
tain together"
Pretty soon they came TO great field
of BURBERRY bushes, where pail stood
filled nearly to the brim with the fruit.
"StopF' said Della. 1T isn't ours.''
II don't care" cried Dipsy, stamping
her little foot. tim hungryl"
$50 am T." said Della; "but we mustn' It
take what isn't ours"
Dipsy, however, only made face in
return, and sitting down, began to gobble
up the berries as fast as she could. ! 1
All of sudden tall old woman, with
curious peaked cap, and nose and
chin that almost touched each other,
seemed to rise up before them out of the
very middle of huge cluster of blue
| berry bushes. - >
,'Who's eating my berriess" said she, in
a shrill voice.. n y ~ 7 =" If
Dipsy put her blue stained fingers be.
hind her:
"lt's that little GIRL" said she, nodding
her head toward Della J;
The old woman looked sharply from
one to another, but she did not say any
thing. ...
"Please, ma'am," said Della, humply,
1--WE are two little girls going to seek our
| fortunes. Gould you tell me where the
Queen of the Fairies lives" .f'
II am fairy myself" said the old
AT this Dipsy burst out laughing. 80.
handful Of blueberries at the old woman
are an old frightl' 49," ,'.''.:<'2 r
F s:Dipsy hush p said Dipsy. ~
.5'I won't hush ~ said Dipsy.
I The old woman, however,. paid no at.
attention to the little girls, :impuden'
words. = - 50,
50 s:You are. in Enchanted Land now
said she. eff you 60 on straight up this
path, you Will find . great reck,:aH hung
with vines, on the edge Of 4 stream
Knock at it, and say, open gates, Della
Ewaits" You will see what you will See t
ss "How do you know my name is Eella?'
said the child, IN amazement. $50 sss2st
i II know everything. zsaid the Ole
woman, with wise nod of the head
Didn't I tell you was fairy? But there
= are three things you must observe"