The Newtown bee., 1879-07-16
DRU'S RED SEA.

!" Lizibuth '" rang out from the low brown house. Dru was not mean enough to run and hide, though she knew that, as her sister was not there, her own name would be the next one called, surely enough.
 "Drusilla p came, directly, in a lower and assured tone, that showed the mother had seen her younger daughter, where she stood sulkily expectant, kicking with her feet the chips that strewed the ground by the chopping-block; for no child in the neighborhood of Dru's house, thirty years ago. thought of wearing shoes in the summertime, excepting to go to meeting" or down to town.''
 Really, Dru was cross at being called in from play to take care of the baby, as she supposed. The fact was, she had thought the baby very charming while it was new thing, when one could fancy it floating through the window, while everybody was asleep, clad in delicate white robes that looked in the moon light like f1eecy clouds. But when it not only stayed and made itself at home nay, expected the whole house to wait on it; moreover, when, if it didn't get in- stantly whatever it wanted, it screamed so that "you couldn't hear yourself think D. why, then, though Dru wouldn't have gone to the length of call ing it a little plague" or "a bother" lest it should go flying out again never to return, she did go so far as to say, one very trying day, that if babies were angels, she didn't see why they didn't act little more like 'em."
 ''Be little lady, now" said the pale, eareworn mother, gently. '' want to talk with you, for I'm in trouble"
 An! Dru was so sorry she had looked cross, since, after all, it wasn't drudgery she had been called in for, but to be con- suited as if she had been grown up! h. stead of saying what she felt, though, she acted it. Slipping past her mother she ran to the cradle where the crying baby lay, and, catching him up, walked around with him, saying, in explana- tion:
 So can hear you better, mother!'
 Mrs. Ide took down letter from the top of the clock-case. Letters were not put into envelopes then as now, but were folded skillfully and sealed with wax or waters.
 You see, father had to send off this letter, with money in it, right away He's been bothered to death to get it, or they'd "a taken the house-place from him. He had to go to the meadows to- day, and told me to be sure and give this to the baker to take to the postoffiee. Either the bakers not been along, or else he came while was down to the spring rinsin' the clothes, and went 'thout my hearing him. You see, Lizibuth's gone of blueberryin', hasn't shep'
 "Yes," answered Dru, in untitled voice, for the baby's face lay against hers and he was now fast asleep
 "Here, I'll take the baby" said Mrs. Ide, for she wanted Dru's whole atten- tion to what she was about to say
 Do you s'pose you could go down to town and carry this letter safely?'
 "Oh, mother! I'd try, i" answered Dru, with that look of hers which made her mother say, sometimes, "She's faith ful creatur', if she sets out to be, and that's fact.n
 While her mother was laying the sleeping baby in his cradle again, Dru wondered, but dared not ask, whether she was to dress up," lest her mother bould think her too silly to be trusted i;