The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1879-05-08

They smell of drugs, and are given tc
lecturing people" said Laura, her color
deepening under the spinter's keen gaze
and her fingers beating quicker meas
ure. a4
I'll seems odd that you have taken
such dislike to Or. Thorne, Laura
everybody else likes him." said that
young lady's mother from the seat by the
fire, while her fugers were busy doing
her darling'sr mending, while he1
thoughts were planning how she might
in some other way take every shadow Of
care from her young life.
II did not mention his name in partic-
ular, mother" a
"Well, I knew you meant him, for you
have not liked him since called him in
to prescribe for your headaches. BY the
way, you never showed me his last pre-
scription; / noticed it was quite
Lengthy aa asroaaee5 5.atadts
"Oh, it was some nonsense about exer.
else and early hours quite a little lee
ture, in fact, for which he received no
thapks;'' said Laura, eYasively.
Then the conversation was changed BY
Mrs. Lamont consulting her sister about
the pudding for dinner, while Laura &
thoughts ran on in this needless fashion
"The impudence OF the mcnl All
these fine words meant simply this: You
are lazy. good for nothing girl; 60 to
work and you will be better.' Not that I
think am anything else, but one does
not care to be reminded of such things.
wonder if he knows that this dear little
mother of mine has made it the one OBJ
ject of her life to anticipate all my wish
es, and make me the ignorant butterfly of
fashion that am? And Aunt Prue is in
league with her. Dear souls! they want
to make me happy. How disappointed
they would be if they knew how restless
and miserable l am! To work in this
house is impossible; and yet I would like
to De of use to some one. do not be-
ieve am naturally lazy, or this kind Of
life would suit me. I suppose he
thinks Agnes Bell paragon. She knows
all about housekeeping, and visits the
poor. Everybody says she would make
him splendid wife. Well, I hope she
likes wldowers; DON'T" sf
Here the soliloquy was ended by Laura
turning to the piano and dashing off the
most brilliant thing she knew anything
to draw her thoughts. Presently the
notes grew softer, and she heard Aunt
Prue say:
'There is ournew ueighbor at the gate,
and such careless looking creature !
How can people be SO thoughtless about
their appearance?" glancing over her own
spotless attire. .-
''Perhaps there is some excuse for her,
Prue," said the other sister, who always
found cloak tor every ones sho-tcom-
ings. "Katie says she has three little
children, and does her own work. A sick
baby, too, who cries half the night. You
know Katies room is on that side OF the
house. She says she often sees the little
woman walking the floor late at night,
with the baby in her arms"
"All habit, this walking the floor with
children,' said Aunt Prudence, who
would have every child brought up by
rule, as far as sleeping and eating were
concerned.
why haven't you been in to see herr"
inquired Laura. wheeling suddenly
around on the piano stool. -si
"She has her hands full without seeing
strangers" answered her mother.
Then the sisters conversation drifted
away upon other topics, while Laura fell
into brown study that lasted about ten
minutes, when she suddenly rose, and
&,l- hor r0r
said, abruptly:
sim going over there s
"Where?" echoed mother ana aunt,
having forgotten their previous conversa.
ton.
sour next door neighbor's.'
''Are you crazy, child? 1t is morning,
and she will not have her work done,"
said her mother.
"Your hair is in crimp- pins" called
Aunt Prue, for the wilful girl had by this
time reached the gate.
The door-bcll next door was broken, 80
Laura raped but there was such COM
motion in the hall that she could not be
heard, so she opened the door and
walked in. A boy of five was in the act
of sliding down the balusters. which feat
he accomplished with such rapiditv that
the astonished visitor held her breath till
she saw that be landed safely. A little
girl with tangled curls aud very dirty
apron was shouting and clapping her
hands as audience.
Were playing circus. Mamma is in
the sitting no en-" they replied, in answer
to Laura's questions.
The door was opened, as Laura tapped,
by pale, tired looking woman, with
baby in her arms just freshly dressed, but
so fretful that nothing but constant toss
ing up and down would keep him quiet.
There were traces of tears on the mothers
face, and the room was in disorder. She
evidently was much surprised at her
visitor, but Lauras easy manner reas-
sured her.
II am Laura Lamont-your neighbor.
I only heard this morning that your baby
was sick, and came over to rest you q
little. Let me carry him around little
while, am sure your arms must ache"
And without waiting for reply she
took the baby, who was SO surprised to
see the lovely face b.nding over him that
he forgot to cry.
''He is not SICK" said the mother. try.
ing hard to keep back the tears; "he has
fretted like that since he was born. I
feel sometimes as if could not bear it
any longer. 1 was awake half the night
with him and now it is nearly time to
get dinner, and my breakfast-table not
cleared, nor q bit of work done. l ba-
lieve he tries to keep awake
,tVVhv don't Won trv LETTING him crv2n
II have to, sometimes; but he cries 50
hard am afraid he will have u spasm."
well, trust him with me a little wbile;'
and Laura began walking up and down
the room, singing a low lullaby, while
the little woman picked up the playthings,
brushed the hearth, aud made the room
look more cheerful; then she went over
to her breakfast table.
A half-hour's singing and walking be-
fore the little one was ready fot his era
ole; then Laura nodded good-by to her
neighbor, who was busily preparing din.