The Red Cloud chief., 1880-06-03

r met ION on The street with two
other boys. He had the stump OF n
cigar In his mouth, and he was talking
loud and staggering.
Toni she called TO him. implor,
ingly.
w hat do you want Of Tom?" he re-
torted, not deigning To turn his head.
but just putting out his chin sidewise
toward her, and putting away at his
cigar-stump in loaferish fashion.
please go with me for the shavings.
won't you? DO, Toni
"Hi-hi-hii" Tom snickered. "Go
with you for shaviBgs! that's a good
joke"
I'm afraid," she pleaded.
Afraid. Won goose, What are VOC
afr aid of? The old house Is full Of
ghosts. but they rever hurt anybody.
only silly little girls that are afraid Of
emf they scare them almost To death
sometimes! Hi-hi-hi! come along"
cried Tom to his companions, putting
back into his teeth the stump. which he
had flourished in his fingers whilst
making this foolish speech.
Ghosts in the old housei Poor Becky
knew well enough that Tom never let a
Vie stand in the way Of any mischief or
sport Of his, and she wouldn't have
minded at all what he said if she hadn't
been so frightened. But now all her
vague fears Of the darkness and soli-
tude of the deserted house took shape
10 her fancy, and became horrible spec
tiers.
She stopped at the door, crying DESC
lately. She would not have had strength
to go a step farther if the certainty that
it was growing darker all the while, and
that she would be whipped il she should
60 home without the shayings, had not
given her momentary resolution.
Tom had said that the ghosts scared
only little girls who were afraid of them.
Then she wouldn't be afraid. She would
be brave for once. So she nerved her.
self.
Breathless. trembling, cold shivers OF
fear creeping over her from head 10
foot, she mounted the steps, paused a
moment TO listen in the dim entry, then
glided softly into the room where the
shayings were.
There she paused again. She could
- VII 'oN NV III va III
workbench, the bare walls, and the
windows through which the evening
light came. Suddenly she heard a rustic
in the shavings. 1t may have been
caused by "A providing cat, or perhaps by
some beggar who had crawled in there
for a nights lodging. But to poor little
Becky it was the rising of the ghosts,
and she really fancied she saw a huge
head, with horns and fiery eyes, starting
out of the darkness. All her courage,
which had cost her so much, was gone
in an instant. She dropped her basket
and ram.
Out of the house and down the steps
she went, and along the street, until she
began TO meet people. Then she came
to herself a little. and remembered the
basket, and the whipping she wa sure
to get if she went home without it.
She stopped, and finally turned back
toward the old house. But she could
not summon courage TO enter it a second
time; neither burst she 90 home 10 her
aunt; and thus, between two fears. she
wandered To and fro, the most wretched
little girl in all the world that night.
At last, tired out, and not knowing
what to do she sat down on a door
step and cried. A woman approaching
the house saw her there, and started
back.
What! Becky F~airwea,her, is it
you?'
"Ycs'm, if you please" said Becky,
meekly. Il didn't know it was your
doorstep. Mrs. Cary. I'll 90 away"
mo. you won't" cried the woman,
mot until you've told me what's the
matter, anyway. Has your aunt turned
you out?'
'-She hasn't turned me out, not quite,
but she made me 90 To the old house
for shavings in the dark, and | got
scared. and left the basket, and she
said | wasn't 10 90 home without il
full of shavings; if did, she'd whip me
worse than ever"
So Becky, amid sobs. told her story.
Mrs. Cary put her arm kindly about
her. and spoke SO pityingly that the
child cried all the more.
s.You needn't 90 home without it,
nor with it, if YOU don't wan to. She
isn't tit to bring up a child like you;
I've known it, and the neighborS have
known it. a long while. So if you'll
come with me, III take you and give
YOU a good home till l can find a bet
ter one for you. So don't think of the
basket, but come along with me-"
Mrs. Cary's house was not far off;
and there the orphan found comfort
and kindness, such as she had not
known since her mother died. Only
Ann rrant tan- noun rAt.llAl Ln- It
seemed As though she might As well die
at once as let the time come for her
aunt to light the fire in the morning.
without the basket of shavings.
But children o forget their trouble,
when blessed bedtime comes; and
Becky slept well that night. in spite of
her anxious thoughts. The next day
Mrs. Cary kept her in the house; and on
the day following, two strangers called
to see her-a gentleman and a lady
who talked TO her kindly, and regarded
her with an interest which Becky could
not understand. At last the lady said:
Becky, We like you pretty we'll;
Mrs. Cary has told us a good deal about
you; and, as We have no children of our
own, we would like to have you go and
i've with us, and be our little girl.
What do you Say?"
80 Mrs. Cary cried Becky, turning
to her friend, in terrified surprise.
.Yes, dear," said Mrs. Cary, cheer
fully. Il know these good friends very
well: and it is for this that l have sent
for them. They will give you a good
home and all the advantages a girl can
ask. They live in another city, and you
will begin a new and happier life with
them"
But" Becky faltered, joy and hope
getting the better of her establishment,
my aunt"
"She has no real claim upon you; and
it will be best that you should not see
her again. l think"
.Oh! and then l shan't get whipped
for not carrying home the basket"
mo, no, child"n said the lady, TAX
ing the girl in her arms.
Il am SO gladr' exclaimed Becky.
"Only-dear Mrs. Cary-l shall want
to see you sometimes; you have been so
good to me-"
CHAPTER III.
Aunt Nora was very angry that first