The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1880-03-25
THE RABBITS MISSION.

%" Jarvisl twenty minutes for refresh
ments," cried the Conductor in a hoarse,
loud voice, as he put his head in at the
car door.
Little Mrs. Dandy woke up with a
start from the brief nap she had been
taking and looked around for Willie.
There he sat opposite her, his little legs
in their black stockings hanging over
the edge of the seat, his big blue eyes
just ike his mother's-looking curiously
out at the throng of people on the plat
form of the station.
"Jarvisi" said Mrs. Dandy. " So we
are nearly at the end of our journey.
Only twenty miles more and we will be
at grandpa's, Willie"
" Are you going to buy any fresh
ments, mammal"
"No; grandpa will give us a good
supper. How familiar every thing looks
here. Willie, do you see that large
white house way up on the hill with so
many trees about itP Well, / used to
visit there before l married your poor
papa" and the widow glanced at her
sable garments, and sighed deeply.
"Who lived there, mammaP''
"The dearest girl friend l ever had
Lulu Conway" answered Mrs. Dandy,
a regretful look stealing over her fair,
youthful face.
"Does she live there now, mammaP "
asked Willie, who always liked to have
. the full particulars given him.
sS She is dead, said Mrs. Dandy,
signing again, Z" and l do not know
who owns the place now. 1t is nearly
Ieven years since 1 paid my last visit
tiere;" and the pretty, blue-eyed
widow, over whose head twenty-siX
ho liorht lNr ia6
her face in her shawl and gave herself
up to memories of that happy past
when Roger Conway had been heI
lover.
81 think III get a dwink,' muir
INJURED Willie, slipping down from his
seat, and walking toward the water.
cooler at the end of the car.
But when he had taken a drink he
did not return to his seat. He walked
GU tof the car door, down the steps
and on to the rough platform of Jarvis
Station.
"Mamma won't care,'' he said soft
", trying to stifle the voice of con
science which was whispering that ht
was doing wrong. ''She always lett
me do any thing, and III only rur
up and down till the tired gets out O.
my legs"
Just then he spied at the end of the
platform pretty white rabbit sitting OF
its hind legs, pulling at small shrub
"I'll catch it, and carry it to grand
pas" he thought. cit will be NICE
than the kitten mamma said l should
have"
But Bunny was not to be easily caught
Away it ran down a green lane, and il
hot pursuit went Willie, quite unawar,
that he was chasing the pet and prid
of the station-master's wife, who ha'
made the little creature very tame.
When at last, breathless and fiushet
with his long run, Willie stopped at tn
end of the lane and looked about him
he could not even see the station. Onl,
over the tops of the trees floated tn
smoke from the engine of the train
and n shrill whistle sounded in the dis
tance.
The little fellow was frightened, and
though his short legs were more tire
than ever, he started to run back to tn
station But the train had gone, an
only some rough-looking men were o
the platform.
Willie did not cry. He was too braV
for that, and was no baby in spite {
his five years. But he was worried
knowing how anxious his little mothe
would be, and how terrified at his Loss
Dusk had already come on. Soon
would be dark. What was TO be done
He sat down on stone near by
think, too much troubled to notice tn
rabbit which went hopping past him il
the station-master's yard.
Suddenly the recollection of what b
mother had said about the large whit
house on the hill came to him, and /
rose up, determined to 60 there and as
the people TO keep him all night an
send his mother word about him
1t was a long walk up the hill, and /
was dusty and worn out when at lengi
he stood in the wide porch and rang Il
bell with trembling hands.
The door was opened by tall, hant
some man dressed IN gray, who gaze
in surprise at the small, dusty visitor
"Well, my little man, what can
for youP" he asked, in a voice so gent
and kind that Willie looked up We
confdingly.
I'm lost he said, faltering littl
and in spite of himself the tears car
TO his blue eyes. - My. mamma h
gone off in the cars. Won't you let 1
stay here all night, and take me
grandpa's tomorrow"
You are very modest in your !
quests" said the gentleman, laughin
but deeply touched by the tears in {
big blue eyes. He sat down in lar
chair and drew the child close to hin
- must know who 1 am entertaining
he said. ''Tell me your name, and he
you were lost"