Osage Valley banner. (Tuscumbia, Miller County, Mo.) 1879-1881, 1880-07-22
DAME burden AND LITTLE MR..
BABE.

1T was such queer old face that
looked in upon me through the open
window; and such restless little
body! put down the book Twas read
ing and walked toward them for acloser
view.
Good mornin'," brisk voice spoke
ep, with jerk of an uncombed, yellow
whitish head; "rve come to see Little
Mr. Babe
''Oh, you have,n replied, somewhat
taken abaok, as the sayingis, at the crisp
salutation, and not knowing what this
startling infant meant. 'I3ut who are
you, aud where did You come fromg
Goodness" snapped this young pep
per-box again, ''don't you know that2
Everybody round knows my father;
he's = sexcum in this 'ere church across
the way, and my mother, she takes in
wlshin' and ironin', and we don't have
sugar only Sundays, cause you see my
mother she SAYS she works too hard for
me TO wear my best hat, and sugar ey-
cry day"
~ suppose you help your mother n
great deal. / said. as soon rs was
permitted to express an opinion, and at
the same time wondering 10 what use
put, unless il were to swing rs PEN
dulum. or twist gilt rooster on a
weather-vane, as she never rested for
over a minute on either foot, and her
yellow head danced like crazy sun
beam, keepinga sort of nodding time
To her words, which ratified out like
beans from bag
"Yep," she nodded, 81 sing Hap
al, 4
thought very likely), "and scold JOINT
when he growls too much, and with
sudden standstill that threatened TO
upset her" Where Mr. BabeP"
:" l am sure | don't know, child," "
said /; where did you leave him last,
and what is hep
"Well. now" she answered, with a
scornful sniff, "that is a joke. Why, |
say, amt you got q baby up in this
house? heard you had from Marthy
Kcrrd, and while my father was maxim
the tire at the church for prayer meet
in Che has to make all the fires, don't
you b'lieve, cause he's the sexcum),
Jest run away to see if Marthy Kerru
told me straight story about it, II
was Marthy told me; mebbe You know
her; that dirty-faoed little thing you
see rumnin' for the COW round here,
with her stoekin's all down. She said
you'd Jest moved up here from New
York and brought along baby
told her had not the pleasure OF
Marthy's acquaintance. and asked heI
to come into the house, adding II
YOU are not afraid your mother will
worry abont you. The baby is asleer
now, but you may sit down here with
me and wait until he wakes"
"0h, I'm four or six years old, she
replied with pitying glance for my ig
norance, as, with brisk Here ami
she eurled and wriggled over the win
dow-sill into my room. "No; my
mother won't worry about me, IL!
don't: ne will growl so and tear hi
pants, and then you seq my mother hai
to stop right 10 the hot suds and menC
'em. He's an awful young'un, tina
JOINT"
JOINT wasn't, then, as had suppose
from her conversation, a bad-tempere,
dog.
''ls JOINT your brotherP"
II should say so. You don't seem {,
know anything, do youP But thel
you've les come, and ii you want
good dress-maker, there's one live
down by our house, that charges awful
I'll speak to her If you like. Why, d,
YOU b'lieye she trimmed my Sunda,
hat; not this onen (holding up yer,
dilapidated red flannel hood, she ha'
been swinging by one string), "an'
wouldn't take no pay for it. But dea
me, s'pose Wen have to do all he
iine elo'es this summer to make up 70
ii, and the hot weathers awful trYin' !
-. Ibegan 70 fear that this intelligen
atom was trihe too wise.
"Whore's Tomato?' she went on
81 know her; she came and talked 3
my mother over our fence. She's