The Red Cloud chief., 1880-06-03
THE BASKET OF SHAYINGS.
1.


you been all TINS whilc?'
II was Il shrill woman's tongue that
put the question; and it was a timid
child's voice that replied, ''fve Just
been PLAYING ia the court here, along
with the girls. Please don't whip me,
Aunt Nora, Please don't!'
Little Becky stood trembling at the
door, with IA face tuil of terror and en-
treaty, while the advanced up
on her with a lowering look, whose
dreadful meaning the child knew too
well.
THERE said Aunt Nora, giving the
little shoulders a rude shake. Now
stop your crying. I'll teach you TO be
out playing with the girls, when L
WANT you.'
Il didn't know you wanted me.
Aunt Nora sobb ID the child.
..Tou might have known. Hush your
noise. Now take the basket and 90
vert to the Dimmock house for shavings.
and don't let me hear another word
out of your head, if you know what,
good for youself."
"Oaunt! it's getting so dark. I'm
afraid To GO
..What are YOU afraid of? There's
nothing To hurt good girls, and if you're
n bad child, it's your own fault. You
might have gone before shutdown.
Come. | shall want the shavings to kim
die the fire in the morning.; and the
longer YOU wait the darker it will be-"
20 aunt, / can't 90 into that old
house. The last time | was there l
heard something, and it wasn't half so
dark a. it is tonight. I'll get up early
and 20 in the morning, if you'll let me.
d aunt dor
The aunt made no reply, but turned
20 take down from its place on the en-
try hooks a switch, whose marks poor
little Beckv's hands and arms had car
ried many a dav. At sight of ii, she
caught up the basket. and ran GU OF
house
Wei, you betterr' said the woman
primlv. YOU'RE old enough not to
be afraid of the dark. You can see
well enough: and there's nothing under
the sun To be afraid OF. Now don't YOU
come back into this house without the
shavings or You'll get such a whipping
as YOU never had in all your liferH
which was saying a good deal, if Aunt
Nora only knew it.
Not that she meant 10 be a harsh or
unmotherly guardian TO her little moth
erless niece. But cares and toll had
worn out about all the health and pa
fence she ever had; and it was nc
wonder that she, who so often had
angry words for her own children.
should have kept something worse for
the orphan. whose coming into her
house she had always regarded as a bit
ter trial.
II seemed as if she had never for
given Becky for it, or for being a child
with all a child'S thoughtlessness and
love of play. She expected more OF
her than she did of her own girls, who
were older; and could never under
stand why Becky should not content
edlv settle down into the quiet.
" drudge she wished her to be. Yet
Becky was only eleven years old.
The child went off with the basket,
sobbing with fear and despair at the
thought CT what she had TO do. 1t was
really not very dark, only deep twi-
light. on a pleasant summer evening.
No doubt her aunt was right in saying
there was really nothing for her to be
afraid of: vet the sensitive, imaginative
child could not heip being afraid.
The old Dimmock house stood in a
lonely lot, back from the street.; it was
undergoing repairs, and Becky had
more than once been there for shay
ings, which the carpenters allowed her
to carry away
She was not afraid when the men
were there. Oh, why, she thought, had
she not left her play, and gone an hour
before, when she could have got some
other girl to 90 with her, and have
made the task a pleasure? Poor Becky
was always doing some such thought
less thing, which was sure to provoke
her aunt, and give herself all the more
trouble and pain; yet she never could
learn wisdom.
She blamed herself a little; but she
blamed others much more. Her aunt
MIGHT have waited for the shavings till
morning; or she might have sent Tom
for them-cousin Tom. who was four
- teen wears old and not afraid of any,
thing.
But Tom was a proud, willful boy; he
wouldn't be seen going through the
streets with a basket of shayin2s. His