The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-07-09


funny and wet?"
Its mother has giving it something
which is good for all little children, Bar
die" said my aunt. Particularly for
little boys. A good licking"
Bardie understood this time, and
looked vengefully at her. Then snap
ping the fingers of his minute hand To
the old dog that 10y near Tapping a
heavy, good-natured tail against the
hard boards, he uttered low but per.
fectly distinct "St, boy!"
Up jumped the obedient Bruce with a
clumsy leap, and ran, barking loudly to
the door, where supposed the unseen en-
envy to he lurking. Aunt Urania fidg,
eted
"Did You do that, You little rascal?"
she asked, not quite sure, however, for
she had been watching my successful eff
fort to climb to the top of a great noun
tain of hay, where l now sat amid the
fragrance of dried clover leaves, and felt
i'll paradise.
1t was IN admirable point Of view,
but not q convenient place to render as
sistance i'll an emergency. And .hus il
happened that could see the cow, grow.
ing uneasy Mt the hubbub, rising to her
feet, and finally with threatening look,
advance step or two with lowered
horns. could see it all, but was pow
erless, and could only scream:
"Aunty! Bardie! the COW! the COW!
Quick as wink Bardie slipped past the
angry animal, and, as he expressed it,
Skinned up" the haymow, where he
perchci himself triumphantly beside me.
Dignity and age alike forbade the ex-
ercise of shining to aunty, notwith.
standing Bardie's opinion of her length
of limb. She wavered, tried for one
brief moment TO look the animal i'll the
eye" but n forward movement Oh the
cows part put that idea to flight, and
she turned and fled, pursued only few
steps by the disturbed mother, who
'saw her to the door," with n loud moo
of dismissal, echoed i'll distant Thunder
from the small window from wherein
the bulls excited eye cleaned; pursued
also, / am ashamed to say, by derisive
laugh from Bartlie, who stood on one
leg, balancing himself with a pitchfork,
and shrieked out, :" told you she hated
red things. Isn't it fun!'
We Struggled down in the hay, and let
the COW quiet herself by vigorous return
to her nursery duties, and then l whis-
pered little admonition to Bardie on
the subject of his behavior to aunty. 1t
was by no means the first time had re-
buked my small charge, and he took it
very penitently; though when l found
myself saying, at isn't like mamma s
little boy to act SO, came to full
stop, with sudden remembrance of
Susie's inveterate naughtiness when
Aunt Urania was in the question.
He liked to hear about mamma, the
sweet, bright, unknown images, whom
nobody but had ever brought into his
mind, and he lay on his back, listening
TO my stories, of our childish play and
adventures, until the pleased smile grew
wagner and softer, and the long lashes
dropped lower, and he slept, looking
more than ever like wandering cherub
Of heavenly rearing.
Then, as l sat, doubly prisoned by the
foe beneath and the friend above, l
heard quick, unexpected footstep, and
Henry Bent entered the barn with an
amused and perturbed face.
The COW had settled TO a comfortable
nap, the flies droned in the sunshine, and
in the quiet noon hush he would have
turned away without discovering lis, but
that low girlish giggle, Of which i'll
stantly felt ashamed, revealed our retreat.
He looked up, laughing. "Oh, there
You are, safe enough; but where is my
small bOy?'
Here too, / said, in a very low tone,
and he vaulted upon the hay, and saw
the pretty sleeping boy; and his face
softened into the mingled Sadness and
brightness which often noticed upon it
as he looked at her child.
81 met Miss Scudamore just now with
Il terrible tale of danger and misbeha-
vior. 1t is all right | see. But what
does possess the child to behave 30 bad
ly to her? He is perfect lamb with
You"
"He has it by inheritance" l said,
with a smile that ended i'll sigh. "He
never looks so like his mother as when
the irresistible naughtiness comes over
him, which Aunt Urania has the unfor-
tunate talent for evoking."
The same smile was reflected in his
face, the same sigh i'll his voice.
"True," he said; lyon see, as do, the
wonderful kindness of everything"
"Why do Won never talk to him OF
Susie 2" | said, with desperate plunge
into the difficult subject, for ! had never
before mentioned her name to him since
the baby was left motherlcss. at Isnot
right, Harry, to let him grow up in ig-
nOrancc OF that sweetest of creatures.
He is, as you say, her living image; he
ought to know and love her, yet he hard
ly knew what the word mother meant
until he came here to me"
81 could not, / could not, he an
swered much moved. 81 am glad you
do. 1 knew you would do him good
this summer. l cannot tell You the COM
fort it is to me to have him in the cOun-
try and with you. / knew you must
love the little fellow, for you loved his
mother we'll"
Loved her, yes" / said, my tears
suddenly bursting forth. 81 can't get
used to doing without her, Harry; l
can't get over it.
81 see," he said. eve are fellow
mourners, Nora"
The little head stirred; one or two OF
my tears had fallen Oh the sweet baby
face, and wakened him. He sat up, and
rubbed his eyes amazed.
"What funny place! what long cob
websw he said. "Oh, remember now,
the cow. Is she all right again? Why,
papa, where did you come frOm?"
~ came from the city, Bardie. When
/ reached there this morning l found
the man j wanted to see was i'll, and
wouldn't come to town for three days,
and so L posted back to you.
"That was right, said Bardie. "To
III and Nora"
eyes, to you and Nora, said Harry,
with kind smile at me. "But, Bardie,
the first person / met was Miss Scuba
more, who told me a very sad tale. l nm
afraid my little boy was very saucy and
disrespectful.
"Oh, papa, it was too funny to see
her run with her red stockings. told
her not to come. told her the COW
might kill her. But Miss Scudamore,
why, she scuddcd more than ever" and
he went into fit Of mirth ut his first at
tempt at pun.
responded to the sally with a weak
minded laugh, but his father looked
awful.
"No more of this, sir" he said, in a
voice of strong displeasure. eff you
cannot behave properly to the ladies in
this house, l will send you AWAY with
your nurse, and not let you come here
again. / will not expose them to the
pertness of naughty little boy"
Bardie covered under the severe
glance, and chung to me. l looked pite-
GUS.
"Do not encourage him, Elinor, said
Harry, in a softer tone. cit is n great
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