Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1881-02-05
4 True BIT or EIsFORr
By AySrrrr L. Non-r.

s;zed catechism, like The 'iniddie-sized bear,
YOU know. she would have had that at heT
tongues end. She meant to bea aprctty good
girl-only the catechisms had not had time
to strike in. Her brother Nia!, Is all call
ed him. did not know even 'kittenchism,
and was not bit ashamed of it. Rachel
and Zephaniah lived with their grandfather
doctor in Albany.
Rachel had friend, Scotch Margery, with
wide-open blue eyes. One day She came to
see Rachel, who could not play until she
had finished her stint: five rows Of knit
ting around sock.
Then they wen: aroaud 70 grandfather =
Office to see him ct .eady 70 60 away. Be
ing forbidden ever 10 e. ;cr without permis-
sion, they sat down on tie door4teps with
Zephaniah and looked II.
Il WAS i charming place \ dusty, bol-
low-eyel skull SGT OF 4 shelf and in the
corner was i chest holding-aobody In W
what-which was awful, you know. Grand
father ws5 making Up POWDER, getting
ready "blue mass" Gssafrtids ard green
and yellow mixtures Tor h.s circuit around
the country. Before lie put them into his
old leather sailie-bagi, he looked over sno-
thcr wallet that made sAiycrs run up Nah $
spine Here we're nipPors, pinchers, cutters
clashcrs, scissors, tooth-pullcrs and nose
wringers. Remembering certain poor
tooth in lis poss sion, Nah now arose and
" melted into the distance as artists SAY.
The little girls sat still untiIgrandPa went
away. Whca his biz horse Thunder, had
kicked up q cloud Of dust and hid his long
/ legs in it, Rachel Winchester, the small Pu-
ritan. whose ancestors came over in the
May Flower" forgot All the good in tcth
catechisms and said:
Margery Campbell, let Us go IN i'
But your granther said we mustn't
That's Just why want to. What is the
use Of always behaving well? Let's psst d
round Gtie JR-Niah's out Of the way"
Margery consented. In they went First
they opened queer little drawers fail Of
cloves, spice, slippery elm and alum. Then
they took hold oil hands and took respect
lul view of the skull.
what is in the inside of il when it is in
side Of US :" whispered lIargery.
"Why, nothiugl The skin and hair CO.
yer It's outside and then it is hollow
that is why your head rings when you get
your ears boxed, +" said Rachel.
"Where DO our brains be!' asked Margc-
r..
"oh-why-in OUT eyes, certainly As
soon as you see something you begin to
think-your thinker is your brains, You
know. Grandfather explains such things to
our family"
"Wc haven; got any grandfather
ooh, well, | knew this without mine, y
said Rachel arrogantiy.
They poked their finger into everything
sweet, sour, sticky or many way mysterious.
( They smet OF various poisoas and, fer
wonder. did not taste. They put their
tongues. however, 10 q laudanum bottle and
then sputtcfcd Wildly into the air. At last
they found a nice clean vial full Of pretty
( white pills. They ezsmiacdit with delight
Now, just lets take tie tin cup Of va
ter" said Che caterprisiug Bache, and
swallow Iirst one Of these, and then drink
and then autIcr, and sec which can sNal-
low the most'
Margcry agreed, and p; it they went-a
pill-a drink-a pill-a drink-a pill
pill-a pill-until the vial was empty
Now you have oitcn heard that our Puritan
ioreiathcrs were very Thoroughbred, u
were our little foremo,her
Perhaps if these children had not taken
so mqnH might have had to end uy story
with dreadful account Of their funerals
as It was they ovcrdid the matter and tLe.l
( folly saved lhem
Margory had not once winccdi but Ra'
chcl did not take time to wink, and 30 came
out three pill. and a choke ahead Of hel
friend Whcn all were down they went ou
and sat down in a vacant lot near the house
1t was cool and pleasant under the fence
and they began to tell Indian stories. Sud
denly in the middle Of one NargeTy cx
claimed
"OhlI feel as ] Gid coming from Scot
land. wlea tie ship turned ovcr"
"Whal ais you5" said Rachel slowly
60 I guess IT., ,he ,reafio-I're been feeling
SOFT of-lorcsome in my siummick.'
II minute she knew exactly how Mar
gerry Gelt coming over seas, for herlonesorne
ness increased and she rapidly lost snap?
Margery. growing white and Whitor, slid
down fat on the grass, thon with groar
that seemed % come rom her little peggeC
shoes. became dreadlnlly sick, and Mis-
Winchester followed suit.
If,hey had swallowed the whole contents
of the doctors saddle-bsgs they could searce
" have suffered more. When it seemed
+ as if they must have thrown up not only th'
pills. but tie coats Of their stonschs snd al
their original sin, they got up and staggeTec
along by the fnce but we're soon forced it
drop down again.
I'm a-dyin'r' said SGargery. And
am alraid-I want my mother"
q" Amt it awful97 groaned Rachel. I've