The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-02-26
THE STOLEN PILLS.
A True Story.

"kittenchism," and was not bit
ashamed Of it. Rachel and Zephaniah
lived with their grandfather, doctor
in Albany.
Rachel had a friend, Scotch Margery,
with wide-Open blue eyes. One day
she came to see Rachel, who could not
play until she finished her ''stint:" five
rows Of knitting around a sock.
Then they went around to grandfath-
er's Office to see him get ready to 90
away. Being forbidden ever to enter
without permission, they sat down on
the doorsteps with Zephaniah and
looked in.
1t was charming place. A dusty,
hOllOw-eyed skull sal on a shelf, and in
! the corner was q chest holding-no-
body knew what---which was awful, you
know. Grandfather was making up
powders. getting ready "blue mass
assafetida and "green and yellow
mixtures for his circuit around the coun-
try. Before he put them into his old
leather saddle-bags he looked over an.
other wallet that made shivers run up
Niah's spine. Here were nippers,
pinchers. cutters, clashers, scissors,
tooth pullers and nose-wringers. Re-
Numbering certain poor tooth in his
possession, Nah now arose and "melt-
ed into the distance" as artists say.
Tue little girls sat still until grandpa
went away. When his big horse, Thun-
der, had kicked up cloud of dust and
hid his long legs in it, Rachel Winches-
ter, the small Puritan, whose ancestors
came over in the MAY Flower" she
forgot all the good in both catechisms
and said:
"Margery Campbell, let US 90 in"
''But your gran'ther said we mustn' t.
"That's just why want to. What
is the use Of always behaving we'll:
Let's peek around a little bit-Niah's
out Of the way"
Margery consented. In they went
First they opened queer little drawers
full OF cloves, spice, slippery elm ant
alum. Then they took hold of hand.
and took q respectful view of the skull
"What is in the inside of ii when il
is inside Of ,s?" whispered Margcry.
"Why, nothing! The skin and hal
cover its outside and then it is hollow
that is why your head rings when 70,
get your ears boxed" said Rachel.
"Where do our brains be?'' aske,
Margery.
"Oh-why--in our eyes, certainly
AS soon as you see something you begil
to think-your thinker is your brains
you know. Grandfather explains suc
things to our family"
1--WE haven't got any grandfather.
"Oh, we'll, knew this without mine,
said Rachel, arrogantly.
They poked their fingers into every
; thing sweet, sour, sticky or in any wa
. mysterious. They smelt of variou
poisons and, for q wonder, did nc
taste. They put their tongues, how
ever, to laudanum bottle and the
, sputtered wildly into the air. At !as
, they found q nice clean vial full {
! pretty white pills. They examined
! with deligb'.
q "Now, just let's take the tin cup
water" said the cnterprising Rache
h land swallow first one of these, an
! then drink and then q tuther, and st
. which can swallow the most!'
Margery agreed, and at it they wei
n n "A pill--a drink--a pill-a drink
v pill-a pill-a pill-until the vial ",
empty. Now you have often heard tn
4 our Puritan foreiathers were very tho
Ough-well, so were our little for
mothers.
= Perhaps If these children had n
a taken so many, l might have had
= end my story with dreadful accom-
"a of their funerals; as it was, they owe
20 did the matter, and their folly save
a them.
Il Aiargery had not once WINGED; b
Il Rachel did not take time to wink, al
Q so came out three pills and a chol
q e ahead of her friend. When all we
!. down they went out and sat down in
;. vacant lot near the house. 1t was co
!. and pleasant under the fence, and tn
began 10 tell Indian stories. Sudden
70 in the middle of one Margery e
~ claimed:
r '.Oh! feel as I did coming fro
d Scotland, when the ship turned over
"What ais you?" said Rachel, slowl
n II guess it's the sDeather-Tve be-
Ie feeling sort of-lonesome in my stul
" mick.7
JE minute she knew exactly ho
Il Masgery felt coming over seas, for h
D. lonesOmeness increased and she rapid
lost ''snap.'
Margery, growing white and white
y slid down flat on the grass, then with
groan that seemed to come from her