The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1881-11-03

to his mind. Running to the era
die, he caught up the baby, scat,
tered pillows and blankets right ana
left, bundled an old shawl over her.
snatched her half-flled milk bottle,
dashed out of the house, and ran IN
the direction of that changing bell as
fast as his stout young legs could
carry him. The baby was light
little mite, only two-and a-half
months old, and Ebert was nearly
six years and large for mis- age.
He met two women whom he
knew, and who commenced to make
weak remarks, like ''Why Ebert"
and "What on earthr' but he
bounded past them, with no an
swer but his painting breath, and
reached the school-house in such
good time that the bell gave its last
two clangs just as he handed over
his funRy burden to the astonished
teacher.
Il couldn't leave her, and l
couldn't be late" he said, as soon
he could get breath enough to
speak. 'And she'll go to sleep and
be real good" he continued, as the
teacher began to unwind the shawl
And then the whole room saw a
surprised, half-smothered little ba-
by, still in her night-gown, one bare
foot sticking out, and her little fists
tightly clenched, as if defying any
boky to send her home.
The teacher was a good natured
young lady, and she laughed so
that she almost dropped the baby
on the floor, and then the whole
room laughed, and, finally, Ebert
Joined in; for he was glad he had
escaped the tardy mark, and the
baby certainly did look funny in
school.
Of couse there could be no order,
Nearly all the scholars had babies
at hoae, or were well acquainted
with those of their neighbors; but
they acted as if they had never
seen one before, and every move
ment of the little pink hands and
every turn of the small bald head |
made them scream with laughter, |
until the principal of the school |
came into the room to see what the |
disturbance was, and after trying to |
look severe for five seconds, he |
laughed too.
And, while all this fun was going
on, Elbert's mother was running |
wildly through the four rooms other
little house, calling her boys name
and feeling sure that the children
were either killed and thrown into
the cistern, or else carried off like
Charley Ross and lost forever. The
scattered pillows and upset rocking
chair, indeed, made the kitchen APP
pear as if there had been a struggle,
and the wide-open door and the gate
cracking to and fro had a dreadful
look to Elbert's mother. Just then
the women whom Ebert had met
at the gate, and said to the
mother, who was coming hurriedly
out:
as anything the matter, Mrs.
Colling"
"Oh, I don't know. where my
children arei | left them while l
lan-into Mrs. Browns minute, and
the kitchens all upset, and I'm
"Why, we just now met Ebert
with the baby, kiting along like the
wind, over there by Webster 81
Green's. Leastways we suppose it
was the baby, the way be carried it.
And he never"
"Merciful man! he's carried her
to schoolr'
About ten minutes later a fus-
tered little woman raped at the
door Of the first primary room and
for baby. 1t was handed
her, along with an empty milk bot
tie, and, wrapping them in a red
clock which she carried, she
thanked the smiling teacher and
walked quickly home.
At first she felt very angry toward
Ebert, but when she looked at the
clock, and remembered his horror
of being late, she sOftened toward
him considerably, and by time she
got the baby home, and found her
none the worse for her little runa
way, she had her laugh also; and
being a fair minded woman, she
told Ebert when he came home to
dinner that it was very thoughtless
in her to have staid so long at Mrs.
Browns. And Ebert gave her a
hug, and said he was "glad he
didn't leave the baby, cause she
might have burned up, you KIN ow."
4 Harper's Young People.