Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-07-17
DOLLARS PARACHUTE.

"P-ar par-a-c-h-u-t-e, Uncle Harry,
what's that? a parachute?'
GA big word for little girls tongue,
Dollie. Come, LETT me see fit has twisted
it crooked"
NV six-year- old niece gravely put forth
the desired organ, as gravely pronounc-
ed it sound and straight.
"But want to know, Uncle Harry, !"
she persisted
So | took the young lady on my lap, and
explained as well as could, the mysteries
of the parachute, and the beautiful brown
ewes grew bright with wonder at the
new ideas thus presented to her lnqulr-
ing mind.
Nv story finished, Miss Dollie sat
awhile on my knee in deep thought; and
then she got down and trotted off with a
preoccupied, business-like air.
l loved a good cigar in those days.
do now for that matter-and sitting smok-
ing on the portico, with the sweet sum-
mer breeze dancing around me, the wood
land songsters filing the air with music,
/ forgot Dollie-thoughI had promised to
keep an eve on her-until suddenly start
ted Dy a series of screams and outcrles
proceeding from the garden, sure lndl-
cation that the mischievious little monkey
had got into some sort of trouble, as usual
ly happened on an average twice a day,
at least.
threw away my beloved cigar, and
rushed out to the scene Of the turmoil,
my sister closely following, but neither
of US, must confess, were prepared for
the sight that met our view.
There was tall grape arbor in the
garden, composed Of several upright
posts connected by long Stats, nailed
longitudinallY, and projecting foot or
more beyond the uprights at either enc.
There were fifteen of these Stats, foot
apart, and on the end of one Of the upper
most ones hung Miss Dollie.
She was suspended somewhat in the
manner of a penknife with the blade
partly open and the point turned down
ward, and as she swung to and fro, filling
the air with lamentations, her poor little
nose received many blow from the fran
tic plunges of her knees and feet.
"Keep still, Dolhe," cry out, my voice
full of laughter.
And then l clambered rapidly up the
arbor, and plucked the terrified child
from her elevated, impromptu swing,
landing her safely on the ground.
dolly" said her mother, severely,
"haven't 1 forbidden you to"
''It's all Uncle Harry's fault, so it IS, !"
sobbed Dollie, in doleful accents. ''He
said person could Jump off a high place
and come down easy if they had a para
chute, so l thought I'd try, and l went
and got his" -.
"SIine? have none, you little goose!"
/ cried out.
"You has, Uncle Harry; you take it to
keep the sun off when you go to draw
pictures, and to paint
ooh, see you mean my artists UNI
brella, little LADY, That is not para
chute at ALL"
ats not an umbrella" cried Dollie,
Indignantly; cit is big, and strong, and
heavy, and you put it in a pipe and stick
it in the ground. got it, and first got
up on the fence and jumped down, and
bumped so hard it most took the bref
out of me- Then l 'membered Uncle
Harry said the air must get under it; and
so l climbed up to the arbor and jumped,
and-and l didn't go at all. Just look at
my hoopsklrt, mamma-lt's all Uncle
Harry's fault-just look!"
Mamma did look, SO did the much
abused uncle, and both fell into fresh
commissions of laughter.
1t was the fashion in those days for the
little feminines, as well as the big ones,
to wear stiff, rattan hoopskirts Dollie
had been very proud of hers, the first of
the kind to her, and now, alas, having
served as a hook to suspend its owner in
mid-air, it presented a woe-begone ap-
pearance-rattans twisted and broken,
and trailing behind in a decided peak.
Altogether it was too much for my
gravity, and lay down on the grass to
laugh at my ease, while my sister carried
off the much offended Dollie to restore
some dilapidated clothing.
1t was some time before l recovered
sufficiently to go to the rescue of my i'm
promptu parachute, which, meanwhile.
was reposing quietly in blackberry
bush.
The next day was like many of it's pre-
decessors, warm and observation-disclosures
too beautiful, in fact for we are getting
and felt that we could heartily join in the
cry of the dropping plants for clouds and
rain.
We had had three weeks of oppressive
ly hot, dry weather, but to-day was con-
siderably cooler there was brisk breeze
and few floating, feecy clouds gave us
some hope that a change of weather was
at last approaching.
"Lou," said to my sister, as we stood
on the porch together after breakfast sit
really looks as if it might rain sometime,
and perhaps l had better not postpone my
sketch any longer. I'll go now; and
while saddle Fleet, and get my port
folio and Dollie's parachute ready, do
put me up some lunch, like the dear,
good sister, you are. shall not be back
before night
And thus it happened that an hour