Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-08-01

one of the bystanders, surveying the two
dilapidated figures but Mr.. Barney S
wrath was rising.
"What barrel? Who sent you here:
he demanded, angrily.
"Your rum barrel" answered Dilly,
standing her ground desperately, though
with little catch in her breath that was
just ready to break into sob. "Ma
works all the time, and she looks sorry (;
and we don't have any nice dinners at our
house, like Freddy Burrs; and no new
shoes, nor caps, nor anything. | asked
Freddy where our good things went to-,
cause they don't come TO our house, and
he said you had EN- down here in your
barrels. Please do take some of EN- out,
Mr.. Barney. Im sure it can't make
anybody's drink taste bit better TO have
poor little boys and girls new shoes and
dresses and everything in the barrel
"You're right there, Sissy; it's nigh
about spoiled the taste of mine, said
one of the group at the counter, putting
down his glass with queer perplexed
look.
But there was no perplexity in the bar
keepers look. That was wrathful.
We've had enough of this nonsense /!
Now you leave, you young ragmuilins,
as fast as your feet will carry you, and
never let me catch you inside these doors
again
He stepped toward them, as if to drive
them out, but the man behind the stove
suddenly arose.
"Take care, Barney You'd better
not touch them. You've knocked me
about often enough, but you'd best let
them alone"
There was a fire in the eyes under the
old slouched hat, before which Mr.. Bar
ney drew back.
Both children were crying BY that
time, but the father took hand Of each.
"Come, Dilly come baby" and, with
out word or look 10 his companions, he
passed out into TIE street.
II was Il very silent walk.
Toddles tears were dried as soon as the
stranger, whose loud voice had awaken
ed his baby terror, was ont of sight.
But poor little Dilly's heart was sore
with disappointment and fear. She had
failed in the scheme that she had thought
promised so fairly. No hood nor SHOES
had she seen after all her bravery in ver-
turing into that dreadful store; and ~io
could tell how angry her father might
be ;
She stole shy glances up under the
old hat, but she only saw sober down.
cast face, and he said nothing, not even
when they had reached home.
He hunted up some fuel and made
better FIRE: and then sat down before ii,
with his head between his hands, and
left the children to their own devices.
But two weeks later Dilly completed
the story, confdentially, to Freddy Burr.
"See here - she said, pushing the
toes of pair of stout new shoes through
the fence.
Where did you get en-" repeated
Freddy.
"My pa worked and bought 'em. and
brought EN- home and they didn't get
into nobody's," explained Dilly, with
great pride and little regard for gram
mar. Then she pressed her face against
the fence for a prolonged interview.
"You see the billenium has come to
our house
"The what: :" questioned bewildered
Freddy.
1.-The billenium. It's pretty long
word,' said Dilly complacently; "but it
means good times. Anyhow, that's what
Ma called it, and l guess she knows. 1t
was this way, Freddy Burr; When you
told me Mr.. Barney had all our nice
shings down to his store in a barrel, l
Just went right down there and asked
him for 'em-me and Toddles."
"You didn't" exclaimed horriied
Freddy.
"Did, too" declared Dilly, with an
emphatic nod. "Well, he wouldn't give
me one OF EN-, and he was just as cross
as anything. So. then my papa got up
from the stove and walked home with US.
He didn't scold bit but he just sal
down before the fire, this way, and think
ed and thinked. At last he put his hand
in one pocket, but there wasn't anything
there; then he put it in the other, and
found ten cents, and he went out and
bought some meat for supper. Then
when ma came home, he talked to her
and they both cried. Idon't know what
for, less it was cause we couldn't gel
the things out Of that old barrel. Ant
Il L. tL