St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-05-05
What Came to DiIIy's House.


usual, and her little, red hands clasp
ed behind her back. The three or four
small toes that peeped out through her
ragged shoes were red, also, for the au-
tumn day was cold but Dilly was used
to such tritles. Toddles, the baby, who
could not climb the fence, contented
himself with looking through. He was
bundled up-in an odd fashion, of Dill
ly's own inventing-in an old shawl !;
and, if the round face that peered be
tween the fence rails was roughened by
the chill wind, he, like Dilly, had
grown accustomed to such discOmfOrts.
1t occurred to Freddy Burr, i'll the
next yard, however, that their situa-
ton was scarcely agreeable. He look
ed up from the stick he was trying to
split with his new hdtchet, and asked
"What makes you sit up there such
day as this ? Why don't you go into
the house and keep warm p
'"Cause I'd rather stay here and
watch you," said Dilly, serenely.
'Tain't no fun i'll the house"
"Well, | wouldn't think it was any
fun out here, | can tell you, if | didn't
have a warm coat and scarf and these
thick boots" remarked Freddy, dis
playing the pair of red-tops, that were
his pride.
Dilly looked at them, and an old,
vague wonder awOke AS she did so,
and grew more distinct, until, present
ly, it took shape in words.
"Why don't | have such things, too,
Freddy Burr-shoes and new clothes
and something to wear on my head ~
"Cause your father drinks 'em up, .
answered Freddy, promptly, and with
out the slightest hesitation in disclos-
ing the truth.
Dilly pOndered moment and us
promptly denied.
drink such things. Where do you get
yours ?"
"My father buys 'em for me; and
the reason yours don't get any for you
is cause they all go into old Barney 5
rum barrels, down at the corner.
That's the way of it, true as you live,
Dilly keene; and it's awful mean,
too !" declared Freddy, growing indig-
nant, as he explained.
Then voice from the pretty house
beyond called Freddy; and he ran in,
while billy and Toddles, with their
amusement of watching ended, turned
slowly away. billy surveyed the baby
and herself thoughtfully, and sat down
upon All old log to mediate. If what
Freddy Burr had told her was true,
something ought to be done about it ;
and the longer she pondered the more
fully she became convinced that she
had heard the truth.
"Cause other folks has things and
we don't, and it must be ours 90 some
where else she reasoned. ''They
can't be any good there either. Pm
just sure they can't. Mebby I've got ii
hOOd-mebby it would be nice red
one, pretty and warm. Wish | had it
now. Wish TOddles had"
She stopped, us IA brilliant plan flash
ed suddenly through her brain.
Wouldn't her mother be surprised, if
she could do that-pOOr mother, who
was out washing, and who would be so
tired when she came home, at night.
"Toddles, let's do itr' she said,
sprlnging up, eXcitedly. Lets go an
see if we can get some of 'em."
"Gah :" answered TOddles, content
edly; and, taking his hand, Dilly
opened the creaking gate and led the
| way uOWn tle street.
There were IL number of men in the
store ut the cOrner-a queer store,
with il curtain across the lower half of
its front window. billy saw them
when the door opened but she was
a determined little body, when once
she had decided upon the proper thing
to do. So she only clasped Toddles'
hand closer, and walked in and up to
the counter, making an extra effort to
speak distinctly, because her heart
beat so fast
"Please, sir, have you got anything
of ours a-soak here 2"
! There was an instant's silence, and
then Il shout of laughter from the men.
"Well, now, that's Il neat way of
putting it. Hey, Keene, these young
Sters of yours want to know if Barney
has you in soak here 2"
An old slOuched hat behind the stove
was raised little, but there was no
other sign that the man heard. Dilly
shrank back abashed.
"Oh | didn't mean him."
"What did you mean, then p asked
IA coarse, redfaced man, advancing
from behind the bar and speaking in
tones not at all gentle or amiable.
''ShOes and coats and such things,
faltered Dilly. "HOods-I'm afraid it's
spoiled with the whiskey; but mebby
ma could wash it out. Wouldn't you
take some of 'em out of your harrel,
Mr.. Barney? We need 'em awful
bad"
81 should think as much," muttered
one of the bystanders, surveying the
two dilapidated figures; but Mr.. Bar
ney's wrath was rising.
"What barrel Who sent YOU
here ?" he demanded, angrily.
"YOur rum-b barrel" answered Dilly,
standing her ground desperately
though with Il little catch III her breath,
that was just ready to break into "a sob.
"Ma works hard all the time, and she
looks so sorry and we don't have any
nice dinners at our house, like Freddy
Burr's; 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 'em down here in your bar
rels. Please, do take some of 'em out,
Mr.. Barney. Pm sure it can't make
anybody's drink taste IA bit better to
have poor little boys and girls new
shoes and dresses and everything III
the barrel"
you're right there, Sissy. It's nigh
about spoiled the taste of mine," said
one of the group at the counter, put
ting down his glass with queer, per
picked look.
But there was no perplexity in the
baTkeeper's look. That was wrathful
"We've had enough of this nonsense
Now, you leave, you young ragmuffins,
as fast as your feet will carry you, and
never let me catch you inside these
doors again"
i Hn stnnnnh tnunrd tInr, o. Il L,