, 1883-08-25
BRAVE LITTLE KATIE.
BY ADA CARLETON sToDDARD.

"Hurrah |"
The door flew open with a bang as
Phil PaysOn burst into the little
room where his mother and his sis
ter Kate sat sewing, his face flushed,
his eyes shining, and his cap swing
ing high over his head.
"Why, Phil ~
"Give three cheers, mother! Dance
like dervish, Kate Pm going to
be night watchman in Mr.. Medway's
mill, at fifteen dollars a month. Oh,
mother, amt you glad ?"
every glad indeed" answered
Mrs. Payson, and for moment she
looked pleased enough to satisfy
PhiPs highest expectations. Then
her face clouded.
"But your school, Phil dear;
can't have you leave that"
81 don't mean to, mother" said
Phil. earnestly. "Tts all fixed Just
right. I'll study nights-it will help
keep me awake, you know-and
Miss Cary is going to hear me recite
every afternoon at five o'clock. She
offered to, mother. Oh, mother, do
say you're glad, really ~
Mrs. PaysOn pulled her tall boy
down, and kissed him tenderly on
both glowing cheeks. As for Katie,
she was literally on tiptoe with de-
light. She was a little brown gypsy,
with dark eyes full Of fire and fun.
"GoOd for Miss Carey" she cried,
twirling lightly around on her toes.
"Isn't she just splendid ?'
"She is very kind" said Mrs. Pay
son, smiling; "and / am glad, Phil,
more glad than can tell you. How
came Mr.. Midway to give you the
the place? 1t lisa very responsible
position, you know"
"Yes," said Phil, and he blushed
and hung his head. esquire Deems
recommended me, mother. Mr..
Midway said he told him l was a
very trustworthy boy. I'm sorry
said such hard things about him."
'Tm sure he deserved it," Katie
flashed forth, "for advising mamma
to put us out'-that is just what he
said-when-papa-went away, and
offering to find good homes for us.
The idea ! What would a home be
without mamma ? and what would
she do without us, Pd like to know"
"What indeed ~ echoed her moth
or. 81 can't tell, Katie. But Squire
Deems thought he was acting for the
best. He has been very kind all
through our troubles, and l am sure
1t was his influence that procured
Phil the situation"
"But it's mean for Phil to do it
all, )" argued Katie. 81 wish / could
do something"
Phil wrinkled his nose at his sister
and laughed.
"Pm the man o. the house," said
he. "You and mother are ladies,
Katydid. l don't mean you shall do
much more sewing for people"
"My fifteen-year-Old man," said
his mother, laughing too f; but there
were tears gathering in her eyes.
And Katie dimpled, and relapsed
into swift gravity.
"I know whatI can do, Phil" she
said, going close to her brother: 81
can hold up your hands the way
somebody in the bible did. can see
that mill from the window, and
every night-every night, Phil, be-
fore go to sleep, shall ask God to
take care Of my brother; and every
time Pm awake shall look down at
you, so you needn't feel lonesome. "
Something Of the guardian angel
style ?'' laughed Phil, trying to joke
away the moisture he felt creeping
into his eyes. "You're trump,
Katie but Of course that's all nom
sense-the looking out, you know"
Katie wasn'tsure Of that, however,
and she meant to do just us she said
If it were. She would feel as If she
were somehow helping Phil, and
that would be a comfort Their lit
tie dwelling, though on the same
side Of the river as the mill, was
above 1t, and around wide bend ;
and so the long low structure under
the river bank was in plain view
from the window of Katie's little
chamber. She kept her word faith
fully; and once or twice every night
she would creep out Of her warm
nest to the window, and look down
"A ~