Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-11-09
BESSIE AND THE JACK o. Ian.
TERN.

IEKNs
Bessie's papa and mamma were
spending year In Europe. and Bessie
was staying with her grandparents in
tho country. She had been in the
country every summer Of her life. but
never had seen the great bare hills COW
cred with snow. nor walked in the pine
woods on n smooth, icy crust with
snow. birds twittering in the lonely still
ness. and the sunbeams creeping in 20
glitter on the iciclcs that hung like
necklaces on the bushes before. She
had never been up before daylight in
the morning to 60 by the light of a
lantern. which somehow seemed like n
glimmer from fairyland, to the barn,
with Joe TO feed the sleepy cows and
impatient old Dobbin. The light of the
lantern always started the hens on their
perch, and the ROSTERS would begin to
crow with such delight that one would
think all they cared for in the world
was to have il morning. She
never had been tucked away
in n great bung with all the chill
dren in the neighborhood on n snowy
morning. and carried to school
by Dobbin-bells jingling and the boys
shouting all the way. She had never
taken long. delightful rides into the
woods on JOc's Ox-sled, nor coastcd
down long. steep hills, nor popped corn
over the Goals in the fireplace, nor
made the kitten play vito the shadows
of the freight, nor had she eaten
roasted apples and hickory and butter
nuts while Abby, the hired girl. told
fairy stories Of an evening. But now
she was enjoying all these delights, and
wondered why people didn't go into the
country to spend the winter instead of
the summer
But sometimes there was n little dull
spot in her existence. and that was on
evenings when grandpa read his news
paper and would not be cOaxed TO look
up from It. and grandma got drowsy
over her knitting, and Abby and Joe,
who were said TO be counting, though
Bessie didn't know what that meant,
would 60 out early 20 spend the evening
with Abby's mother. or sit by the kitch-
On lire and talk with each other without
paying any attention To- her. Abby
wasn't always willing TO tell Gender.
ella or Jack, the Giant-Killer," by
any means. Even the kitten. who wa,
n fat, funny little thing. would some
times refuse TO play on these evenings,
but would curl herself into a little
round ball on the hearth-rug, anC
try to go TO sleep, and Carlo,
the great Newfoundland dog
would good-naturcdly go through
with all his tricks once or twice
and then subsido into n meditative
mood, from which Il was impossible tc
arouse him. Carlo was getting old and
enjoyed meditation more than frolics
80 all that Bessie could do would be tc
sit and wish that IL was eight O'Clock,
which hour was her bed time.
But IN her aunt's house, which wa.
only n little ways around the corner nj
the foot of the hill. things were delight
fully different. There were six children
in the family, and such romps as they
INDUCED in before bed-timel Abby
had taken her there two or three time:
IN the evening, and sometimes she wen
by herself in the afternoon and stopped
to tea, and either Joe or Abby would
come for her just before the clock strucl
eight. But Bessie was never willing e
go home mt that time. She would pla,
until midnight II she were allowed L
do so, and eight o'clock would alwayl
come In the midst of some charming
game, or just before the end Of one O.
Cousin Jcnnie's prettiest stories, anC
she felt like n very much abused indi
vidual when Abby insisted on takinf
her home and whiSking her of to bed.
One dark, cold night, when the fros
was so thick on the wibdow-pane thai
one could hardly get peep out-of
doors, and few flakes of snow wer,
flying about in the bitter air, Bessie wa,
seized with a stronger desire than evei
10 spend the evening with her cousins
Tor Tommy, one Of the boys. had an
nounced that he was going to make I
" Jack o. Lantern" and Will asked hel
very particularly TO come over, saving
that II she could come, they would hay.
n "candy-pull."
Now II there was anything In this
world that Bessie enjoyed, IL was I
candy-pull;" not that she cared mucl
for IL by herself in grandma's kitchen
but only with n merry party Of boys anC
girls who enjoyed Il as much rs she did
And then she did wish so much to Sc,
the Jack o Lantern" for never II
her whole life had she set eyes on sucl
athing. and she had been told that the,
were very funny. But she knew that |
would be Of no use 10 ask grandma
she might 90. IL was such a very col,
night. Then Abby had n sore throa
and could not go with her. Joe wa
very busily engaged In mending bar
ness which must be ready for use in tn
morning, and grandpa was hardl,
able 70 stir with an attack of rheuma
tism. So Bessie ate her supper Il
silence and with = very doleful littl
face. Grandma noticed IL, and pro
posed that they should pop some corn
there were such nice Goals In front O
the fireplace, and told her that sh
would show her how she used to pop
when she was little girl by covering
up In hot ashes.
But Bessie wasn't interested in corn
popping Just then. She said that sh
was tired OF popcorn and wished sh
had some one to play with. Then sh
scratched little bit of the frost ava,
nom the window-pane and peeped on
OF doors. and. fit was dark, Il SCENE.
very cheery. and not bit what Abb,
called pokerish. A red lantern wa
flashing along the road. There was
sound OF distant Sleigh-bells, and til
wind was blowing merrily. A suddel
idea flashed into her raind. She mi0h
s.eai out OF doors and run down 10 Aun
mary 3, and no one would know A thin,
about IT, She would wait until GRAND
ma got asleep over her knitting In u