Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-08-11

-J O AoA UOocV ~
citedly. eve mast get things straight
ened before the school-bell rings. There
it goes" she cried, in dismay. "Oh,t
dear me! It's just as 1 expected. 4
kmow that Mr.. Donald hasn't given usI
half an hours incoming to-day"
"The mean old thing!" cried Nellie,i
Indignantly.
At that instant, without a moment's'
warning, the two great doors On either
side of the house slid to with a bang,
that brought six wildly palpitating'
hearts into six throbbing little throats,i
as the terror-stricken children stood in|
the awful darkness Of their prison.
house.
They were too frightened and aston-
ished to speak OF move for a moment,
and during that short space of silenceI
they heard a great, rough voice, just
outside, say: ,
81 can get a good big price for 'em
out West, where there amt no littlel
girls. I'll couple this. ere night-carI
right on to the engine, an take 'em off
afore they're missed"
And then the stnew home' began toi
move along the track, slowly at first,
but gaining rapidity at every turn Of
the wheels, and a wall of anguish,i
which was simply terrific, went up from
the entire family within.
Dot apd Nellie danced right up and
down, and screamed at the top of their
voices, tossing their chubby hands.
about in a most frantic manner.
Sallie and Fay lifted up their voices
in a dismal wall of anguish. Little MINI
ME dropped on her knees, and began toi
say: CHOW I lay me-" getting it sadly
mixed with "Oh, I want my mammal!
While Mary threatened her captor'
with every conceivable manner of VEN.
geance if he did not release her at once;
but her terrible threats were drowned
by the united voices of her sobbing chill
dren.
"Oh, what shall we dop What shall
we ever do?" cried Nellie, in despair.
II s'pose he's goin' to sell us to the
people who eat up fat little girls-and
what will our alnm do then?" sobbed
Dot.
Then followed another burst of un-
comfortable grief andlamentation, loud-
er and longer than the first, in the midst
of which the giants heart must have re-
Tented, for n of the great doors slid
suddenly open, letting in a flood of sum
Gght-letting out six sorrowful little
girls, with tumbled clothes and tear
stained faces.
They did net wait to find the STEP,
but jumped out in such. reckless haste
that they fell upon each, other in a be-;
wildering heap of Observation-Disclosures
es, from which protruded six pairs, Of
small shoes struggling to. extricate their
owners from the heaving mass. This
was, finally accomplished, and just ast
the second reading class were taking
their places on the recitation seats, six
forlorn little objects lied into the school,
room. ,
But their troubles were not at amend.
To be sure, they had lost all of. their
household goods; had bruised them
selves dreadfully in their fall from the
car; had soiled and torn their dresses,
so that an explicit explanation must bel
rendered at home; but the most terrible
part was yet to come. They fully ret
allied this when Miss Birch babe them
stand in a line. and await Mr.. Donald'sf
verdict. Trembling with apprehensive
f~orebodings they stood there, while thel
copious tears flowed afresh. 4
At length they heard his step in the
hall, the step which they feared at anyI
time, but which seemed like a knell of
doom as they awaited his coming.
He entered the room, heard their pitt
full story, and then their punishment!
began. !
Mary, being the Oldest, was placed.
foremost, and the rest directly behindi
her, in a line. /,
Forward, march!" said the principal,
in, q voice of stern command; and thet
melancholy line advanced.
Mr.. Donald stood at the door, leading
into the hall, and as they passed him. he
administered a singing box on the six
left ears turned toward him. He then,
marched solemnly in advance, and led
them up the stairs into the august pres
ence Of the young ladies and gentlemenl
Of the school, after which he again took
his station at the door, and admins
tered a box of equal severity on the si9
right ears.
The little culprits then took their
seats, with hot cheeks and hotter ears
as reminders of their offense.
For days afterward they took no,in-
terest in play-houses Or games, but
would 90 away by themselves and,talk.
over their dreadful adventure, and sur
mise and wonder what terrible things.
would have happened to them if their
captor had not finally relented and set
them free.-RuM Hartwtck,. IN Golden.
Days.