St. Landry democrat., 1883-08-04

| SCRUBBED WIN an Olu CaSU-aWbY broom.
until, as Susie remarked, '''twas plenty
clean enough to eat off FROM
"And, oh my! Just the cutest little
shelf for our dishesn' said Dot, as she
| placed them carefully in a row on a
beam which extended across the end of
| the house.
cts the incest house ever did see,"
exclaimed S,.llie, drawing in long. de-
lighted breath.
| BY this time the household goods had
all been conveyed to the new house,
and lay in piles of confusion on the floor.
"Now, do work spry, children said
the busy mother. brushing about ex-
citedly. eve mast get things straight
ened before the school-bell rings. There
it goes,'' she cried, in dismay. ''Oh,
dear me! It's just as / expected.
knoU that Mr.. Donald hasn't given us
half an hours incoming to-day
1.-The mean old thing!'' cried Nellie,
Indignantly.
| At that instant, without a moments
| warning, the two great doors on either
side of the house slid to with bang.
that brought six wildly palpitating
hearts into six throbbing little Threats,
dS GuS GtIIOI-SClIChCH oLOOu IL
the awful darkness of their prison.
| house.
They were too frightened and aston
ished to speak or move for moment,
and during that short space OF silence
they heard 6: great, rough voice, just
outside, say:
81 can get a good big price for 'em
out West, where there amt no little
girls. I'll couple this ERE night-car
right on to the engine, an take 'em off
afore they're missed. y
And then the s'new home" began to
move along the track, slowly at first,
but gaining rapidity at every turn of
the wheels, and wall of anguish,
which was simply terrific, went up from
the entire family within.
Dot and Nellie danced right up and
down. and screamed at the top Of their
voices, tossing their chubby hands
about in most frantic manner.
Sallie and Fay lifted up their voices
in a dismal wall of anguish. Little Min
ME dropped ON her knees, and began to
say: "Now / lay me-" getting it sadly
mixed with .sOh, 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.
sob, what shall we do? What shah
we ever do?' cried Nellie, in despair.
~ s'pose he's goin' to sell us to the
people who eat up fat little girls-and
what will our mamma do then?" sobbed
Dot.
Then followed another burst of I'M
comfortable grief and lamentatfon, loud
er and longer than the first, in the midst
of which the giants heart must have re-
Tented, for one of the great doors slid
suddenly open, letting in a flood of sun
ight-letting out six sorrowful little
girls, with tumbled clothes and tear
stained faces.
They did not wait to find the step.
but jumped out in such reckless haste
that they fell upon each other in be-
wildering heap of bright-colored dress
es, from which protruded six pairs of
small shoes struggling to extricate their
owners from the heaving mass. This
was finally accomplished, and just as
the second reading class were taking
their places on the recitation seats, six
forlorn little objects filed into the school
room.
But their troubles were not at an end.
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 be
rendered at home; but the most terrible
part was yet to come. They fully re-
allied this when Miss Birch bade them
stand in line. and await Mr.. Donald's
verdict. Trembling with apprehensive
forebodings they stood there, while the
copious tears flowed afresh.
I At length they heard his step in the
hall, the step which they feared at any
time, but which seemed like knell of
doom as they awaited his coming.
He entered the room, heard their pitt
full story, and then their punishment
began. FL
Mary, being the oldest, was placed
foremost, and the rest directly behind
her, in line.
Forward, march!'' said the principal.
in a voice of stern command; and the
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 gentlemen
Of the school, after which he again took
his station at the door, and admins
tered box of equal severity on the SIX
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