The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-08-23

to take off the sheets She didn't
know how to talk the American
language very well, but didn't blame
her. OF course, French people have to
/ learn to talk, just like babies. But she
was pretty girl, and l supposed she
was q great deal better than Liar. She
told me one day that she could say her
prayers in French, and so j never
thought of her stealing those rings
not then.
] That night night lost them-she
was there in the hall, and | was coming
along, waltzing a waltz. She set down
! her broom and pail, and took those
rings and put them on her little finger.
/ j let her do it. And she said: 30 my!'
and kept smiling.
/ remember it was in the evening and
1 l had just come up from playing in the
public parlOr, and l had on my
+" MISUNDERSTANDING" dress and an
orange in my hand. And l remember
l asked her: Does your little sister
that you told me of wear curls?" And
she said: "No; she don't ever does. -
l That was the best Lena could talk.
Then she gave me back the rings,
and | was going right to bed, so | put
/ them in the box on the bureau-Or
! thought 1 did-and Lena stood at the
door and looked at me the whole time.
/ There was pink cotton i'm the box, and
! the sweetest picture on the cover. Then
/ auntie set up the screen between the
J bed and the light, and / undressed and
| went right TO sleep.
How / did sleep! I'd been playing
blind-man's buff, and l slept ever so
late. Liar came in and fixed the fire,
and Lena came in and brought the
| towels; but l never opened my eyes till
/ heard auntie and Cora laughing about
me. Come, you little sleepy girl, -"
said auntie, and she kissed me on both
cheeks. / never once thought about
the rings, but got up and let her curl
my hair. She said: This is Washing
toms birthday" said she; and curled a
curl and laughed, for Cora was SO
hungry waiting. .rr
And l remember how it rained; hards
or than it does now, ever so much. And
after breakfast Cora and / stood by that
beautiful window and looked down to
see the soldiers parade. They didn' t
mind the rain dripping on their pretty
caps and uniforms and white gloves.
First, they put out one foot and then
they put out the other foot, all at the
same time, to the music. Cora said it
was like wooden dolls with Joints in
their knees.
She'didn't see that i hadn' any rings
on my fingers. and didn' t see it myself.
We were watching the soldiers on the
street, and the people on the pavement
following on after the soldiers. The
4 people all had umbrellas. You couldn't
see any heads at all; all you could see
was umbrellas.
We wanted to dress up our dolls like
soldiers. They were all girls and
wore Kate Greenaway dresses, but
auntie said they could be woman 5
rights soldiers Just the same; and she
made some shiny black caps, and
we tucked up their cUrls, and so cum
ming and brave as they looked!
Afterwards, / remember auntie went
to the Eext room to read to old Mrs.
Locke, and l waited for her; and Cora
went down to lunch. But 0, the mo-
ment Cora was gone, thought of those
rings and went to the box on the bU-
rCau. But Just think, grandma, they
weren't there! There was the pink
cotton in the box, but not a ring to be
seen.
] A perfectly awful feeling went over
me. / know-I turned pale, for l had
to pour my handkerchief wringing wet
, with cologne. Why, You just think.
Did yOu ever have anything so terrible
happen to y0u? Why, those rings cost
more money than l had in this world!
And Cora's grandfather gave her the
! red ring, that died.
= | hunted and hunted, under the bed
and under the rugs, and pulled the
drawers all out. And l knew papa
would have TO pay for them, and he'd
think / was very expensive! He would
have TO cure ever so many sick PEG
pie and ride in the night for days
aud tweells to pay for those rings
Specially the beautiful red one witt
white currants round it. And she
thinking so much of her grandfather
too, l knew she'd never forgive me
but ALWAYS 90 around with her heaC
! thrown back; and how l should feel
/ wished then I'll obeyed auntIe anC
not borrowed what didn't belong to me
II was Just awful to have auntie know
it, l wished | needn't be obliged tC
tell.
She came in from reading to that ole
lady, and l was crying on the bed
; First | wanted to say was crying abou
my silver mug that Baby GriswolC
dented all up, striking it against tn,
gate; and so l was-a little. l coulC
always cry about that! But my truly
tears were for the rings, and | wOuldn'
= let myself be so mean as not to tell the
LIuNn- BeSltteSs l. WduBeu aunUo TO nell
me find them, you know!
When I told her, she said: ''Ah
! little Mary, SO you've been borrowing
again.
/ knew she was disp!eased, becaus,
: she was so cool in her manner. asked
l her t. ''please not blame me-" said ]
and told her i was sure Lena haC
J stolen the rings, for she knew whar
they were and saw me put them in tn,
! box. oh, little Mary, is that all tn,
reason you have for saying SOP" sal,
, she. You shouldn't make a remarl
like that, unless you know it to b.
! true
But do know it, auntie, said
, Lena always admired those splendi,
: rings, and when she came in this morn
\ ing with the towels and found me asleep
: she could take them as well as not.
! always thought she had a hOrrid face
, she looks as if she'd steal! "
: l spoke so sure and certain that l eX
: pected auntie would ring the bell 70
; Lena, and | was going 10 hide under tn
) bed when Lena came in. But instea,
she only stood there and said: - o
little Mary again.
, Then she talked about the Colder
: Rule. Was it kind to s'pect people,
, she said; was il right?''
II \ 80 L : l.,