The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-02-22
BARBY.


always liked Barby.
She was such a Jolly, laughing,
mcrry-eyed girl; though her great,
brown eyes were sad enough, when she
first came TO live with us, after her
mother died
Poor Rarbyl She was an orphan, in
deed. then; for her father died when
she was n baby Girl, and her mothers
love was all she had ever known. Tut
that love was, oh! how deep and strong
for the little girl who had her father
eyes and ways; and it was with many
tears and prayers that she was given
into my mother keeping. For Barby's
mother and mine were sisters.
l don't suppose every one would
think Barby bcautirul; but / did. Her
mouth, sometimes so tender and gentle,
seemed to yean for love-thats the
way it looked when she came to us with
her black dress on. Sometimes il
curved and compressed the least bit, as
if she were, like Saul, head and
shoulders above all the rest o. the
world; that $ the way it looked when L
ducked her kitten in the pond minute,
just for fun. tell you her eyes shone
fire then, and | should have expected
her TO pounce upon me and tear my
hair out, only Barby never makes fuss
about anything; she lust stood and
looked 1T me, until / felt about rs Zig
as my thumb. and then pick ed up the
shiverng little kitten and walked away
rs regaly as "a queen. l was thoroughly
ashamed then. Fan (she is my sister,
would have cried and called me every
thing hOrrid, and told mother, and Gre
ated general row, which would not
have been half as bad. But it was diff
fercnt with BarDy.
/ po1tIIp't fool uuitn y-iUbt somehow
that afternoon, though l went fishing
and whistlcd merry tunes; I couldn't
help thinking how good my little cousin
was TO do up fingers, pick out slIyers and
help hunt my ball
l remembered, too, how the day be-
fore she had helped me weed the gar
den, so | could go over and see the big
match ball game Mt the Villages for
father never would have let me gon e
with those weeds i'm the garden
So along in the afternoon | found
Barby out in the wild grapevine, swing
ing and singing softly to herself:
Home, Sweet Home" The gc1llc
look was on her face and, when she
saw me coming, she smiled brightly and
said: where have you been, Teddy,
all the afternoon2 / have been awSully
lonesome. Fan is shut up in her room
with one of her heart-rending novels
half a mind to run away"
Been in sackcloth and ashes,' l
replied, with a very downcast air. She
gave me one quick look, then burst into
merry laugh
mo such thing, you naughty boy;
YOU We been fishing. ] see the fish,
in your pocket and let me add, those
sorrowiul contortiuns of the fa. e are
neither genuine nor becoming. But
I. 81. Ii
good boy to my Kitten
"TroWce me with a lish-polc if l am
not" [ said. rolling my eyes up into
my head. And then we both laughed
and went to hunt the nest the old goose
had stolen.
But what wantTo tell You about is
the brave way in which Barby acted,
winter before last, and how she saved
my life. The river ran near our place
and il was u splendid season for skalug.
Oh! how Barby loved to ate, Father
had bought her a pretty seal skin sacque,
and She made as bright "a picture as any
one would wish TO see. skating as grace
fully us "a bird and almost rs swiftly.
No one could pass Barb if she irTs
girl and she could make the pretty
fourishcs on the ice as well as the best
of us. How her eye, would shine,
those winter days, and her brown hair
would l'uttcr at her throat, How her
cheeks would glow until they seemed to
make the ribbons pale! l never shall
forget one afternoon of that winter;
every little detail seems fastened Ou-my
memory.
II was unusually bright the snow
covered everything, ''like angels wings
lowering Ser the COVERS Barby said,
while dreamy look was in her eyes.
We were in the siIting-room when
she spoke, Fan, Barby and /, a room
bright with Barby' house plants, Fan $
worstcds and the cheerful fire. "Oh,
what girl YOU are. Barhy, to be always
saying odd things sad Fan, drawing
her knit shawl closer. 4" am horribly
chilly and that great stretch of snow
makes me shiVcr What an idea, any
way, angels Wings How did that
get into your hcad2'
Barby leaned up against the window
and looked out with haltcloSed eyes.
She seemed to speak partly to herself.
for her voice was very low: "Such
thoughts help me, some way she
said; "mav be angels whisper them.
/ suppose, if il were not for our duh
hearing, we could really hear angels
wings rustic in this room, perhaps my
mother s ~
Fan star,el and glanced hastily
dIOuuN. -'Ntns DoIfOIS. baEDNs WHAT
ghostish talk; you make me dreadfully
nerN Ous.''
why, l thought it was angelic talk,
Fan with a little laugh--and then
so5erly: Tho Bible says, YOU know:
The angel of the Lord encampeth
round about them that lear Him. and
delivereth thcm.' That thought quiets
my nerves in the most irving times"
though of these words days after
Il don't think you viii live long,
Barb -" Fan said. with a puzzled look.
But with her quick, Jolly laugh, Barby
replied Il won't die of nervous COM
plants, or fear OF ghosts, Fan. -
e But, Teddy, what are you doing? l
didn't think it possible for you TO keep
still so long"
Trying to digest your spiritual talk;
didn't know but you would put on an
extra pair OF wings and try lying" L
said. grrmly.
I'D prefer to try skating, and hum
BILE you a little by gettingahead Of your
fine, new skates"
"Oho! am glad to see little Of