The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-08-23
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE: WASHINGTON c. THURSDAY

could get some of your morning glories. /
want some awfully bad to grow up my pole"
'.Of course, take all you want answered
Rachel, more surprised than ever, as she
thought of his conversatory and flower beds at
home. Perhaps he saw something of the sur
prise and SO explained, knocking his trowel
bashfully against his basket:
Il always did like morning -glories, and Pve
got to have 'em for my pole"
"IIl come with you" said Rachel, running
down the steps toward the trellis where the
vine hung its clusters of purple and pink.
"And please take all you want. suppose they
may be nice for pole, but other flowers are
prettier," observed Rachel as he began digging.
They're just the thing for pole" agreed
Tom, eagerly. "There isn't another vine like
SO well, especially for pole"
And then, when the vine was safely in the
basket, Tom drew some silver from his pocket,
dumped it into the hole the vine had made,
and before Rachels astonished eyes began COW
ering it up
"Tom Taylor, you shall not do it. You'll
lose it. won't have it; and as he seized his
basket and started she unearthed the money,
and started after him, shouting wildly.
Tom was forced to stop. 81 want this vine,.'
he answered, turning square around; but if
you won't let me pay for it like business
won't have it-nary Bit" and he put down
his basket and looked very stern and business
like.
But" began Rachel, quite awed by this
dignity
mo butts about It, I must plant this fore
school. Good-by;" and off he ran, leaving
Rachel quite bewildered.
At first, of course, she protested that she
wouldn't keep the money-for anything she
wouldn't. But after family council on the
matter, it ended in very joyful journey to a
certain store Just around the corner.
Ii Tom could have guessed the happiness
which had suddenly bloomed from the vine he
was that minute training over his pole, won
der if he would have called it bad bargain
Mother smiled off the anxious look, and John
ME- after examining the leather critically,
| worked of his ecstasy by standing on his head
a full minute.
| If l had time I might tell you about the
"Ex." They were all there. Minnie with
| her pillows, and Johnnie with shining face
and painfully slick hair, occupying front
| seat.
| No matter now that the neat cambria was a
| trife short, for when Kentucky Belle" was
announced Rachel forgot everything but the
! beautiful story.
| Perhaps you remember it-about the young
wife from Tennessee going with her husband
to the prairies of Ohio, how she longs " for the
| sight of water the Swallowed slope of hill,"
and about her husband who goes to the coun-
/ try town to sell the first load of hay. Morgan
| y.
She hides her Kentucky Belle in the bushes,
the dear old horse brought from the bluegrass
| country of Tennessee. One of the men fright
ems her by stopping End demanding drink.
| But he is only a blue-eyed laddie, worn and
| sick with the terrible marches He tries to be
brave, but when she tells him she too is from
| Tennessee, he faints and falls. Before. he is
conscious Morgan's men are galloping on, and
| the Michigan cavalry in wild pursuit. She
| tha how inu thav an
| you believe it?-brings out her pretty Ken
| lucky Belle, clothes the boy in a suit of Con-
| RAIDS, and guides him to the southwark. When
| he is gone, and nothing is left but the ragged
suit of gray and the dropping horse, she falls to
crying, and Conrad finds her so. How could
he blame her when she says it is all for Ten
nessee? But she hears from the boy she has
saved, and Kentucky Belle, who is thriving
down in the old bluegrass
AS the story was told in RacheTs sweet SYM
| pathetic voice, the audience grew more and
more quiet until, with the last words,
"Ah, we've had many horses but never q horse
like heri"
they burst forth with the most nproariou:
clapping you ever heard. As for Johnnie he
came very near one of his prize somersaults
and Tom-Tom clapped as if he had an undis
puted right to.
This was what Rachel said when she had
survived the congratulations and was safely
home:
How little Tom Taylor knew what he did
| for meih
- {" had to laugh to think how surprised he
would have been to know about your shoes
coming from his vine," added Minnie, sInii
ing.
When Ton had demurely listened to Rachel:
praises at home that night he just pranced of
to his room, where he could chuckle it out By
himself, and declare in the face of the mirror
Thomas, that's a joke worth havin'-eh, my
boy ?"--Harper's Young People.