The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-08-23
TAKING CARE OF THE BABY.

Yes, Nora is a bother.
don't mind taking care of Agnes one
bit, for she runs around and is real good
natured
But Nora can't walk yet, and I have
to carry her everywhere, and she cries
the whole time.
And the crosser | am, the more she
cries.
know I'm cross, but I don't mean to
be SO.
Well, last Saturday Jimmy jones'
grandfather promised me ten cents if |
picked cherries enough to fill two pals
for him, and Sam said he would help me
to do it.
Sam is my brother. He doesn't often
help me.
We did not want to take Nora with
us, so we slipped out of the back door,
me and Sam and Aggie.
But Nora saw US going and began to
cry. and mamma said l must take care
of her, because she was going to town.
so | lugged Nora across the street,
while Aggie carried the pals and Sam
weat on ahead, and made fun of me for
being so slow.
Ny! how hot and dusty it was!
sam was real good when we got to
the field, and went up the tree quick as
flash and picked lots of cherries.
Aggie was good, too, and helped me
ever so much, but Nora was as naughty
as could be.
She fretted and cried and swallowed
cherry-stone, and nearly choked to
death, and then she upset. the pail that
was all filled!
The cherries rolled all over every
where, and | was so angry I just slapped
her!
I did!
Oh dear! I am so ashamed when I
think about i'll
slapped our poor, dear, precious lit
tie baby, that | ought to be so good to!
The minute did it was so ashamed,
and ran off by myself and began to cry.
I was so sorry and some angry, too,
that I cried and I cried till fell asleep.
The first thing / knew, a great drop
of rain fell on my nose and woke me
up.
It was pouring and laundering and
lightning, and the wind was blowing
and there was an awful storm.
ran home and never thought of ba-
by till saw Aggie in the hall
" How'd you get home?n I cried.
'eMe ruined, said Aggie; ''And
see, me fixed your cherries all nice. 7
Where's NoraP" I cried.
Dunno" she answered, shaking the
pals.
"But where's Sam?"
'sDess he gone to Jimmy Jones
grandfather's garrett to play"
/ threw off my hat, because it was a
new one, and ran back to the field, for
I thought poor little Nora was all alone
out there in the storm.
It rained so hard it seemed as If my
bones must be wet right through my
skin.
l thought | could hear Nora crying,
but she was not there.
I looked under the blackberry bushes
and everywhere, and 1 called at the top
of my voice, but nobody answered.
There was a big black cow in the past
ure, and | thought perhaps he might
have eaten her. Oh, do cows ever, ever
eat little girlsa
Or suppose an eagle had flown away
with her, the way an eagle flew away
with a baby in a story read once.
| was awfully frightened.
thought Nora was dead and I had
killed her;
What would mamma saye
Twas most crazy.
Then it flashed across me that Sam
might have taken her with him.
He never does take the children any
where, but thought he might have
this once.
So / rushed over to Jones and up tt
their garret without stopping for per
mission.
| The garnet was empty.
As Iran by the stable, I saw SAM
feet sticking out at the window in tn,
hay loft, and climbed up the ladder
with my heart going fippity-hop, so
could hardly breathe.
And there, oh joy! there was Nora
sitting on the hay, as good as kitten
Sam says ought to have known h
would take care of the baby. Youth,
Companion.