Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-11-15
PEARL.

Listen, Iearl. ana nina all | say.
Yes, papa"
Can you take care of mother all
day?"
"of course l can, papa Are you
going away
Yes, sam and have to go after
those yearlings. But let everything
else go for mother, dear Always re-
member that. If she's the least bit
nervous toward night, don't leave her
moment, my bird, but let the ami
mails take care of themselves"
Pearl lived on the shores Of the great
Mississippi, far down. where Jack
Frost never gets very tight grip on
things, and let's go very early, as
Madam Spring comes smiling about
Her father was getting poorer and
poorer year 10y year. as his worn-out
land grew less productive with every
season of slack tillage. until he found
1t hard 10 wiring from it a living for
his small family. The stock dwindlcd
down to a few poor ill-kept creatures.
which looked rs if forlornly wonder
ing within themselves whether it were
really worth while to live or not.
Pearls father had something Of the
same look himself. which increased as
his wife grew weakly, and suddenly
sank into the condition of a gentle inva-
lid, content to be waited upon, with
out, perhaps, ever pausing to ask
whether she really stood IN need of it.
You may think Pearl must have had
very sad childhood. But she had
never known any other place nor any
other children, and was 50 happy in
her own bright. unselfsh little nature
as never to have suspected anything
depressing in her surroundings. Pearl
throye as nothing else on the place
throve, even under the burden Of care
which came to her too young show
ering back upon her mother so many
caresses and such loving care that it
would be hard to say which looked
most upon the other rs a child.
I'll get your breakfast. pet. Wait
till you see what I've got for you"
Pearl skipped about in great glee at
being left in charge all day, and after
the usual amount Of small fussing,
carried in the tray with a face full of
anticipation of her mothers delight.
"The first branch of Grape myrtle. |
found it peeping out in the sunny cor
ner of the old pasture. You dear little
mamma dozen kisses on her thin
hands-''if you could only 60 with me
TO see all the beautiful things But
Ill bring You every one. Papa
thought that he had found the first
magnolia bud the other day, Int I
won't take single taste Of egg. There
isn't enough for you"
"Just taste, little one"
Not one bit See what a great
strong thing am! You must have
the good things to make you well"
The lassie set her foot down. and
mamma never dreamed that there was
something almost heroic in the refusal
Of the tempting morsel, the little girl
having just turned away from her own
uninviting breakfast Of bacon and corn
bread.
"The river looks curious. mamma.
dear" she said, chatting over the Wild
flowers she was arranging on the table
as she spread their feast. 81 went
out into the boat to play. and, when
wanted to get out the water was be-
tween it and the shore, so | had to
jump"
"Why, Pearl, are you sure?'
eyes, mamma; and was afraid
couIdn get It in again; so / united it
and held the rope till 1t foated to the
little buoy, and then pulled IL in and
tied It. IL was hard work. too"
"Can the river be rising? | wish
they were not sway. daughter
The helpless woman looked out of
the window with troubled face. The
floods Of tho year before had done but