Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-11-08
PEARL.

Listen, Pearl, and mind all I say"
'Yes, papa"
Can you take care of mother all day 2"
"Of course L can, papa. Are you 60
ing away?"
Yes; Sam and have to go after those
yearlings. And like as not auntie won't
be home till tomorrow"
What cozy time mamma and 1 will
have"
"And, Pearl, if should not be home
till late, can yon call old Snow into the
stable. and push down little fodder for
herr"
Yes. papa, and I'll get the chickens
in, too."
But let everything else go for moth
er, dear. Always remember that.
You know L will, papa"
Her words were as earnest as his own
as she ran after him for another kiss i;
and he added, as he laid a braid Of her
pretty hair against his lips.
"1f she's the least bit nervous toward
night, don't leave her moment, my
bird, but let the animals take care of
themselves"
Pearl lived on the shore of the great
Mississippi, far down. where Jack Frost
never gets very tight grip on things,
and lets go very early, as Madam Spring
comes smiling about. Her father was
getting poorer and poorer year by year,
as his wOrn-out land grew less prOduc .
tive with every season of slack tillage,
until he found it hard to wiring from it
it living for his small family.
The stock dwindled down to a few
poor ill-kept creatures, which looked as
if forlUrnly wondering within them
selves 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 weak
ly and gradually sank into the condition
of gentle invalid, content to he waited
upon, without, perhaps, ever pausing to
ask whether she really stood in need
of 1t.
You may think Pearl must have had a
very sad childhood. But she had never
known any other place nor any other
children, and was so happy in her own
bright, unselIiSh little nature as never
to have suspected anything depressing
in her surroundings. Pearl throve as
nothing else on the place throve, even
under the burden of care which came to
her too yOung-showering back upon
her mother so many caresses and such
loving care that it would be hard to say
which looked most upon the other as
child.
''Pll 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 for all day, and, af-
ter 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. l
found it peeping out in the sunshiny
corner of the old pasture. You poor
dear little mamma'-a dozen kisses on
her thin ds-"if you only could go
with me to see all the beautiful things
But I'll bring you every one. Papa
thought he had found the first magnolia
bud the other day, but l had seen it the
day before, and never said a word. No,
l won't take single taste of egg. There
isn't enough for you"
Just taste, little one"
Not one bit. See what great strong
thing am! You must have the good
things to make you WE'LL
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 aud corn
bread.
"The river looks curiously, mamma,
dear" she said, chatting over the wild
flowers she was arranging on the table
as she spread their feast. II went into
the boat to play, and when l wanted to
get out the water was between it and
the shore, so | had to jump"
"Why, Pearl, are you sure?"
"Yes, mamma; and | was afraid
couldn't get in it again; so l united it
and held the rope till it 1oated to the
little bayou, and then l pulled, it in and
tied it. 1t was hard work. too"
"Can the river be rising? l wish they
were not all away, daughter"
The helpless woman looked out of the
window with Il troubled face. The
floods of the year before had done but
little injury in their neighborhood, the
land lying much above the river level.
But she knew that it was due to the
strength of the levees many miles above,
and remembered having heard people
say that they never would stand another