The National tribune., 1883-07-05
BRAVE LITTLE KATIE,
And How She Saved Brother Phil and
the Midway Mill.
by ada Carleton Stoddard.l

lBy ada Carleton Stoddardl
"HURRAHi"
The door flew open with bang as Phil Pay
son burst into the little room where his mother
and his sister Kate sat sewing, his face flushed,
his eyes shining, and his cap swinging high
over his head.
"Give three cheers, mother! Dance like q
dervish, Kate! I'm going to be night-watch-
man in Mr. Medway's mill, at fifteen dollars a
month. Oh, mother amt you glad ?"
Very glad indeed" answered Mrs Payson,
and for moment she looked pleased enough
to satisfy PhiPs highest expectations Then
her face clouded.
"But your school, Phil dear; I can't have
you leave that
i don't mean to, mother said Phil, earn
estly. "It's all fixed just right. I'll study
| nights-it will help keep me awake, you know
and Miss Cary is going to hear me recite
every afternoon at five o'clock. She offered to-
mother. Oh, mother, do say you're glad,
really !"
Mrs. Payson pulled her tall boy down, and
kissed him tenderly on both glowing cheeks
AS for Katie, she was literally on tiptoe with
delight. She was little brown gypsy, with
/ dark eyes full of fire and fun.
GOOD for Miss Cary" she CRIED twirling
| lightly around on her toes. Isn't she just
| splendid?"
"She is very kind" said Mrs. Payson, smil-
ing; and l am glad, Phil, more glad than I
eau tell you. How came Mr.. Midway to give
you the place? 1t is a very responsible posi-
ton, you know"
YES" said Phil, and he blushed and hung
his head. Squire Deems recommended me,
mother. Mr.. Midway said he told him / was
a very trustworthy boy. Pm sorry l said such
hard things about him."
Pm sure he deserved it, Katie flashed
! forth, $ for advising mamma TO put US out =
| that is Just what he said-when-papa--we
away, and offering to find good homes for us.
The ideal What would home be without
mamma? and what would she do without us,
| I'd like to known"
"What, indeed" echoed her mother. AZ
| can't tell, Katie. But Squire Deems thought
he was acting for the best. He has been very
kind all through our trouble, and | am sure it
washis influence that procured Phil this situa-
| tion."
But it's mean for Phil to do it all" argued
Katie. 81 wish could do something"
Phil wrinklcd his nose at his sister and
| laughed.
I'm the man o. this house." said he. "You
and mother are ladies, Katydid. don't mean
you shall do much more sewing for people"
My fifteen-year-old man." said his mother,
| laughing too; but there were tears gathering
| in her eyes.
And Katie dimpled, and relapsed into swift
| gravity.
81 know what can do, PHIL she said, GO
| ing close to her brother: / can hold up your
! hands the way somebody in the Bible did. l
can see the mill from my window, and every
night-every night, Phil, before l go to sleep,
/ shall ask God to take care of my brother; and
every time Pm awake shall look down at you,
so you needn't feel lonesome"
Something of the guardian angel style"
| laughed Phil, trying to joke away the moisture
he felt creeping into his eyes. You're trump,
Katie; but of course that's all nonsense-the
| looking out you know"
Katie wasn't sure of that, however, and she
meant to do just as she said if it were. She
| would feel as if she were somehow helping
| Phil, and that would be a comfort. Their little
| dwelling, though ON the same side of the river
| as the mill, was above it, and around wide
bend; and so the long low structure under the
| river-bank was in plain view from the window
of Katie's little chamber She kept her word
faithfully; and once or twice every night she
| would creep out of her warm nest to the Win
dow, and look down across the bend to the
mill. Often, not always, she could see PhiFs
light shining out of the engineered and
sometimes she watched it go from window to
| window as Phil went his hourly roundsnpyer
the mill. As for Phil, am sure that, though
he would hardly have acknowledged it, the
lonely place, where his nights were passed
| seemed far less lonely to him when he remem-
ing from her window and thinking of him.
So month passed by and Phil performed his
duties to Mr.. Medway's entire satisfaction.
There were some, indeed, who considered him
much too young for his post and did not hesi-
tate to say SO. But Mr.. Midway always an
| swer'ed with smile:
well, Squire Deems recommended him, and
guaranteed / wouldn't be sorry hired him.
Pve tested him all times O. night; he's always
| wide awake and about his business. He does
the work of man, and I get him ten dollars
on months hire less"
Which was very true and Mr.. Midway ought
to have blushed for it, though, to be sure, Phil
was more than satisfied with what he received.
Il am only two-thirds of a man yet" he
said to his mother, laughingly. I'm lucky to
get the place. There are enough more who
would be glad to take it,
He kept well up with his classes too, he was
SO ambitious. Miss Cary declared she was proud
of him to Katie, and Katie's heart sweled with
| joy to hear it.
One day early in March something happened.
Mrs. Payson was taken suddenly and violently
| i'll. Katie, terrified beyond measure, could do
nothing but rouse Phil from his sleep; and
when the boy, startled by his sisters white
scared face, had brought the doctor, he felt as
though he could never sleep again.
There was no great cause for alarm, however.
It's bad attack of cramp" DR.. Daley said,
with a re-assuring smile in Katies direction.
You're doing just right. Apply hot cloths,
and keep them hot. The spasms will ease away
| in little time"
TWAS not until nearly night-fall, neverthe-
less, that Mrs. Payson became perfectly free
from pain and quite herself again. Then Phil,
| light-hearted enough and whistling merry air,
took up his lunch-baske and his books and
| trudged off to his work. Katie, troubled, fol-
lowed him to the door.
I'D get some one else tonight, Phil" she
said. You have always been used to sleeping
all day. What if"
But Phil laughed, and opened his dark eyes
to their utmost. "Tm as wide awake as an
OWL" said he. "I couldn't go to sleep if 1
| wanted to. See"
Katie laughed too at the comical, strained
expression On PhiPs face. But she couldn't
help feeling little anxious as she went slowly
back into the house. Suppose Phil should go
to sleep, and Mr.. Midway have notion to visit
him, as he often did, Katie knew, what sad
thing that would be for them all, and how
dreadfully Phil would feel!
1t would just break his heart, I know" said
she to herself. But of course he won't"
Katie's prayer for her brothers welfare was
much longer that night than usual; and, once
in bed, she tossed and tumbled, only to fall at
last into an uneasy slumber. More than once
before the little clock on the sitting-room man
tel struck ten she sprang to the window and