Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-11-14
ALIENS CHOICE.

It is not pleasant to wear ragged
dresses when one is old enough for
pants, and it isn't very nice lot to have
any shoes, and nobody would like to
stay home and take care of baby when
all the other BOYS were playing ball.
Whenever Allen Maclntyre got into
a temper about all these things, his
mother would only say, sadly: ut will
have to be done. 1t will have to be
done, sooner or later"
.'NNhat will have to be done.
mamma?:' Allen demanded one day,
when he had been naugAtier than usual,
because tho boys called him "Miss
Nursey'' nd."Little Girlie'' and "Beg-
gar-Boy.'
= ''Why, we will have to go away in
the steam-cars, tomorrow" said his
mother, "to q beautiful place in the
country where three dear old ladies live,
who want you for their little boy,
darling, because trey have none OF their
own"
Allen listened breatblessly, while his
mother held him tight in her arms and
the tears streamed down her thin
cheeks. What was there to cry about:
"You will have nice things to play
WITH" she went on.
"And q pairof pants?" gaspcd Allen.
eyes; and plenty of good things to
eat"
ooh, and not take care of Baby any
more? Goody: Goodbye
Allen was fairly wild with delight.
He wanted to start that very minute,
and all night he kept waking up to ask:
us it morning yet?"
The wonderful ride in the cars was
all too short for Allen, who had never
been out of Newark before. They
stopped at a lovely little town and
walked right up to a lovely little house,
and there were the three funny old
ladies on the piazza waiting for them.
$50 you have decided to give us your
little boy at last" said the first one.
81 am very glad you have, said tho
second.
$50 am IT, said the third. "And
this is the little boy! Oh, the darling!."
Then followed q great kissing and
pctting, and the oldest little Old lady
had her pocket full Of. p%eppermints, and
the next a beautiful picture-book. and
the third three little puppies to show
Allen.
elf they Amt just like rats!" he cried.
''See them, mamma! Why, where is
she?" and he looked a~nxiously at the
three little old ladies', who looked
%anxiously ut him, but did not speak.
Then it flashed across Allen that these
wicked people meant to separate him
from MS mother.
81 want my ma-a-a-ma," he scream
cd. leaving the puppies and running for
the door. But Miss Carrie. the oldest
OF the little old maids, caught him in
her arms, and they all began promising
niln presents.
"a beautiful new pair of pants,' said
Miss Annie, the second little old lady.
"And q whole box full of candy"
said, Miss Jennie, the youngest.
'And a handful OF pennies"
But Allen died not want their pennies
nor their candies. ''Where is nv
mamma? l will have my mammal
he cried.
81 am your mamma now," said Miss
Carrie.
"And me too,' said Miss Jennie.
"Nc too" said Miss Annie.
you are not!!' cried Allen, indiy-
nantly. "You naughty, wicked lie
people! Let me go.."S
But they would not let him go.
they took him into a pretty room
where a lunch vas spread on 4 table,
and for one moment Allen forgot his
inconsistencies as Miss Carrie spread a
muffin with Jelly, ard Miss Annie
heaped a saucer full cf raspberries, and
Miss Jennie cut y big slice of cake tor
him.
Suddenly he burst out crying. ooh,
how Baby would like some cake! [
want to take Il piece OF cake to Baby..'
''Iou will eve have to take care of
Baby any more. Won't that be nicc?"
said Miss Carrie.
"No, it won't!'' sobbed Allen. 81
want my Baby. / 7oue to take care CT
ter," and he cried so that the old ladies
trottcd him Off to take q nap, saying he
was tired out.
There was a little white bed in a
pretty room for himself alone, Miss
Carrie said, but Allen was not to be
consoled. and sobbed himself to sleep.
He woke suddenly, and found Miss
Carrie sound asleep, too, for it was a
sultry afternoon.
A wild thought darted THROUGH
Aliens mind. He would run away
Sliding of the bed, he tiptoed down
stairs, and paused q moment by the
dlnlng-room, as he heard Miss Annie
say: ''Oh, he will forget all about his
mother, before long,
"Of course he will,' answered Miss
Jennie, 'if we never let him see her.
Forget about his mother, indeed. His
dear patient, kind mo her!
Allen rushed out of the house. and
down the street to the station. Ha
thought he could walk along bv tho
railroad. until he came to Newark. So
he trudgcd on in the blazing sun. hot
tears running down his cheeks at the
thought OF forgetting his mother.
Late that night, Mrs. M~aclntvre sat
IN her drcary cottage, trying not to be
lonely when she thought OF the bcarti-
iul nome where she had lie t her LITTLE
son 'They will be kind and good TO
hlm' J know" she thought, sadly, and
ne vii! grow up to be a line YOUNG cen.
tleman, ashamed OF his poor old
mother" o''
Just then. there came a LAUNDERING
rap at the lnnr onI lol.1l