The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-05-15
TABITRA, THE BED.WRENCH.

z
en- bed-wrench leaning against beam.
1t was about twelve inches high, and
had two round arms stretching straight
out each side. 1t stood on two stiff feet,
and when Janet came in sight of it, it
struck her that it looked tired and dis
pirited, as if it never had good times.
"You poor thingr' she exclaimed,
chow lonesome you look! do believe
you are sort of dolly. May be you
were grandma's doll when she was lit
tie, and you've been here ever since. l
mean to play with you myselfr'
So she lifted the queer wooden shape
up tenderly, busted it off, Rugged it a
little, and then began to think about
dressing it.
There were plenty of pieces of old
calico in grandma's rag bag, and little
Janet was learning to use scissors and
needle, so there was no reason why she
should not 90 to work at once.
She ran for her little basket, and
coming back sat down by the garnet
window, where dusty sunbeam slant
ed over her shoulder.
There she cut and fitted, and with
long uneven stitches sewed her work,
till before long her wooden doll was
clothed with white. petticoat and Il
green calico dress.
"Oh, how nice you do lookr' said
Janet, rapturously. Tomorrow I'll
make an apron!"
Then finding stub of 4 lead-pencil
in her pocket, she laboriously marked
eyes, nose and mouth, on the side she
had chosen for the face.
''Now, I'll make you house." said
Janet, ''up here in the corner of the big
clock, and it shall be my secret play
house. And I'll name you a real old
fashioned name, dolly, Il name you
Tabitha, after grandma"
So she found an old stool for table,
and arranged little home for Tabitha,
who now stood very straight and proud
in her finery, with quite an expression
on her face.
80 you darling Tabithan' exclaimed
Janet 81 do really love you, you are
so nice! I'll come up here every day to
play with you, and bring cookies and
apples, and have tea-tablep'
Tabitha looked very smiling, and
when she was laid to rest on a sofa
folded shawl in box. certainly APP
peared quite different from the forlorn,
awkward creature of few hours be-
fore.
And now she became little Janet's
most cherished pet and friend. She
had checked apron made, and a
wooden bonnet, and was assisted to walk
about on the garrett floor.
It was she who was told when Janet
discovered where grandma kept the
raisins; and it was she, Tabitha herself,
who was allowed to stand al the garnet
window and watch the neighbors come
up the path when grandma had the sew
ing-society.
1t was Tabitha alone who was told
when Janet found where the cat had
hid her kittens, in the waste-paper bar
rel, and when few days later two of
the kittens were missing, and the hired
boy Jim was seen coming from the di-
rection of the river, it was TO Tabitha
that Janet rushed for sympathy in her
first burst of childish grief.
But Janet had never taken Tabitha
downstairs. She was her secret treas
ure in her secret playhouse, and though
grandma and the auuts knew that the
little girl played up garnet a good deal,
they were too busy to be curious about
her quiet amusement.
At last, however, it was house-clean-
ing time, and beds were taken down,
windows washed, and carpets shaken.
Janet was sitting in the kitchen with
her spelling-book, when grandma called
Oat:
"rm ready to tighten my BEDFORD.
Where's the bed-wrench? Janet, run
up garnet and bring the bed-wrenchr'
Janet ran up garnet willingly, but as
she did not know what a bed-wrench
was, her search was hopeless one from
the beginning, and she went down with
out il.
Don't know bed-wrench when you
see it!'' exclaimed Aunt Sue, impatient
", and she went alter it herself.
But she was gone SO long that grand
ma grew tired waiting, and sent Uncle
Silas to hurry her.
Uncle Silas was a young uncle, MOI
more than sixteen, and when he reached
the garnet where Aunt Sue was moving
things about, his black eyes soon caught
sight of Tabitha, standing smiling b.
the tall old clock.
"Har' he exclaimed. "Those arms
that head! | have seen them before.
Sue, Sue, don't you know a bed-wrencl
when you see it!''
He caught Tabitha up, and taking he
downstairs, whirled her triumphantly
/ in the air.
Here's your bed wrench, mother
dressed for party!' he said, merrily
swell, neverip exclaimed grand
ma. ''Do take of all that trash''
But Janet had heard, Janet haC
turned around, and she sprang forward
catching Uncle Silas' arm.
Its my own dolly!'' she cried. ''It'
Tabitha. Don't hurt her, Uncle SilaS
don't touch her elothesF'
/ GsWeII. thara nowI'' said grandma