The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1884-09-04
now JOHNNY BOUGHT A SISTER

Charley little while? It's very whishi
Ill he"
Almost every fine afternoon Mrs.
Dingle heard something like this from
the pretty-fRccd boy who came around
the corner of the house to her nursery
on the broad piazza. And Mrs. Dingle
would smile very hearty answer to the
MAY /? ali over his face she always
seemed to have so much more time TO
smile than any other grown up people
Johnny knew say.
Come right along here, you poor
little darling. and have jolly time with
the children"
Johnny thought that piazza the most
delightful place in the world. There
were rugs and cushions and hammocks
and a rOcking-horse and baby-iumper
and swing, and toys and picture
books without end. And so much fun
and so much laugh thai Johnny al
ways forgot his promise to be whisht
the very first thing. But nobody was
expected to be quiet on Mrs. Dingle's
piazza.
II was when he got back on the home
side of the hedge that the stiffness set
tied over his little face. The birds
seemed to twitter in q half whisper, the
evergreens to hold up their fingers in
warning the very trees whistled a soft
whisht-whisht as they swung in the
wind. And Bridget would be sure to
meet him with the caution he heard so
much Oftener than any other;
''Whisht now, like an iligant by,
an niver be dishturbin' yer mother, al
she ten times shmarter an more
KNOWN intirely than any other lady
livin'p'
Johnny knew his mother was writing
n book-a very learned book, too. for
Bridget had told him 80 at least fifty
times. And he was as proud of it rs
she told him he ought to be, but could
not help sometimes thinking that if it
were not so very fine and grand thing
he would little rather she were more
like Mrs. Dingle, in which case she
would surely have time to laugh and
talk with him sometimes, or take him on
her lap and kiss and shake and tickle
him till he would run away and hide,
when she would try to find him, and
cry behind both hands because she
cOuldn' t. Or he wished she could let
some one run up and down stairs with
him 20 make a little noise in the silent
rooms.
His papa never spent much time at
home He was very quiet, too, and
Johnny knew he had lost a good deal of
money in his business. So he was not
at all surprised at the answer his moth
er gave HIM one day ut dinner when he
said:
Mamma, wish could have little
sister. Why can't lP''
"A sister. Johnny? Well, I'm afraid
we can Z afford it Just now. What do you
want of n sister,"
"Oh, to play wis me and to say, Hove
'ou, like Charley's little sisters. It's
very nice IL would be, mamma"
Mamma laughed at his way Of talking
like Bridget. Then she turned TO some
sheets of written paper which were on
the table beside her, and Johnny finished
his dinner without saying ANYTHING
more, for he knew he must not disturb
her, and then asked;
map
" Yes. BE SIRE you behave we'll Do
you always say good afternoon, and ask
If it's convenient"
Yes. mamma" And johnny went
out on tip,Oe. His father looked up
over his paper
Il wonder, Laura, if the little fellow is
lonelyP lie has such a subdued air for +,
a child. Perhaps he needs more stir.'' |
" Bridget takes very good care of |
him, and keeps him very quiet" said |
looking after his little figure !
as he walked sOberly under the tree in /
the back yard, pausing n moment to /
iondle lovingly neighbours stray kit /
ten, and then disappearing through the /
hedge. Next day his papa handed him !
TWO pieces OF red pasteboard, saying:
Tell Bridget TO take YOU to the me- 4
gh 10,
keys and the ponies"
Johnny got Bridget to spell out to |
him every word on the tickets.
Say that again." he said, as she
read the last line on one of them.
a. Children half price, :"
Does it say thatP'
Sure it does. "
Does it mean for little girlsP"
Eyes, an little b'ys, toO.'
land how much is half price?'
"Twinty-tive cints."
Pm sure that's cheap" said
Johnny t. himself. land I've cot n
quarter of my own" He sat Thinking
20 long and So hard that Bridget had \
plenty OF time to iron her ruffied lawn,
and by the time she was done the
grand plan he had in his head and the
determination TO keep il a secret even
rom Charley Dingle made him look
% much more solemn than usual that
papa feared his attempt to stir Johnny
lp was going to prove failure.
At the menagerie Johnny laughed
With the rest at the comical little
but kept on the keen lookout
or something ia the way of sister.
md was glat to see so many little chill
iren about a pretty, wee lassie, held
IN her fathers arm, smiled down ut
him rs he smiled up at her, and made
10 objection when he gave her some
PEANUTS and took her soft little hand.
lie always found it hard 10 talk to
trangers, but at last ventured TO say
O the gentleman:
I'D like to buy her for sister, sir.
low much money could YOU sell her
orP''
"Why, my little man, think she's
worth about a million dollars, don't
CUP"
- Yes, do" said Johnny, frankly.
'ut feeling a little Discouraged; land
hats a great deal moro than twenty
i've cents, / know, so it's myself can't
NY her"
Il wouldn't stop at little difference
aid the gentleman, smiling very kind
V, 'sonly / really don't care about sell
ng her, for there's n little boy like
on who thinks he wants her for his
ister."
johnny did not wonder at that
iridget lsd him further on.
..Oh-uuchi' he suddenly cried, put
ne his hands on his head and looking
D 70 SEQ who could be treating him 50
0ughly'