The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-07-05
!. What was Johnnie's DISGUST to

uIo'' W Htt was Oouuul6 ) disgust 10
have Miss Patty rattle off his own piece
as perfectly as he himself could have
done. She came home on the run from
school, laughing all the way. but |
think she felt little afraid that she
might get her face washed in the snow
ifJohnnie caught up with her.
"Mother," said the Modoc to me one
very cold day, ''Pat is going with me
pow to look at my traps" ''Why,
surely, not in this snow and wind; take
John, Jr." ''John don't want to 90.
Id rather have Pat" "But she'll
feezen go, you 'fraid little mother"
rst-spear; ''don't you see [ have on
Toms cap, Dicks coat and Harry's
dOgskin mittens? Then just look at
ny new boots" And away they went,
carrying the sunshine of childhood out
into the winter storm.
She celebrated her eighth birthday
lF skinning two sheep-poor little
things that died 'for want of breath"
md that the masculincs said were not
worth SHINING. The boys were away
With all their pocket-knives, so size did
tie work with table-knife not to be
armed aside by trilies, you see. The
Rsult added forty-fve cents to her pri-
late purse.
Shall own that what perplexes me
most is the way John has turned the
Fables on me. "Just look at your
l'dainty blossom, " said he one rainy
DAY, when she had volunteered to clean
out the drain below the stables-a job
the boys refused to do until shamed
out by her energetic work.
In streak of compassion for his
little tombOy, and remembering her
isolation from girlish companions and
sympathy, her papa one day invested
in a piano-harp, thinking, perhaps, that
music would have refining charms to
soothe the savage little breast. The
instrument when closed looks like fat,
overgrown sewing-machine without its
machinery. When opened, by folding
back its rosewood covers, dulcimer-
like arrangement of strings and letters
is disclosed over a sounding-b board. 1t
is operated upon with hammers.
When handled by its inventor, its music
suits me better thar any ever heard.
But with Patty the music begins
when she comes dancing in from her
great outdoor interests. Now I'm
going to begin to be q lady" and with
one kick of an agile foot she sends her
rubber-boot flying under the lounge,
another kick and its mate lands in the
wood-box. Her mittens are ''ired"
into some corner, and pulling at the
strings of her hood, which are tied in
fourteen hard knots, she slips them
over her chin, up past her nose, and
the hood goes flying, where she never
stops to see. (When she wishes to re-
place it on her head, she has only to
reverse the operation-poke her head
up through the neck of it, give her chin
& lurch forward, one twist Of the mouth,
and the thing is settled.
Tossing her hair OUT of her eyes, she
seizes the hammers, and really plays
several pieces very well; but with
energy enough to snap the strings, if
they were not of the strongest silver
steel wire. She brings the hammers
down as if she were cracking walnuts.
One of her papa's favorites is ''Katie
Lee and Willie Gray" At the third
Verse she always turns up her nose at
TWillie's words:
"Boys are strong and girls are weak,
| And III carry, so will,
katies basket up the hill. ="
At the next verse her face brightens,
and she sings with all the expression
she can put into her voice.
Katie answered with q laugh,
You shall carry only half;
| Then tossing back her curls,
Boys are weak well as girls
How this natural phenomenon will
turn out it is hard to say, as she is yet
but nine years old. She doesn't seem
to spend any time reading, yet she can
tell every story that has been published
in our LITTLE ones for the last two
years, and she knows the contents Of
her childish Bible-histories so well that
she can tell you something of nearly
every character named prominently
therein. Perhaps in this way lies her
salvation. Her eyes take in the printed
pages by sentences instead of words, it
seems, yet she remembers them, and
grasps the whole situation.
Mamma said she, and her face
looked sweetly solemn, ''do you know
the incest thing have read to-day? 1t
was about the baptism of Jesus. There
were the distant hills and the sparkling
river; then that lovely man, with his
kind face. But oh. that L0ceLy white
dove, with the sun shining on his feath-
ers, and the voice from Heaven. Do
you know what the voice said, man.
ma? 1t said, This is my beloved Son.
| guess if all those wicked men had
heard that voice, Jesus would not have
had such a hard time as he did. o,
mamma, promised Tom to water the
horse at six, and the clock is just strik-
ing"
1t is only about two hours since I at
tempted to get her into some of her
pretty toggery-I am so proud of her
looks when l get her liked up"
Her complexion is weather-proof. 1t
never tans or freckles, and is of that
dainty fairness that is seldom seen in
the families of Woodworking people.
Her hands are plump, with dimpled
knuckles, and long, taper fingers. With
perfect health, she is as erect and grace
ful as II young Venus. After bathing
her and kissing the sweet, white neck
and shoulders, manage to keep her
quiet while l comb the long golden haiI
which hangs in wavy masses to hel
| .,,o;et Rnt Nvhila ootobipor ,,ort of "a