The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-09-06
HOW JOHNNY BOUGHT A SISTER.


sGood afternoon, ma am. Is it I'M
veniept to me to come and play wis
Charley little whilep It's very whisht
I'll be-"
Almost every fine afternoon Mrs.
Dingle heard something like this from
the pretty-faced boy who came around
the corner of the house to her nursery
on the broad piazza. And Mrs. Dingle
would smile a very hearty answer to the
''May I?' all over his face-she always
seemed to have so much more time to
smile than any other grown-up people
Johnny knew-and 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 rocking horse and a baby jumper
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.
1t 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 a half whisper, the
evergreens to hold up their fingers in
warning the very trees whistled soft
whisht-whisht as they swung in the
wind. And Bridget would be stfe to
meet him with the caution he head SO
much oftener than any other:
"Whisht now, like an iligant by,
an niver be dishturbin' yer mother, an
she ten times shmarter an more
KNOWN intirely than any other lady
livin'r'
Johnny knew his mother was writing
a book-a very learned book, too, for
Bridget had told him so at least fifty
times. And he was rs proud of it as
she told him he ought to be, but could
not help sometimes thinking that if it
were not so very fine and grand a thing
he would little rather she were more
like Mrs. DiDgle, 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 to make 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 good deal of
money in his business. So he was not
at all surprised at the answer his moth
er gave him one day at dinner when he
said:
Mamma, wish could have little
sister. Why can't lP'
"A sister. Johnny? Well, I'm afraid
we can't afford it Just now. What do you
want of sister?"
'Oh, to play wis me and to say, Il love
'ou, like Charley's little sisters. It's
very nice it 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: ..I.t
MAY l go over to Charley's, NAM
map"
"Yes. Be sure you behave well. Do
you always say good afternoon, and ask
If it's convenient"
"Yes. mamma" And Johnny went
out ON tiptoe. His father looked up
over his paper.
II wonder. Laura, if the little fellow is
lonelyp He 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
mamma, looking after his little figure
as he walked soberly under the tree in
the back yard, pausing moment to
fondle 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-
nagerie and show you the little mon
keys and The ponies"
Johnny got Bridget to spell out te
him every word on the tickets.
"Say that again." he said, as she
read the last line on one of them.
49, Children half price "
''Does il say that?"
C,.,o e Hnaa