Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-03-14

another breath on that child-not ha4
Jehoshaphat put his spectaeles into
place, smoothed the folds Of his um-
brclls, and trudged along eomicaF
| shadow of Sir Percival. Presently they
met an old woman with a basket OF po-
tatoes. She was a very old woman,
and she walked with a lettering step on
the ice. Just as they got up to her,
she slipped and fell, dropping her
basket, and scattering her potatoes far
and wide.
"Oh! my lands! Oh! mercy mer she
began to cry. They're all there is for
dinner; and I did nigh abou: break
every bone in my body"
Tom stepped over her with his hands
in his pockets.
"Hillo!" said. Jehoshaphat, .'here's
one!"
But Tom paid no attention. He was
just then thinking of the brave Lord
Somebody who rescued the beautiful
Lady Somebody-else from robbers. ia
h%oshaphat helped the old woman up.
picked up the potatoes for her, and
then ran after his brother. After
awhile they came to the top of q Hill,
which sloped down to he pond. Sud
denly Tom struck an attitude, and
started to rum. He saw q maiden-a
fair maiden. it might be.-prostrate on
the snow. alone and helpless. She had
fallen; she might be hurt. He hurried
up to her as fast as his feet could carry /.
him.
81 am at your SERVICE" he began.
with a profound bow. But he stopped
short in the middle of his sentence, for
it was nothing but a little girl putting
on her skates. Moreover, she was u
very homely little girl, with red hair and
a freckled face. Neither was she a very
polite little girl, for she said:
II don't want you. What are you
here forp"
ooh! II thought stammered Sir
Perc;val. IL really"
The freckled face grew as red as the
red hair, and the girl stood up. very an
cry. eff you just came to make fun of
me, cause I'm homely and the boys
won't skate. with me, I'll let you know
l won't stand it" And then-Tm sorry
to say it, but she did it--she boxed Sir
Percival's ears
The knight had scarcely recovered
from this adventure when he saw a spir-
tied white horse galloping down tho
road, with a young 1ady-there could DO
no mistake this time, she was a beauti-
full young lady-clinging to the saddle
Now was the time. He would stop tho
fiery steed; he would save the fair rider
from death. She would blush and cry;
she would introduce him to her father;
the whole town would hear of his valor;
besides, it was %possible--it really was
that she should turn out to be an
heiress. So he flung himself directly
into the path of the frantic horse; ho
waved his cap at him; he caught at his
bride, and with a jerk stopped him
: short. The creature reared and quiz
cred. The young lady screamed.
: What are you about? Help! Rob-
bers!"
. ''Why-why, my fair lady" began
Tom.
r LET go! What do you mean? You
> brighten my horse"
I "Why, l was only"
stake your hand off my bride, boy!
What do you insult a lady in. this way
g FORE"
, "a boy! Insub a LADY," Sir Per-
cival dropped the bride, aghast. 81
~ i thought you were run away with.
l meant to stop the horse, and save you. .
=, II advise youto look twice before you
q offer your assistance another time. said
the young lady. haughtily. Whereupon
she touched her high-mettled horse with
X the tasseled point of her whip, and
swept by like a beautiful picture.
81 suppose she was one; wasn't she?
q remarked Jehoshaphat, looking otter
her with his mouth open.
But Sir Percival did not choose to
q give the results of his meditations to the
public. A casual observer might, how
ever, have remarked that he finished
his walk home without search for fur
q ther adventure.
}, Susy was still stitching away on the
wearisome shirt when the boys came in.
a There were traces of tears on her quiet
face. Perhaps she would have liked a
g skate as well as other girls; but she did
not say sc. She wiped her eyes, and
, looked up smiling. "Well, Tom" she
. said, chow many fair damsels did you
u %rescue?"'
Tom maintained a dignified silence.
A great General never sounds his own
praise, you know.
v "Sue!' said Jehoshaphat.
I "Jehoshaphat!" said Susy.
> "When I'm a big boy, and wear q
little, short-tailed oat and vest, and
carry fathers cane, I'm going to be q
9 knight, too. I'll take you skating"
Tom began to whistle.
. ~Jehoshaphat climbed upon a chair, and
brought himself about on q level with
his sisters forehead. Then he eyedher,
from her pretty, soft hair and timid
face down to her patient hands that still
d kept stitch-stitching or Toms shirt.
81 say, Sue"
''Well?"
"Ain't you about as good as if you
had freckles, and rode horseback"
3D." said Sir Percival, Il shall have
to send you to the nursery."-E3ssabeth
Stuart Phelps.