Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-02-27
FLOY'S REWARD.
What is it ?" asked Papa Bisbee.
What is it?" echoed Mamma Bis

Dora Bisbee had just unfolded the
evening paper, and her low cry of JOY
| and surprise, as Ter eyes glanced oye1
Its columns, caused the little group OF
the back porch to ask the above cues.
ton.
MIR. Bisbee laid down his newspaper,
his wife paused with hands in thu
| dough. and little ten -year-old Flo,
rested her brown hands on the top O,
the ehurn-dasher. which she was MOVING
up and down, to listen to her sister
read:
1.-The celebrated German musician.
Carl Flaulander, will give one of his
matchless entertainments in this CITY
this evening, at Maxwell Hall. AS the
professors fame has long preceded him.
1t is unnecessary to say that he will
meet with warm reception and crowded
house. Let everybody come. Such op-
portunities are rare"
The Bisbee family lived upon a farm
ten miles from the city OF c., and
consisted of father and mother and four
children. The Oldest girls we're twins
Cora and Dora-aged seventeen. and
possessed Of moro than ordinary beauty.
They had been petted and we'll nigh
spoiled by short-sighted parents and
friends, and were looked upon as very
superior beings by their younger sister,
Floy. For had they not been away to
boarding-school, and taken music les.
sons, aud learned to do up their hair 10
the latest style?
eve must 60" said Dora, laying
down the paper.
"Of course we must" added Cora.
who had appeared in time to hear the
announcement.
II don't gee how we can all CO." re-
marked Mr.. Bisbee. "The two. seated
buggy that [ lent yesterday to neighbor
Thomas has lost bolt and can't be used
until it is repaired. The carriage can't
seat but three, and that not very com
fortably; SO somebody will have to stay
at home"
It was plain case-some one must
stay. Dora looked hopefully at her
mother. Mrs. Bisbee came promptlv
to the rescue.
~ could not think of going with the
baby" she said, $50 I will stay for one. "
'sAnd I will stay with mamma. "
said Floy, who knew she would be OK.
pected to make this sacrifice; but she
looked straight down at the frothy ring
of cream on the churn cover as she said
it, that they might not see how hard she
was trying to keep back the tears.
Musical Little girl that she was she did
not know that there was greater charm
IN the simple ballads she sung to the
baby than in the operate airs her sis.
tiers spent SO much time in practising to
sing when they had company. But she
did know how she had longed to
hear the German gentleman sing. and
how she had read everything she
could find in the papers about him. aud
the other tine singer with him. And
now no was coming and she must stay
at home-or somebody husband she
had offered to do SO herself, and with 30
little show of reluctance that the Others
never guessed what struggle it had
cost her.
"Thet's darling!" cried Cora. kiss
ing her. "We'll bring you some candy. ~
AS If candy could make no for. it!
And so it was arranged that MIR. Bis
bee and the twins should take an early
tea and drive Topsy, the fiery black
pony, and reach Gin time to secure
good seats in the hall, for it would be
crowded. Cora said; aud Dora said if
she could not get seat near the plat
form she Wolli not 60 at all.
Floy watched the preparations with
almost feverish interest, noting how
careful Cora was to arrange her hair
becoming]y, and Dora to place the
right lace at throat and wrists. and
wondered if, when she grew up to be q
''big girl, she would have ''such nice
time" as they were going to have. And
when they were tucked up into the
carnage and To. sy spun away out of
sight, we do not wonder that she did
shed few childish tears of aisappoint-
menf, and wiped them away with the
corner OF her calico apron.
By aud by the twilight began to
gather, aud with it tokens of COMING
storm. The supper dishes had bsen
washed and put away, and Floy was
teaching babe to ''patty CAKE" when
the curly head of neighbours little bow
was thrust in at the door, and q piping
voice exclaiming:
"Please, Miss Bisbee, could Won
come over and doctor mother a bit9
she has got an awful tack nooraley. an
says for you to bring over some Of your
nervine powder. She is very bad"
added the boy, as he detected the doubt
III Mrs. Bisbee's manner. That good
lady looked at her children, ana then at
the gathering clouds.
"Wiil you be afraid to stay alone
Ia NH Ia r H.
soon as possible.
cob, 70; shall not be one bit afraid.
Baby and will have nice time while
yon are gone-won't we, darline?" she
said, shaking his string Of spools elee
fully at him. whereupon Freddie LAUGHED
and crowed; end Mrs. Bisbee, kissing
Them both, went out into the gathering
darkness.
Floy amused her brother until he be.
gan to grow sleepy, and then, like
little mother, she put on his nightgown
aud rocked him to sleep and tucked him
IN the Glib. Meanwhile the rain that
aad been threatening began to fall in
arge. warm drops, which increased in
number, until at length it came pour
ng down IN torrents, with gusts of
wind that bent the old elm in the yard
md strewed the ground with branches
rom the neighboring trees.
Little Floy, white and frightened, but
With her usual presence of mind, closed
;he chamber windows first, then those
below, and watched the violence of the
storm, which the. binding flashes of
lightning now ard then revealed She
thought Of Der father and sisters, and
wondered If they or any one else were
,ut in this dreadful storm.
just then, as If in answer to her ques-
ioning thought, there came knock at
he door so loud ahd determined that it
tarted her. She thought of tramps, of
OF a neighbor-bnt no neigh
,or would knock like that. Quaking