The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-03-13

who was four months old. Nellie Al
ways laughed and crowed when she saw
the cunning thing; thought It would be
very nice for her to play with, and won
dered why Gertie never seemed to think
so, too.
One morning. mamma told Gertie to
stay awhile with Nellie, who was sitting
in her little buggy in the garden. Gertie
brought Rosabeila, her waxen baby.
and seated her at the foot of the buggy
while she went for some flowers. She
was quite sure Rosabella was out of
Nellie's reach, but baby stretched aud
stretched with all her little might, and
soon had hold of the treasure.
Babies, you know, are not very wise.
This baby thought she could easily put
Rossbella's head just where she tried to
put everything else--in her rosy little
mouth. And she tried and tried, but
tho more she tried the more she couldn't.
At first, she thought it was because
Rosabella's head was too large; then she
thought her own mouth must be too
small. However it might be. she be-
gan to cry with anger, partly because
she could not do what she wanted to,
and partly because Rosabella's face
bumped her little bit of . nose.
Gertie came running in sore dismay
as she saw what was going on. She
felt very much like slapping Nellie's
little hands at sight of few small
scratches ON Rosabells's pretty face.
but mamma came back just then, SO
Gertie carried her poor darling up to
the nursery and sang her to sleep.
Then she heard mamma calling her,
so she laid Rosabella in Nellie's cradle,
covered her up, and drew the fly net
over her. How cunning she looked
Herewith her baby hair ON the pill
low, and one little pink waxen arm out
side the cover!
Mamma was wanted in the parlor to
see company, and sent Gertie to find
the nurse-girl and tell her to come and
see to baby. Gertie found her up
stairs, putting away clean clothes, and
giving her mammals message, went
down to the parlor. The girl was go
ing down for baby. but first stepping
into the nursery, she said:
''Surc, it's here she is ashleep in the
crathle," and she sat down beside her
and began sewing ON buttons as fast IS
she could.
A black cloud in the southwest was
rising very fast Soon the lightning te-
gan to play brightly, and the thunder
rolled heavily along the sky.
Little Nellie, all alone in the buggy,
thought the lightning very pretty. but
did not like the thunder, and whim-
pered little.
The callers spoke of going, but MANI
ma said it was only shower which
would be over soon. SO they talked on.
Big drops began to fall. Nellie
laughed at first. and then caught her
breath as they came faster-then
screamed as they poured down with .
perfect roar.
Mamma fancied she heard something
amid the noise of the storm, and, STEP
ping into the hall, called:
"Mollie! Molliei Is Nellie cryinge"
Mollie came softly to the head of the
stairs and answered:
mo, mum; the darlint's fasht
ashleep, mum"
just then there was dreadful flash
of lightning, and great branch of q
tree in the garden came crashing to the
ground.
Mamma went out on the piazza, and
then her friends thought she must have
gone crazy as she rushed out into tho
storm. Back she came in a moment
with poor. dripping. frightened, scream
ing baby in her arms.
She ran up to the nursery. where
Mollie raised her hands, exclaiming:
'.An' IFS niver the chit ye have
therer and snatched the Hy-net from
the cradle.
There lay the beautiful waxen doll.
She was still sleeping quietly. Mollie
had kept faithful watch over her. rock
Jag her . bit whenever clap Of thun-
der came. wondering al the time how
1.-THE darlint'' could sleep through such
. dreadful noise. -Sidney DGyre, ia
YOUTHS Companion.