The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-04-17

ooh, Willie, | am so tired of corn bread
and molasses, | can't eat it. / want some
meat and butter Don't cry, baby, l
said, stroking her curls, mother will bring
home something tonight. But it is so
long to wait-this is Mrs. Grey's day and
mother is always late when she washes for
her. Try to eat, | said, and | put a
spoonful of molasses IN her plate, and she
did try; but she only swallowed a few
mouthfuls, and then she left the table. l
ate a small piece of dry bread, | thought
maybe she would eat the molasses, so |
did not touch it. All day she kept saying
she was hungry, but refused to eat what
we had. 1t was a long day to both of us.
Father had mo- come home and it was
nearly dark; we were both sitting on the
door step, Bessie laid her head against my
arm and began to cry. I'm so hungry,
Willie, mother stays SO late tonight.
Don't cry, Baby, mother will soon be
home OF course she will, exclaimed
George Anderson; he lived a mile beyond
us. as he spoke he tossed a bunch of blue
bells into Bessie's lap. oh, how pretty
she exclaimed, while the tears dropped
from her sweet blue eyes down on the
pretty blue bells. Come, Bessie, | said,
let me fasten them among your curls.'
She got up and stood on the door step with
her face towards the house. | stood be-
hind her and tied the blue bells in her
golden curls. | had just fastened the last
one when some one jerked me off the bot
tom step. 1t was father; and | kew by
his looks that he was almost crazy with
drink. He pushed me aside and stood be-
tween little Bessie and me. Bessie turned
to run, but lie caught her and said, You
have been crying: THAT did Willie do to
you?' She was SO white and scared that |
thought she would faint. Willie didn't
do nothing, she gasped out. Father let
go her and grasped me; he commenced to
shake me awful. You rascal, what did
you do to Bessie. Tell me or | will shake
the breath out of YOU He shook me so
| could not answer. Then little Bessie
caught him by the arm, Please, father,
don't hurt Willie; | was so hungry it made
me cry He looked in at the table and
saw the bread and molasses. You little
white-faced liar, You are not hungry; look
at that table, there's plenty to eat and good
enough, too, for such a brat as YOU and
he shook her roughly. She began to cry
and tried to put my arm around her, but
my father pushed me away. If you can't
eat anything | will give you something to
drink, and he caught her up in his arms
and started down the path that led to the
pond where we got our wash-water. 1t
was not a frog hole. the water was as clear
as a lake, and it was surrounded by green
grass and several large trees grew near the
bank. 1t was a lovely place in summer
and a glorious place for skating III winter.
1t was only a short distance from the house.
Bessie hushed crying, but she looked so
awful scared, | followed close behind
he exclaimed when he reached the edge OF
the water and | followed, scarcely knowing
what | was doing | was so frightened
He waded in about knee deep, then
he took Bessie, and putting her feet
under one arm he put her little curly head
down under the water. She threw up her
little white hands and cried out, oh, vii
lie take the baby just as the curly head
went down. waded around father and
tried with all my strength to raise her head
| out of the water. but father held it down.
| begged father to take her out, | prayed
God to save Bessie's life. but all in vain,
God was far away and did not hear my
cry. at least it seemed so to me. 1t seemed
hours to me, but at last father lifted up
Bessie's white, dripping face. called her
name frantically, madly, wildly. but her
blue lips didn't move; she was dead.
Father carried her and laid her down on
the green grass. i guess she won't be
hungry for a while, he said, as he laid her
down. was so stunned that | neither
moved nor spoke until | saw the blue bells
that [ had twined in Bessie's hair floating
out on the water. could not bear to see
them drift away; it seemed as If 1T was
dear little Bessie's sweet, dead little face
drifting away, and | could not bear the
thought, so | waded out after them: the
water was deep, and on I went; it was up
to my arm pits, and now over my should
ers. still the blue bells were just beyond
my reach, bat | must have them, the
water touched my chin, another step and
caught them, and, just as | did, l heard
mother call: Willie, oh Willie. where are
youe?' l looked at father, he was seated
on the ground by Bessie. Willie oh Will
lie!' came my mothers voice again. | was
out of the water now but SO weak | could
scarcely stand. Bessie. oh Bessiet ]
called back, Here mother, at the pond.
Father gave one mad leap into the water
he plunged in face down. | was so terri
fed [ did not know what to do. | hearC
mother coming. trembled so | could not
walk. so crawled up to Bessie, and taking
fathers old straw hat put it over Bessie
dead face to keep mother from seeing it
In a moment she came in sight. She saw
l was dripping with water. Willie, VII
lie. what is the matter??' | could mo-
sneak. She lifted the hat off Bessie's face
She stood for a moment as if turned t
s.ona eTell mo how IL hannened. Willie