Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1885-07-16
FINDING MAMMA.
How Susie Searched for Her. and
Where She Found Her.

How Susie Searched for Her, and
Where She Found Her.
"As for man, his days are as grass.
As the ilower of the field so he flour.
lsheth; for tho wind passcth over it,
and it Is gone; and tho place thereof
shall know it no more"
"Men go to sea, and never return.
1t may be the prince of u nation that
the ocean wraps IN its chilling waters;
IL may be an unknown stOwaway, dis
owned and dishonored, Death comes
to all alike. His stcalthy tread ad.
vances often unheralded It therefore
becomes us all, in whatever age or
rank OF life we are, to be prepared.
AS for man. his days are as grass, ="
repeated the minister
Would he never stop? Susie knew
he had been talking for at least three
hours. In reality, the poor man had
just commenced his sermon; but there
was no denying the facts, that it was a
very warm day, that the pew had Il
very hard seat and very Stiif back,
and that Susie was very little girl.
Her feet didn't come near the floor.
In fact, the seat was so high that it
was as much as grandma could do to
touch hers. Grandma sat IN the COZ
ner and Susie at the end of this old
fashioned pew. They always went to
church together since mamma died
and papa went away in the great ship
with the patch on the sail that Susie
and grandma watched out of sight.
Grandma let Susie sit in the end be-
cause 1t made her feel so important,
and sometimes had the effect of keep,
ing her still. But to-day poor little
Susie didn't know what to do. She
looked around the little church. It
seemed rs though nearly all the old
folks had gone to sleep, but, of course.
they hadn't; it only looked that wav.
Then she watched the grandfather
lOng-legs on Deacon Dodd. He
crawled slowly up the deacon's stinly
starched Sunday collar. The deacon's
hair, stiff and straight with Sunday
oil, just met the collar; so Sir Long
legs had little trouble in mounting to
the dcacon's bald spot, in the center
of which he stopped TO rest. Susie
thought that if his body was only
little larger, and his legs great deal
longer and spread out evenly over that
shiny bald place, he would look Just
like the black lace crown of Mrs. Dea-
cons white bonnet He didn't grow,
however, although Susie watched him
for fully minute. So she turned her
attention to Elder Brown. Why did
he nod so slowly and rcvercntly at
everything the minister said, and then
jerk his head back suddenly and look
around at the congregation? Susie
thought that it was very cOnsiderate
in him to nod assent so alably to all
the minister said, ard concluded she
would do ii too. So she waggcd her
little head slowly and solemnly for
ward and back. But what was the
useP 1t made her dizzy: besides, did
minister notice such little girl as
shep
She glanced out the window. o, the
blue sky, the golden sunshine, the
green grass, and the many colorcd
flowers outside! A rose vine, Chamber
ing up the old church wall, peeped
saucily in, aud shook two pink roses
at Susie. 1t seemed as though they
blushed and smiled at her alone,
and the leaves were Just so many
fingers beckonng to her to come out
side, away from the sleepy deacon,
tho tiNsome sermon and the stiff.
backed pew.
IF could only 60" thought Susie,
al don't believe the minister would
care. don't believe he cares anything
about little girls at all. lie isn't talk
ing to me, anyway. lie says: Men
are like grass. I'm not a man. |
don't believe I'm like grass, either.
My dear mamma never said so. She
called ME "a butterfly n rosebud
and her 'own sweet birdie. o, mamma!
mamma, why did you die and leave
mo all aloneP"
Two great tears rolled down Susies
cheeks, and left two spots on her Sun
day dress. A gay bird lighted on a
tree near by and chirped, and whistled
and flew away. Susie heard him, and
conld see through her tears that the
roses were still blushing and beckon-
ing more smilingly than ever. She
glanced at grandma. The old lady was
fast asleep.
"She won't care, anyway" thought
Susie. "1'll meet her at the door when
church is out, and it will be all right If
| take her hand and walk home with
her."
Down to the floor slid two little feet,
and tip-toed noiselessly up the aisle,
while very short distance above them
shone two bright eyes, glancing quick
ly from side TO side. But no one saw
the little girl, and in a moment she
stood on the church steps in the free
air and sunshine. Having come thus
far, she did not care about going far
ther, but sat down on the steps, and
listened in dreamy way to the min
ister's voice, which was only faint
murmer when ii reched her. But Just
as her head was dropping In sleep a
little dog came down the street. He
was a funny little dog, with a yellow
and white coat, bright black eyes, a
short, stubby, independent tail, and a
| Beneral Ill Vi iinPoitahoo' iio stopPuu
in front of Susie wagged his tail,
barked IN friendly manner, and trot-
ted briskly away. He did not 60 far,
however, but came back and repeated
his attempts at making friends.
"Do you want me to come with you,
doggy" asked Susie. Doggy barked
"Yes," so Susie walked down the
steps, and the little girl and little dog
were soon tripping down the street
like old friends.
A Sabbath stiffness was in the air;
no stir OF human industry marred
the restful quiet; only the soft
music of birds and insects and
breezes playing with leaves and grass
| blades,