Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-07-30
THE CHILD KING.
ROSE TERRy CO oKE...

81 ROSE TERRY COOKE. 81 IL
you 90 over to Nankin with
me Tomorrow asked kindly Mrs.
Brown OF her tired and hard-w orking
I neighbor, Mrs Peter. ssYou know As
sociation meets there, and husbands
gott 50, 80 / Thought you would like
Ito drive over and see your Aunt Bet
n sey. >s e J .S 5s 5. .5s h .55t.s I
ooh, / should, ever so 1nuchl But
Dell has got to go to a picnic to-mor-
row afternoon, and it'll take me the
whole of the morningt to iron her white
dress. I've just got it washed and
hung out; and then there's biscuit to
make; she wants 'em fresh. And"
"Oh motherp' .1.,% -
The words came before the door flew
open, and in bounced a young girl OF
twelve, with the assurance and poise
OF forty, dressed in braided costume
that implied a weeks hard work from
somebody, her light hair banged on her
slow forehead, cheap rings an bracelets
shining on her fingers and arms, a gilt
necklace round her sallow throat over
a frjill OF iaiSvation lace, her whole air
pert, tawury, and disagreeable: She
barely nodded to the minister's wife,
and went on in a loud voice, "Say! LII.
celle says I'd ought to have some little
pies and some cream cakes beside the
biscuit, so rnn home to tell YOU"
Poor Mrs. Peters face fell.
II don't really see how can, Dell
It's quite a. piece OF work to make
them cream cakes, can make some
pie crust and fix it up for the pies"
sob, but want the cream cakes! Ii
you make 'em tonight the pies can
wait till morning.
"But Dell I've got to get the break
asst and wash the dishes and make
he beds, and sweep, and then iron
'ur white dress, and you know
res sights OF work on it, and you
vt the ruffles futed, and
IN, can't you get up real early?"
;. Brown was indignant. A wise
rb cautions us not tosput fin
weeu the bark and the tree, but
not remember it. "Why don't
IKE the cake yourself, Della?'
|. when / was your age
ike cake. Can't yon?"
tared at her scornfully; Mrs.
t in her word at once.
haven't never asked it of her,
vn. Dell's real delicate, and
to 60; children amt children
and I want for her to have
1e. Ill fetch it round some
dear. You tell Aunt Bet
you, Mis- Brown, how I
her, but 1really couldn't
ank you just as much. "
tered no further re-
atone Of aggrieved
Peter voice that
silence, she said
llng her walk up
me street, rung til. ,ell at a handsome
house standing in q well-kept yard,
that told its own story OF wealth
within. She was admitted to the par
lor, and warmly welcomed by Mrs.
and Miss Vincent, g. wife of middle age,
and her sister-in- law.
But hardly had she begun to talk
with her friends when the door open
ed, and in rushed four children DIVA
rious ages, who, after nodding at the
visitor, or reluctantly shaking hands,
at once monopolized the conversation.
In vain did Mrs. and Miss Vincent
ot~,1orlo tn bo f,novS
ooh Mary! I was trying to tell
Mrs. Brown
"Well, ma, I've got to go; I said T
would, and
"Oh. yes! You told Will Johns
you'd 60, and you've cot to! just
like girl! I'd
"Milly, dear, want to ask Mrs.
Brown"
"Weil, aunt Sue, must go if Mary
goes, and there's that picnic, and"
So it went or, a perfect Babel, whi' :,
no present effort could silence, it h;td
been so long the habit in this house
for the elders to listen and the child
rem to speak.
Mrs. Brown made only a short CALL
she went but few steps further to the
house ola desolate woman, q widow,
who had lost her two children II month
since with diphtheria. Mrs. Tenny
burst into tears as she came into the
room, and Mrs. Brown put her arms
hbout her tenderly. ~ y. -.
my poor friend!" was all she could
say: ~ 81 -.
80, Mrs. Brown, can't, can't be
reconclled to it. | miss them every
second. Hal used to come in so bright,
from school--his first year to go, you
know; and Susy was always at my
knee or in mylap, when she was awake;
and in the lonesome nights / used to
listen for their soft breathing, and put
out my hand to feel Susy's little ten
der face in the crib, and thank God
had them still, Il their father had left
me-" ss.f+>. e..5$yyy:ssi%4..I5' H..
There was nothing to say to this; as
OF old, the mother wept .or her chill
dren and refused to be conlforted.
Mrs. Brown tried another course.
'They werenot both taken at once?"
she asked. r..
And the mother ceased for the mo-
ulent to answer her, and with the pa
thetic garrulo BUSINESS Of grief entered
.. into detail. s<.4. -..l4 4 :.
Z t'.No. Hal came home from school
. one day SO tired, and said his head ach.
ed. And tried to make him keep still
on5the sofa, but he was restless, and
he would go out 30 see the chickens; it
was a hot day in May, and / couldn't