The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-04-20

but ridiculous, however il was effected.
Then be sat down himself, with little
Stella, the four-vear-old mite. between
us, and the game of forfeits went on.
Most of the penalties were i'm the shape
of kisses, and | felt nervous until my
turn came. Alice held the forfeits over
the head of particular friend of hers,
| a girl of her own age, and il was the
duty of the latter TO say what should be
required of the owner of the article.
There was my handkerchief / am
ashamed TO say that my heart beat
quickly when Alice repeated the famil-
lar nursery jargon: Heavy, heavy,
what hangs over" etc, and il fairly
jumped when Alice, with a mischievous
glance at Mr.. Benton and myself.
stopped and whispered to her friend.
Then she went on with the question
''What shall be done with the owner?''
Clear-cut and distinct came the an
swer: 'She shall kiss Mr.. Benton"
''Oh. it's Lou-it's Lou" shouted
Alice. and amid the tempest of laughter
Mr.. Benton sat looking straight before
him with a crimson face. while he
fumbled at his white necktie until the
bow was under his left ear
There was q silence, as everybody ex-
eept Mr.. Benton looked at me 10 see
the operation performed, when a small.
baby voice at my side said: Ill tiss
him for YOU. Lou.
So Stella climbed up TO Mr.. Benton's
neck. with one of her hands on his
white shirt-bosom, and. as she said
herself, ''tissed him right on the mouf.
and il TITLED NV nose.'
did not want TO play at forfeits any
lOnger-it was too dangerous: so pro-
posed that We should all sing.
- 'Ess. tan sing" said Stella. 81
know lots of songs.
She did not feel AT all abashed over
the fact that she had left dark. sticky
impression of her fingers on Mr.. Ben
tons starched shirt-bosom. and a. for
him. he seemed to feel fiattered Al her
evident preference for him. sat down
at the piano and played sccompani-
ments for school songs. while the chill
,lren stood around me and bawled the
words into my ears with the excruciat-
ing Hat information peculiar to the
young. unframed voices. Mr.. Benton
was sitting near the window, with little
Stella on his knee. apparently enjoying
the noise. and with bis eyes fixed on
me in blank stare of admiration that
| could not help seeing whenever my
face was half turned i'm his direction.
Now. let me- sing song all by my
self" said Stella.
Mr.. Benton looked inquiringly at me
and said:
Yes, Stella. Let us hear you sing
all by yourself"
So she commenced. deliberately:
Little birdie. -the-tree! "a long
breath) on-the -treei- (another long
breath) on-the-tree"' Then she
stopped, and, with a naughty disregard
of the desires or opinions of her audi
ence that would have been worthy of "A
petted prima donna. turned carrlesSly
around on Mr.. Benton's knee and
looked out of the window. while we
awaited her pleasure.
''Oh. loot-loot at the big birdie on
the tree out of the window. she said.
suddenly pointing downward toward
where | knew tall poplar grew close
to the house.
Mr.. Benton was apparently startled
by this evidence of Stella keen vision.
for ] saw him Jump as his eyes followed
the direction of her finger. He con-
trolled himself at once, however, as he
replied quickly:
Il guess that is the shadow of
cloud in the moonlight, and not
birdie. Stella"
''No." she persisted; 81 saw birdie
on the tree"
He put her down and she ran over TO
me. As [ took her on nv lap ! heard
the door close, and saw that John Ben
ton had disappeared.
That is rather unceremoniouS. |
wonder whether he is coming back" /
thought. "Well, | do not care whether
he does or not" as made up nv mind
that the festivities could proceed with
out him. sat Stella on the end of the
piano and played lively polka for the
children. with Stella's assistance. she
drumming on two or three of the keys
in the bass intervals. with very weird
if not harmonious effect.
II want some more tandy," an
nounced Stella. imperiously.
Il shall have TO 90 down stairs for
If. Stella. 1t is all in the dining-room.
I said.
We'll, 90 down 'tairs. ] II be dood."
Of course had 10 go. ] left Stella
in Alice's charge and ran swiftly down
the stairs The nursery was on the
third floor. do not know Whist in
duced me TO open the door of my par
ents' bedroom as Ipsssed it. / did so.
however. 1t was quite dark. save for
one narrow bar of moonlight forcing
its way through the poplar just outside
the window. I glanced carelessly into
the gloom. with my hand on the handle
of the door, and was about TO continue
nv journey TO the dining-room when /
felt draught from the open window
and saw something white cleaning in
tie moonlight for an instant, and then