Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-01-28
Where is my little boy?" she asked, when

Il
want him just now?"
Not the least in the world want Won
10 take care of him while l am away. By
the bye, where's Syd?"
The eldest child (the girD had been christ
ened Sydney, in compliment to one of her
fathers female relatives. The name was not
liked by her mOther-who had shortened it
to sgd, by way of leaving as little of it as
possible. With a look at Mrs. WeSterfield
which expressed ill-cOncealed aversion, the
iandlady answered: "She's up in the Ium-
ber-room, poor child. She says you sent her
there to be out of the way"
'Ah, to be sure, so | did,
There's no fireplace in the garnet. ma'am.
I'm afraid the little girl must be cold and
lonely"
1t was useless to plead for Syd-Mrs. West
erfield was not listening. Her attention was
absorbed by her own plump and pretty hands.
She took tiny file from her dressing-table.
and put few finishing touches to her nails.
''Send me some hot water" she said: IT want
to dress"
The servant girl who carried the hot water
upstairs was new to the ways of the house
After having waited on Mrs. WeSter6eld, she
had been instructed by the kind-hearted
landlady to go on to the top floor. ''You will
find pretty little girl in the garnet, all by
herself. Say you are to bring her down 10
my room as soon as her mamma has gone
out"
Mrs Westerield's habitual neglect of her
eldest child was known to every person in
the house. Even the new servant had heard
of it. Interested by what she saw, on OPEN
ing the garrett door, she stopped on the
threshold and looked in.
The lumber in the room consisted of two
rotten old trunks, a hroken chair, and dirty
volume of sermons of the old-fashioned
quartO size. The grimy ceiling, slanting
downward to a cracked window, was stain
ed with rain that had found its way through
the roof. The faded wallpaper, loosened
by damp, was torn away in some places and
bulged loose in others. There We're holes in
the skirting-bOard, and from one of them
peeped the brightly timid eyes of the chilG's
one living companion in the garret-a mouse,
feeding on crumbs which she had saved from
her breakfast.
sgd looked up when the mouse darted
back into its hole, on the opening of the door.
'tLizzie! LiZziep' she said, gravely. you
ought to have come in without making
noise. You have frightened away my young
est child''
The good-natured servant burst out laugh
ing. 'Have you got large family, miss?"
she inquired, humoring the joke.
Sgd failed to see the joke "Only two
more" she answered, as gravely as overland
lifted up from the floor two miserable dolls,
reduced to the last extremity of dirt and di-
lapIdatiOn. MY two eldest" this strange
child resumed, setting up the dolls against
one OF the empty trunks. 1.-THE eldest is
girl, and her name is sgd. The other is
boy, untldy in his clothes, as you see. Their
kind mamma forgives them when they are
naughty, and buys ponies for them to ride
on, and always has something nice for them
to eat when they are hungry. Have you got
a kind mamma, Lizzie? And are you very
fond of her?''
Those innocent illusions to the neglect
which was the one sad experience of Syd'S
young life touched the servants heart. A
bygOne time was present to her memory,
when she, too, had been left without play
fellow to keep her company or fire to warm
her, and had not endured it patiently.
''Oh, my DEAR" she said, your poor little
arms are red with cold. Come to me, and let
me rub them"
But Syd's bright Imagination was better
protection against the cold than all the rub
bing that the hands Of a merciful woman
could offer. you are very kind, Lizzie"
she answered. IT don't feel the cold when
am playing with my children. L am very
careful to give them plenty of exercise. We
are going to walk in the park"
She gave hand to each of the dolls, and
walked slowly round and round the miser-
able room, pointing out visionary persons of
distinction, and objects of interest. "Here'S
the queen, my dears, in her gilt coach drawn
by six horses. Do you see her scepter polk
ing out of the carriage window? She gov
ems the nation with that. Bow to the queen.
And now look at the beautiful bright water
There's the island where the ducks live
Ducks are happy creatures. They have their
own way in everything, and they're good to
eat when they're dead. At least they used
to be good when we had nice dinners in
papa's time. try to amuSe the poor little
things, Lizzie. Their papa is dead. I'm
obliged to be papa and mamma to them, both
in one. Do you feel the cold, my dears~
She shivered as she questioned her magma
ry children. Now we are at home again."
she said, and led the dolls to the empty fire
place. Roaring fires always in my house."
cried the resOlute little creature, rubbing her
cold hands cheerfully before the bleak, blank
CRATE.
Warm-hearted Lizzie could control herself
no longer.
elf the child would only make some COM
plaint," she burst out, ''it wouldn't be so
dreadful Oh, what a shame! what a
shame!'' she cried, to the astonishmens of
little sgd. 'COme down, my dear, to the
nice warm room where your brother is. Oh,
your mother? I don't care if your mother
sees US; should like to give your mother a
piece of my mind. There! L DON'T mean to
brighten you; I'm one of your bad children
fly into passion. You carry the dolls and
I'll carry you. Oh, how she shiyered! Give
us a kiss"
Sympathy which expressed itself in this
way was new to sgd. Her eyes opened wide
IN childish wonderland suddenly closed
again in childish terror when her good friend,
the servant. passed Mrs. Westerfield's door
on the way downstairs. eff mamma bounces
out on u.s." she whispered, pretend we don't
see her" The nice, warm room received
them in safety. Under no stress of circum-
stances had Mrs. Westerfield ever been known
to dress herself in hurry. A good half
hour more had passed before the house door
was heard to bang, and the pleasant land
lady, peeping through the window, said: