The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-07-03
WHAT CAME TO DILLY'S HOUSE.

WHAT CAME III DlLLl noooE.
Dilly was perched on fence post, her
light hair flying about her face as usual,
and her little red hands clasped behind
her back. The three or four small toes
that peeped out through her ragged
shoes were red also, for the autumn day
was cold; but billy was used to such
trifes. Toddles, the baby, who could
not climb the fence, contented himself
with looking through. He was bundled
up, as the story is told in the Indepee0-
emit by Kate W. Hamilton, in an odd
fashion of Dilly's own inventing, in an old
shawl; and if the round face that peered
between the fence rails was roughened
by the chill wind, he, like Dilly, had
grown accustomed to such discomtorts.
1t occurred to Freddy Burr in the next
yard, however, that their situation was
scarcely agreeable. He looked up from
the stick he was trying to split With his
new Ratchet, and asked, What makes
you sit up there such day as this? Why
don't you go into the house and Keep
warm?" "Cause I'd rather stay here
and watch you," said Oily, serenely.
"'Taint no fun in the house." Well,
I wouldn't think it was any fun out here,
can tell you, if I didn't have warm
coat and scarf and these thick boots re-
marked Freddy, displaying the pair OF
red-tops that were his pride. Oily
looked at them, and an old vague won
der awoke as she did SO, and grew more
distinct, until presently it took shape IN
words. "Why don't have such things,
too, Freddy Burr-shoes and new clothes
and something to wear on my head?"'
"Cause your father drinks 'em up" an
swered Freddy promptly, and without
the slightest hesitation in disclosing the
truth Oily pondered a moment and as
promptly denied. No, he don't, either.
Folks can't drink such things. Where
do you get yours?" My father buys 'em
for me, and the reason yours don't get
any for you is cause they ali go into old
Barney's rum barrels, down at the cor
ner. That's the way of it, true as you
live, Dilly Keene; and its awful mean,
too," declared Freddy, growing indig-
nant as he explained.
Then voice from the pretty house be-
.yond called Freddy, and he ran in, while
billy and Toddles, with their amusement
of watching ended, turned slowly away.
billy surveyed the baby and herself
thoughtfully, and sat down upon an old
log to mediate. If what Freddy Burr
had told her was true, something ought
to be done about it, and the longer she
pondered the more fully she became
convinced that she had heard the truth.
"'Cause other folks has things and we
don't, and it must be ours goes somewhere
else" she reasoned. They can't be
any good there, either. I'm just sure
they can't. Mebby I've got a hood
mebby it would be nice red one, pretty
and warm. Wish I had it now. Wish
Toddles had She stopped as brill
liant plan flashed suddenly through her
brain. Wouldn't her mother be surprised
if she could do that-poor mother, who
was out washing, and who would be SO
tired when she came home at night?
"Toddles, let's do i'll" she said, spring
ing up excitedly. "Let's &c asd see if
we can't get some of EN- "Yab," an.
swered Toddles, contentedly; and taking
his hand, Duly opened the creaklng gate
and led the way down the street.
There were number CT zAen in the
store at the corner-a queer store, with a
curtain across the lowez half OF its front
window. Oily say lhem when the door
opened, but she was determined little
body when once she had decided upon
the proper thing to do. So she only
clasped Toddles's hand closer, and walked
in and up to the counter, making an ex-
ira effort to speak distinctly because her
heart beat SO fast. "Please, sir, have you
got anything of ours asoak here?" There
was an instant's silence, and then shout
of laughter from the men. "Well, now,
that's neat way of putting it. Hey,
Keene, these youngsters of yours want
to know if Barney has you in soak here"
An old slouched hat behind the stove
was raised a little, but there was no
other sign that the man heard. Oily
shrank back abashed. "Oh, 1 didn't
mean him." "What do You mean then?"
asked coarse, red-faced man, advancing
from behind the bar, and speaking in
tones not at all gentle or amiable.
"Shoes and coats and such things"
faltered Oily. Hoods-rm afraid it's
spoiled with the whisky; but mebby ma
could wash it out. Wouldn't you take
some of 'em out of your barrel, Mr.. Bar
ney? We need 'em awful bad" 81
should think as much" muttered one If