The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-09-03

-NfN~St AAaNA JAO JCD4DGCU vi lCtukllICL
Mr.. Benton sat looking straight be-
fore him with q crimson face, while
he iumbIed with his white necktie
until the bow was under his left ear.
There was q silence, as everybody
except Mr.. Benton looked at me to
see the operation performed, when a
small, baby voice at my side said:
IN 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 it Tucked my nosel"
1 did not want to play forfeits any
longer; it was too dangerous; SO / pro-
posed that we should all sing.
cess, / tan sing" said Stella. "I
know lots of songs"
She did not feel at all abashed over
the fact that she had left q dark, sticky
impression of her fingers on Mr.. Ben
tons starched shirt bosom, and as
for him, ne seemed to feel fattered, at
her evident preference for him.
sat down at the piano and played
accompaniments for school songs, while
the children stood around me and
bawled the words into my ears with
the excruciating fat intonation PEE
culiar to young unframed voices,
Mr.. Benton was sitting near the
window, with little Stella on his knee,
apparently enjoying the noise, and
with his eyes fixed on me in q blank
stare of admiration that / could not
help seeing whenever my face was half
turned in his direction.
Now let me sing a song all by my.
self" said Stella.
Mr.. Benton looked inquiringly at
me and | said:
Eyes, Stella; let's hear you sing all
by yourself"
$50 she commenced, deliberately:
Little birdie, on-the-treel Ia
long breath) on-the-tree! (another
long breath) on-the tree!"
Then she stopped, and with ahaugh-
ty disregard of the desires or opinions
of her audience that would have been
worthy OF a petted prima donna,
turned carelessly around on Mr.. Ben
tons knee and looked out of the win
dow, while we awaited her pleasure.
"Oh, loot-at the big birdie or the
tree out of the window" she said, sud
denly, pointing downward toward
where knew a tall poplar grew close
to the house.
Mr.. Benton was apparently startled
by this evidence of Stella's keen vision
for | saw him Jump as his eye followed
the direction of her finger. He con-
trolled himself at once, however, as he
replied quickly:
81 guess that Is the shadow of a
cloud in the moonlight and not a birdie,
Stella"
NO." she persisted; II saw a birdie
on the tree"
He put her down, and she ran over
to me. As | took her on my lap, J.
heard the door close, and / saw that
John Benton had disappeared.
"That is rather unceremonious. /
wonder whether he is coming back /
thought. sfWell, / do not care whether
he does or not" as / made up my
mind that the festivities could proceed
without him.
Isat Stella on the end of the piano
and played a lively polka for the
children, with Stella's assistance, she
drumming on two or three keys in the
bass at intervals, with a wlerd, II not
harmonious effect.
ri want some more tandy," an
nounced Stella, lmperlously.
81 shall have to 60 down stairs for
it, Stella. 1t is all in the dining
ROOM" | said.
"Well, do down 'tairs. I'll be
dood."
OF course / had to go. / left Stella
in Alice's charge and ran swiftly down
the stairs. The nursery was on the
third floor. / do not know what in
duced me to open the door of my
parents bedroom as / passed it. /
did so, however. 1t was quite dark,
save a narrow bar of moonlight fore
ing it's way through the poplar just
outside the window.
j glanced carelessly into the gloom,
with my hand on the handle OF the
door, and was about to continue my
journey to the d~ining-room when Ifelt
a draught from the open window and
saw something white cleaning in the
moonlight for an instant and then
disappear.
what is that" / thought, as an
indescribable feeling Of terror passed
over me and left me shIvering. 1T
looked like a hand.
There was not a sound to be heard
in the room save the rustling OF the
curtains as the light wintry breeze
blew them from the window, but /
was certain some one was there.
What was that?
Surely a man climbing in through
the window! Yes, Iwasnot mistaken.
MY eyes had become accustomed to
the darkness by this time, and /
could see the outlines of his figure
clearly defined against the window!
In that terrible moment all had