The St. Johns herald., 1886-04-15
LITTLE DEDE."

We call her Little Dede." By we, l mean her mamma and l, who am her father, and the friends who know her best. Her right name is Edith, but when she was two years old she gave us her baby version of Little Edith," and we have called her by the name of her own making ever since. She lives in New York, where she was born.
 Little Dede" is four years old now. and she is very proud of telling folks so. She says very bright things sometimes, and this is the reason why I now tell the boys and girls some of the little speeches she has made.
 One day quite long time ago, she was more quiet than usual, and l missed her baby singing.
 Wont you sing for papa, Dede"
 'I cant, papa; my mOuf is locked"
 On one occasion when the letter man brought paper for me, Little Dede" said:
 Let me take the skin off, papa"
 That was a busy time for Little Dede's" eyes when the doctor came 10 vaccinate the baby. She watched him very closely as he scratched the little fat leg with his sharp lancet. When he had gone she looked all around, and then asked:
 Did the doctor take his blood picker with him?'
 She was two years and a quarter old when taken on a visit to England While there she lived in big town and one day was missed for hours. People went every way to find her. Her cousin Eddie Inet with her quite a long way off. What do you think she was doing? She was at an open air meeting of the Salvation Army, her dear little head uncovered from the light rain that was falling, and listening with all her might, her dolly hanging Imply over her arm, to the worship. The Army folks had band, drums and clashing cymbals and noisy | brass horns, and hearing them pass, the little witch had slipped out and | followed them. Very glad was dear Eddie to find her, but he said, as if much hurt that she had run away:
 [" Oh, Dede! Why did you run away"
 "I wanted to hear the moosic, Ed die" said Little Dede" quietly.
 | cannot say that my treasure is al- 1 ways a good girl. Her mamma some times talks to her about her naughty | doings; and | am afraid the little culprit is ready as a lawyer to defend l herself.
 One day her mother, speaking of some pretty little girls at window on ! the opposite side of the street, said how good they were.
 1" So should 1 be, ma, if l lived there"
 Nor is "LittIe Dede" always as proper in what she says to older folks as I desire her to be.
 After her nurse had put her to bed one night, that grave person was over heard to reprove her. In tone of high scorn the youngster replied;
 Don't you talk to me-
 Out shopping one day with her man. ma, clerk said:
 Wont you give me your pretty curls?"
 He was a large, fat person-his head i ever so big.
 Looking up at him, ." Little Dede !" spoke:
 !" Your head is too large and fat for my curls." e,sY -
 The funniest thing atotit my tie sweetheart is that she speaks quite seriously even whcRgheEWQTds seem -fb ! be pert; and there are times when she talks saBout Goda8hd heaven so sweetly that her silly papa thinks she | is the best and wiSe5t minister he eVeI \ heard
 She has just left him, and is sleep ing in her crib near by. Ten minutes ago she had her arm round my neck and was saying:
 Papa, I love you. I love you all the day and when the moon shines. love you all the time, papa, dear. Me kiss you goodnight
 And the tiny angel in her night robe slipped off my knee to bo placed in her own little bed.
 May God spare to us our '' Little Dede" We dare not think what oul homo would be without her.-lP. A.