The Portland daily press., 1886-06-28
Congregationalist.
THE CHILD KING.
ROSE TERRY COOKE.


morrow" asked kindly Mrs. Brown of her
tired and Woodworking .neighbor, Mrs; Pc
ter. You know Association meets there.
and husbands got to go, so | thought you
would like to drive over and see your Aunt
Betsey."
ooh, should, ever so much But Dell has
got to go to picnic tomorrow afternoon,
and it'll take me the whole of the morning
washed and hung out; and then there's bis
cult to make; she wants 'em fresh. And"
''Oh motherP
The words came before the door flew open,
and in bounced young girl of twelve, with
the assurance and poise of forty, dressed in
a braided costume that implied a weeks hard
work from somebody, her light hair banged
on her low forehead, cheap rings and brace
lets shining on her fingers and arms, gilt
necklace round her salloW throat, over frill
of imitation lace, her whole air pert, tawdry,
and disagreeable. She barely nodded to the
minister's wife, and went on in a loud voice,
'Say! Lucille says I'd ought to have some
little pies and some cream cakes beside the
biscuit SO run nome to tell you"
Poor Mrs. Peters face fell.
81 don't really see how l can, DELL, It's
quite piece of work to make them cream
cakes | can make some pie crust and fix it
up for the pies"
"Oh, but want the cream cakes! If you
make 'em Tonight, the pies can wait till
morning"
''But Del, I've got to get the breakfast
and wash the dishes and make the beds and
sweep, and then iron your white dress, and
yoE know there's sights of work on it, and
you want the rutfies fiuted, and"
-'Oh, can't you get up real early?"
Mrs. Brown was indignant. A wise prov
erb cautions us not to put finger between
the bark and the tree. but she did not re-
member it. why don't you make the cake
yourself, Della?" she said when | was
your age could make cake. Can't you?"
Della stared at her scornfully; Mrs. Peters
put in her word at once.
sob, haven't never asked it of her, Mis-
Brown. DelPs real delicate, and she loves
to go; children amt children but once, and
want for her to have good time. I'll fetch
it round somehow, Dell, dear. You tell Aunt
Betsey, won't you, Mis- Brown, how want
ed to see her, but [ really couldn't get over.
thank you just as much.
Mrs Brown offered no further remarks.
There was tone of aggrleved motherhood
in Mrs, Peters voice that warned her to
keep silence; she said goodbye, and pursu-
ing her walk up the street, rung the bell at
yard, that told its own story of wealth with
in. She was admitted to the parlor, and
warmly welcomed by Mrs. and Miss Vim
cent, a wife Of middle age and her siSter-in
law
But hardly had she begun to talk with her
friends when the door opened, and in rushed
four children of various ages who, after
nOdding at the visitor, or reluctantly Shak-
ing hands, at once monopolized the CONVEX
sation. In vain did Mrs. and Miss Vincent
struggle to be heard.
"0h Mary! | was trying TO tell Mrs
Brown"
"Well, ma, I've got to go; I said would,
and"
"Oh, yes! You told Will Johns you'd go,
and you've got to! Just like a girl! I'd"
'Milly, dear, want to ask Mrs Brown"
'Well aunt Sue, must go if Mary goes,
and there's that picnic, and"
CO rvpn n a nnTfn0f RahnI w no
present effort could silence, it had 5een so
jong the habit in this house for the elders to
listen and the children to speak.
Mrs. Brown made only short call: she
went but few steps further to the house of
a desolate woman, widow, VINO had lost
her two children month since with diphthe
ria. Mrs Tenny burst Tito tears as she
came into the room, and Mrs. Brown put
her arms about her tepderlv.
My poor frlend! was all she could say.
~, Mrs. Brown, can't, l can't be recon-
ciled to it. miss them every second. Hal
used to come IL so bright from school-his
first year 10 so, you know; and Susy was al
ways at p1y knee or in my lap, when she was
listen for their soft breathing, and put out
ny hand to feel Susy's little tender face in
che crib, and thank God had them still, if
their father had left me-
There was nothing to say to this as of old,
the mother wept for her children and refused
to be comforted. Mrs, Brown tried another
course.
"They were not both taken at once?" she
asked.
And the mother ceased for the moment to
answer her, and with the pathetic garrulous
ness of grief entered into detail.
mo. Hal came home from school one
day so tired, and said his head ached. And
tried to make him keep still on the sofa,
the sunshine to see the chickens; it was a
hot day in May, and | couldn't make him
keep hat on; pretty soon he sort of cTawled
back into the kitchen and said his froat was
sore, and 'fngs KEEP goin' round an round
an round Then | sent for DR.. Smith, and
he gave me some medicine and a brush and
told me to put it on the inside of his throat,
and rub some liniment on the outside. But
Hally wouldn't let me, and he screamed and
kicked so he choked up right away; /
couldn't do it, it hurt him so, and he wouldn't
let me if I'd wanted to
/ meant to sent Susy away, but she never
would stay with anybody but me, the little
preciousl never could make her. SO she
siekened next day, and there couldn't be any
thing done for her; there wasn't a day be-
tween them. And now-now-my house is
like a grave all the time"
In the pteous burst of sobbing that fol-
lowed, could Mrs. Brown speak the thought
that filled her heart and say. ''My friend,
you have fallen into the pit that you have
digged; if your children had learned to obey
you in health, they might have been with
you today"
She could not. deeply as she felt it; the
''weep with them that weep" and betake
herself to the next call on her list, for Mrs.
Brown was doing parish duty this afternoon
Mrs Tibbets was very glad to see her
''And how are you all to-day?' asked the
ministers wife.
"Oh, we're reasonably well, all but Nelly;
she got throwed down at the rink last night,
and sprained her ankle real bad. I've ex-
pected all along something like that would
happen to her"
to 20 anyway" asked Mrs. Brown.
Land, yes! But all the young folks are
possessed to go, and you can't stop EN-, l
wish to goodness the men that built that
rink had been further! There's all sorts go
there. and they talk to everybody, and get
familiar-like with folks you wouldn't have
them know no more than nothing. But it
makes money; so you can't stop EN-; no
body can't" .,o,,
''Mercy! / can't help 'em goin'. Girls is
as headstrong as pigs; the more you pull em
one way, the more they go t'other way I've
always wanted my children to have good
time whilst they was young; there s throuble
enough ahead OF EN-; SO I've let EN- run;
and 'tisn't to be expected that can up and
stop 'em now"
There was no controyertlng that point, SO
Mrs. Brown said no more; $780,. A.,
The next house was MI. Meeker s. MIS-.
Meeker stood at the window, watching with
anxious eyes her oldest son, who was expert
menting with new bicycle.
''Oh, Mrs. Brown she said, looking oyor
her shoulder, come in, do; can go away
q minute from the window, I'm SO AFRAID
Charleyll fall and hurt him. He's been
crazy after bicycle, and Mr.. Meeker. didn't
know how to get one for him-they're real
costly-and begged him not to buy one, for L
knew L shouldn't have minutes peace
while he was off with it; but the boy want
ed it, and that's enough. What he wants
he's get to have We're behind with the
taxes, and I'm fixing over my old clothes
rather than ask John for a cent but Char
lev's got the length of his fathers foot
as folks say, and l don't know why he
Shouldn't have. Boys mnst be boys, you
know, and never did believe in max
ing images Of 'em, to do just 50 and be ,prim!
/ thought he was off that time, but he was
MT. | do believe my nerves will be worn to
to ravelins with that bicycle; Don't go!
FRS |