The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-11-16
DUMPY.

lLe Qu-SAlDu Aitb tftl DSAg a'hGA a.
Grandpa Cushing's last summer.
Little Bess was three years old, AMI
she had come 10 farm when the first
robin began 10 sing on the common, All
she was going 10 stay until the l-5t apple
was safely slowed away N grandpa ) eel
lar.
1t was rather lonesome for the little
girl since there were no children very
near, and Grandpa Cushing was always
so very busy, and grandma was lame aud
had to stay in the house almost all the
time.
Aunt Del loved Bessie dearly, and she
would have liked nothing better tran 10
play with her or tell her stories all the
Hve-long day; but Aunt D-l was q
school teacher.
Bess thought at first it would be great
fun to 90 10 school, but alter she hal
triel il once she changei her mind for
she had 70 sit very still, and the scholars
ali stared n. her so hari tha- he woIlI
rather stay at home wth grandma.
Sometimes grandpa took her 10 riia
with him, and II he was not in 4 hurry
he would let her drive old Dobbin, who
was not a very f.isi;y horse.
But this is not telling You about
Dumpy. She was Bessie's playmate all
that long summer, ard the strangcst part
OF it all YVES, that for q long time nobody
else saw Dumpy, AM you shall hear Low
Auntie came home one noon and went
down into the orchard to find Bess.
Grandpa had put swing under the low
apple trees an 4 Bess was then tr, ing to
get away. When she saw Aunt D,l com
ing she let kilte 60 and ran 10 meet her.
isn't my little girl lonssome?' ~ said
auntie.
"No; Auutie Del" answered Bess,
"Dumpy is here"
OF course Aunt Del thought she meant
the kittie, so she said
"What did you and Dumpy do ?'' s
"Oh, we swinccd, an1 / sw;nged high
er than Dumpy,' said Bess, as they
went into dinner.
The next time grandpa went to ride
and Bees was put into the carriage, she
called out
. 'Tan't Dumpy go too ?"
"Who is Dumpy ?" said grandpa.
"Why, Dumpy, why - plays wiv
her"
Auu; Del. 81 hearl her talking about
Dumpy the other day, and thought she
meant the cat. -
"she's Topsy," answered Bess, iudig-
nanty.
But grandpa couldn't stop 50 OF thev
went, and Dumpy was .orgotten by I'll
but Bess.
They swuny together in the orchard,
the porch with grandma, she woulj say,
Just as grandma often said to'h r
"Dumpy, 'ou must not rock 50 fast,
'ou' Il fall down 'ee steps and bwLke Gu
neck"
Grandma would look in vain for
Dumpy, and Bcs7 could not b. hired TO
tell VINO she was, Tor she did not ,-m 10
know much about It except tAat 1t WAS
Dumpy.
One hot dry in July the clouds began
to gather in the sky, and the sun oascl
shining, and pretty soon grauIm head
her little girl coming up lro the swing,
crying.
"Dumpy's gone, wept Bess. ooh, dram
ma, / tan't End my Dumpy.'
Gran lima was very sorry far her hut
how could she help to find her "Uu apy'
unless she knew who her "Dumpy'
was
She went into the bedroom TO CIT her
peppermint and spied through The
| window the minister comm. up 10 the
/ front door, 80 She hurried on her best cap
and went nto the plTior 10 see him, AMI
| iett Hest STAN ding in the middle OF the
! iiOor waiting Tor ner peppermint.
! Pretty soon a little curly head was
\ pushed in at the parlor door, and Bessie
! called,
Use found my Dumpy, dran-ma, she's
! in ou be iroom"
! pose he must have told somebody else,
| Tor people began TO stop as they passed
| the house II Bass should be SWINGING on
the cote, AM ask her,
How IS Dumry ?'
And Bess would smile AMI s7v-
shes pity well 10 day." or, with a
shake OF her curly head, "Dumpy's pity
/ naughty
Grandpa used to hear her talKing by
| the hour TO Dumpy, aud neither chick
| nor child, dog nor rat would be in sight
| Alter shc found out that Dumpy wa, in
| the bedroom she used 10 play in there
rainy days, and then she began 10 tell
what Dumpy had on, blue sash, or a
| white dress, or dirty apron; always Just
! what Eess herself wore.
One day she bad been ill-naturei all
| day. Sae WAS cross TO Aunt Del when
| she dressed her in the morning. and she
! cried all the forenoon because Dumpv
! wouldn't % out Of doors.
After Dinner Grandma Cushing rocked
her TO sleep and laid her on her bed,
hoping that when she awoke she would
be good natureG.
Ia the room was little low mirror be-
fore grandpa used TO sit to shave. IN 1
waen grandma came to dress Bessie she
found ner standing on the floor be.ors
eranllPa's glass, and this was what she
heard.
"Dumpy, has 'ou been n naughty dirl
too2 III 'ou dram ma PIT on ID bed
and she scowled and shook her ii g,r al
the reflection in the glass
oh, how grandma laughed and when
Aunt llel came home she laughed TOO
and said,-
Il wo lder we never noticed that
Dumpy always did just hat Bessie was
doing.
After they knew so much OF the
mystery they soon guessed why Iumpy
would never 20 out OF doors uu ess tn
sun sho e, for Bess never talked T.
Dumpy unless she could see her own ftt
little shadow on the grass.