Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-12-20
PATTY'S MUSIC BOX

Patty Hendrick was so happy that she
fairly jumped up and down. 1t had been
showing all the morning, and as no one
had been to the farm house, Patty had
been having a very dull time. Right after
breakfast she had helped mamma do the
dishes, had made her bed (for she was an
industrious little girD and then she had
dressed and undressed Arabilla until she
was tired even of her. Now, however,
she was very much excited, for when Dr.
Gray came in front of her house on his
way to see poor sick Mrs. James, he saw
Patty in the window and called to her:
"Ask your mamma if you can go down
and spend the day with Amy, for she has
sore throat, and if you can, I'll stop for
you when | come back, he said Mamma
was willing, and now Patty was getting
ready togo
While Mrs. Hendrick was trying to see
If Patty's face was clean, that damsel was
dressing Arabella and talking as fast as
her tongue would run:
Mamma, do you suppose Mrs. Gray
will let Amy have the lovely little puppy
IN the house? Do you believe we'll have
jam tarts for supper? Have got to come
home before dark?"
Finally mamma said: "Why, Patty
Hendrick, you must stop, or you will
drive me crazy. and l can't get you ready
to 60 at all"
All this'happened a good many years
ago, and little girls nowadays would think
that Patty looked funny if they had seen
her when she was ready to start. She
had on bright red stockings and a red
and brown plaid dress. Her hair had been
done up on corn cobs the night before to
make it curl and her face was almost as
rosy as her stockings. Then she put on a
thick brown coat, white fur cape and
hood, and red mittens, and she was all
fixed when the doctor came.
On the way down to the village Patty
and the doctor met gray haired, cross
looking gentleman riding on a black
horse Patty nodded happily, and the
gentleman nodded back, while DR.. Gray
said:
How did you happen to know Mr..
Simms? l didn't suppose that he liked
little girls very much"
Il don't believe he does, for he always
looks so cross. One day last summer ]
went to the postofice with papa, and Mr.
Simms came out with q lot of papers In
his hands. After he got upon his horses
back he dropped some and looked very
Cross about it. went and picked them
up and gave them to him, and now he
always says, How'd do. PattyY to me-"
After she had finished, Patty blushed,
for that was long speech for little girl
who had been taught that children
should be seen and not heard" but the
doctor was so kind that no one was afraid
of him.
Soon they reached the house, and Amy
was in the window watching for them.
and oh! how glad she was to see Patty,
for sore throat is not very good company
On stormy day.
The little girls went upstairs into Mrs
Gray's room, and there was the puppy
doing away in front Of the fire, and on
one Of the chairs was Amy's doll. Violet.
Now Violet had q wax head and Arabella
had q china one, but they were as good
friends as their mammas for all that.
First the girls had Q romp with the puppy,
end then they put Violet and Arabella to
bed, and then Amy said:
why the very ideal forgot to show
you what Uncle Charlie sent me on my
birthday" and of she trotted. In q min
ute she came back with little round blue
box with handle on top. She turned
the handle and the box played Q lively
tune. Patty was SO astonished that she
Couiu IOT SIG ud0 IlCNCI oCCO
q music box before. Amy played tune
after tune and then she let Patty play.
They had their supper up in Mrs. Gray's
room on a dolls table and from dolls
dishes, but although they had the cutest
little jam tarts you ever saw, still Patty
was SO taken up with the music box that
the tarts didn't taste as good as she had |
expected
While Sam was hitching up the horse
to take Patty home she played a fast tune,
and such was her excitement that she |
almost forgot to put Arabella's cloak on.
When she got home Patty told her papa |
and mamma all about it, and said that she |
ud wish she could have one and that
night she dreamed that she saw little an
sels, all playing on music boxes instead
OF on harps.
Weeks went by, but Patty did not for
get and am afraid that she teased her
rer mamma a great deal. Finally Mrs.
Iendrick told her that for every stocking
sue darned nicely she should have a
she found.
When the first of summer cana. Patty
mad nearly enough to buy thsS&p&s2
music box. One bright, warMt
ratty went to Sunday school andtAA ues.
son was about giving. After it was over
!! Sne teacher, Miss Lucy Sessions, told the
little girls how the minister had told the
people in church that morning about the
prairie fires out in Michigan, and how
L. Il