Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-23
LOUIS MIRACLE.
It Is One That Might Easily Be
Initiated.

It is One That Might Easily Be
Initiated.
ssHe's the most mischievous boy I
ever saw" cried Aunt Euphemia.
''And the most troublesome. said
Aunt Marcia.
land the noisiest," sighed grand
mother.
land the most destructive" groaned
GU, clearing away the debris OF the
,.ccident- The handsome majolica
vase which had been her uncle's
Christmas gift lay in fragments upon
the floor, its trailing vines, fragrant
heliotrope and waxen begonias hope
lessly ruined. Lou loved her flowers
extravagantly. putting into their cult
ure all that artistic power which
most girls expend on drawing, paint
ing or embroidery; and the tears filed
her eyes as she gathered up the dis
severed fragments.
II didn't mean to-" Lynn growled,
trying to insinuate the toe of his boot
into a thin place in the carpet.
mo, you never mean to-" said Aunt
Euphemia, severely, land yet you keep
this house in commotion from morning
till night. l suppose you don't mean
to make hole in that carpet. either.
but I may as well get my darning-
needle and yarn ready. Why can't
you behave like other boys, Lynnp"
whats fellow going to do, I'd
like to know? It's don't touch this
and don't NEEDLE with that from
weeks end to weeks end. There's no
place to fish or row; can't have a gun
for fear FL hurt some one; there amt
no boys to play with, and I'm just sick
and tired of books. most wish was
deadr' and a suspicious tremble of the
voice closed the sentence.
Lou, looking up suddenly, saw the
merry black eyes growing dim and
misty, and relented.
''But since you're still alive" she
laughed, '.you may as well help clear
away this rubbish. Put these stems in
that pan of sand. I can use them
when they have rooted. After we are
through with this I'll play game of
croquet with YOU"
ut is too bad" she added to herself,
as Lynn set to work with ardor and
dispatch; cousin ought to have some
thing to do. Uncle is too busy at the
shop to look after him, and neither of
our aunties or grandmother have any
patience with children. must set my
wits to work to find something to keep
him busy" and she remembered with
keen self-reproach how little she had
done in the long months since Uncle
Fred and Lynn had become members
of the family to make life more toler-
able for either of the sad hearts bur-
dened with sorrow for the loss of wife
and mother.
Five minutes later they were out on
the croquet ground. The game pro-
full stroke, Lou sent her adversary's ball
spinning away beyond the boundaries
and her own to the stake. Lynn ran
after his elusive property, which he
disinterred from a heap of rubbish,
and came back muttering Grossly to
himself, as he brushed the dust from
his clothes: what mess of stuff!'
The croquet ground was on the west
side of the house, which faced the
north. The corner to the southwest
formed by the fences encircling the
garden and adjacent field was the re-
ceptacle for all the household debris.
and was now full to overlooking. AS
Louis eyes followed the boy in his
search, a play she had learned at
school returned to her.
turn your back" she said. author
itatively as her cousin reached her
side. and as he instinctively obeyed
she initiated his example.
Now. when I say ready turn
quickly as possible and back to place.
and let US see in that brief glance
which one can see and name the most
articles in that heap of rubbish"
Lynn was back in his place in a mo-
ment. You begin" he said, breath
lessly.
IA pile of brush, two barrels. a
stump of a tree, broken kettle -"
Lou paused and Lynn screamed with
delight.
ssYou're a bright one." he cried.
s.Now just hear me. A broken pitcher.
some poles, peach cans, tomato cans.
oyster cans, plaster, an old rake. two
RUSTY pans, some bricks and stones,
boards. an old straw hat ="