Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-08-16
TIE LITTLE FOLKS


[
And she really meant to keep her word.
for she was very proud of being trusted
/ to take care of her little brother.
For a little time Tea PLAYED so hap
/ PLY on the floor with his blocks that
Nellie went back to her book, and was
soon completely absorbed In its pages.
Ted presently grew tired OF playing
alone; and, jumping up from the floor,
he came over to his sister and pulled
her dress to attract her attention.
Go away, Ted, and play with youE
blocks like a good boy, Nellie sa.l
loosening the small, clinging hands.
and gently pushing Ted away.
The little fellow wandered over to
the window and stood there GIiscOn-
sOlately for some minutes, feeling very
lonely since sister would not play with
him.
Il want mamma, he said at last,
with little culver in his voice.
oh, Ted, don't tease so, exclaimed
Nellie, impatiently. Sit down and
play nicely. L want to finish this
/ story"
4 am going to find mamma, he
said and presently his little feet Pat
tered out into the hall.
He was so quiet there that Nellie
/ thought he must have found something
to amuse himself with, and kept on
with her story, without looking to see
what her little brother was about
led felt so lonely and neglected that
he had quite made up his mind to go in
search of his mamma.
So, putting on the old garden hat.
with feather Enthusiastically thrust
through the crOwn-which was his
chief delight-he took the great family
umbrella, and, softly opening the back
door, crept out as quietly as a mouse.
If Nellie had not been so absorbed in
Ees' book, she might have heard the.
patter of the steps going down the
graveled walk, and the click of the
latch as Ted pushed open the gate and
went out into the alley that ran along
at the foot Of the garden; but she had
forgotten all about her little charge.
Ted was now bent upon making a
voyage of discovery, and he wandered
down the alley, trailing the big UNI
brella after him, till he reached the
street. At little distance a stable
door stood open, and d man was wash
ing a carriage in front of it. Ted
watched the operation for a while with
great interest, and then, growing tired
Of this, wandered into the stable and
climbed upon a pile of soft, sweet
! scented hay.
"S'pose that man will think I've
gone home, he thought, gleefulIy, as
he nestled down into the hav and
pulled it over himself.
His hiding-place was so comfortable
and fragrant that he lay there in dream
ing content, not noticing that the man
had finished his work and was making
preparations to 60
Suddenly the great door was shut.
and Ted realized that he had been
locked in. He screamed with terror,
and, making his way over to the door
in the dim light, pounded on it with
all his baby strength, and called to the
man to come back and let him out.
The man was whistling, and did not
hear the faint cries that came through
the closed door, as he kept on his way
Wien his tune died away in the dis
lance Ted knew that he could not get
out. He threw himself down on the
. floor and cried as if his heart would
break, he was so frightened at being
locked up in the dark stable
Somebody else was frightened, too.
Nellie had finished her story, and, as
she closed the book, she remembered
with a pang of conscience that she had
been sadly neglecting her little charge
"Ted !" she called. Where are you.
darling? Come here, and sister viii
play with you now"
But no Ted answered and, though
Nellie searched the house from cellar
to attic, she could not find a trace of
the little fellow.
Perhaps you can imagine her grief
and alarm, as well as mammals terror,
when she came home to learn that her
baby boy was lost.
For an hour they searched every
where, with pale faces and fearful eyes.
Mamma uttered no word of reproof to
Nellie for her care1essness, for her re-
morse was punishment enough.
Perhaps Ted's imprisonment might
have lasted until the following morn
ing had not the stableman had occa-
sion to use his cIasp-knife.
He felt for it in all his pockets with
out success, and at last remembered
that he had used it while he was at
work in the stable to cut a stfap, and
had left 1t there on a stool.
He went to get it, and, when ne
opened the door, he uttered an eXcla-
nation Of surprise, for he nearly STUN
bled on little Ted, who had sobbed
himself into a troubled sIumber.
"Poor little fellow! wonder how I
came 90 lock him In, :" thGught she
kind-hearted man "He must have
been scared!7 STOPPING over. he took
the little boy in his strong arms. Ted
opened his eyes, and saw at last the
dreadful door was opened, and he
could escape. "Put me down" he
cried, struggling to regain his feet. II
want to go home to my mamma.
do you know the way home ?" asked
the man.
Course I do, Ted answered tdig-
nantly; and as soon as the man put
him down, he seized his old umbrella
and started off. with a decision that
showed that he knew WHARF he ras