Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-04-04
BESS' ADVENTURE,

| How She Was Stolen by Tramps and
| Where She Was Found.
Let us go to the field with Kate; it is
so dull in the housed" cried Jack.
Nurse had a great deal to do that
day, and thought it would be quite a
nice thing to get Kate and Jack and
Bess out of the way.
will you take care of them Miss
Kate, and not let them spoil their
| clothes?''
"Oh yes," said Kate. who was eight
years old. Let me put your hat on,
| Bess."
MY doll, too?"
Eyes; we'll take your doll, and give
her a swing"
Bess gave a jump-she was glad.
Nurse saw them to the door, and then
went back to her work.
'Now," said Jack, ''here is the
swing. My turn first"'
mo; girls firstr' said small Bess with
some pride, as she got upon the seat.
"You are puss, miss" cried Jack;
"and l shall climb up, too"
kate too?' said Bess.
Up got Kate, and good swing they
had. You could have heard them laugh
a long way Off.
BY and by they tired of tho swing.
and went Oh through the cool field till
they came to a stream.
1T looks SO clear; l can see the fish,"
said Jack. II shall catch some"
But the fish can see you," sail Kate.
Il don't mind if they do. Please give
me pin.
Down sat Jack, and with stick, a
bit of Irvine, and a bent pin, on which
he put bit of bun he had with him.
he tried to catch a fish. Some small
fish ate up his bit of bun, and he saw
them do it, but he did not catch them.
He still sat there, while Kate and Bess
went on to some long grass. Bess lay
down, and soon went to sleep. Then
Kate went back to Jack, and threw all
the crumbs they had left in the stream
for the fish to fight for; and fine fight
they had.
Nurse came to the door to call them
voice, but they soon heard her, and got
up at once.
Come and fetch Bess," said Kate,
and they both ran to the long grass
where the wee child had lain down to
sleep; but no Bess was there!
.'Bess! Bess"' they cried, but no voice
was heard in the field.
Nurse came out now, and saw the
white face with which Kate ran here
and there.
What is it?" she cried.
'.Bess!" was all Kate could say.
Nurse got white too now.
where did you leave her, Miss
Kate?" said nurse in stern voice
''You said you would take care of her."
Il did," said Kate, with big sob,
''but she went to sleep just here, and l
thought she was quite safe, and came
back to Jack. Ga, nurse! what shall
we do?'
Then John. the man who had to cut
the grass on the lawn, came up with
his scythe in his hand
What be it all, then?" he said to
nurse.
"The child-AIiss Bess-;s lost"
LOST" said the man, in Il slow
voice; .'where did We lose her??'
"Over there in the grass; she went
to sleep, and Miss Kate left her, and
now she can't be found. poor lamb!''
and tears ran down nurses face.
''See here" said John, as he put his
scythe up on the branch of Il tree, Il
must go out on the road a bit. If / can
get lift in cart, maybe l shall be in
time"
What for?" cried the nurse and poor
Kate at the same time.
Il seed tramp come from the house
not long since, and she was just mad
with the cook, who would not give her
more than bread"
You mean she has been and stole
my dear Miss Bess?" said nurse and
tho man thought she would faint.
II don't know. I'll go down the
road at once; these tramps all go one
way. Don't you fret"
He put on his coat, and went, and
was soon out of sight for a man in q
light coat drove him on his way. They
had gone half mile, and John thought
the search would be in vain, when he
heard a child cry on the other side of
the hedge. 1t did not take long to stop
the cart. and for John to make his way
to the place the cry came from.
There on the grass lay poor Bess,
her wee fat hands tight round her dolls
neck Her nice frock was gone, and
her good shoes. She had no hat on,
and cried in a sad way.
'.Oh, Miss Bess!'' said John, as he
ran and found her, "don't fret! I'll
take you home to nurse and Miss Kate!
Come on, my dear"
The child put her arms round Johns
neck, and laid her small. wet cheek on
his rough coat.
Mice John; take me homer
The man in the cart had stood to see
If the child was found, and now he
drove them home. How Kate and Jack
and nurse ran to the cart to get the first
kiss from their dear Bess! No one
could bear her out of their sight for a
moment, and she could not tell much
Of what the tramp had done.
She took my frock and my shoes for