Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-07-25
FOR OUR YOUNG FOLKS.
AuNTIE MAYS STORY.

| at was the summer we were North,
Auntie May said, thoughtfully. land il
just about cured me of ever thinking
my own way best.
She settled back in the hammock, and
Heber and joey drew up close to hear,
for Auntie Mays stories were nicer
than book ones, because the hero was
always papa and the heroine Auntie
| May herself. This time. from the look
on her face. they felt that something q
bit different was coming.
us it about you and papa, when you
were baby and papa a boy?'
No, this time Uncle Ned was the
baby and l was a pretty big girl, quite
as big as joey. and ten years old at
that! Now get settled comfortably and
I'll begin. Are you fixed? Well, then,
! had camped for the summer. You see.
Ned was only four and very delicate,
and good old DR.. Castle said that we
must give him all the fresh air and
sunshine possible. A friend of papa S.
Mr.. Davis, had beautiful little sail
boat in the bay, and almost every day
we children were taken flying across
the water to DR.. Gales cottage, where
Aunt Helen was staying. We had a
skif of our own, but it seemed very
tame affair after we had grown used to
cutting the waves with this white
winged sailboat, and it seemed to me
was never so happy as when Mr.. Davis
taught me to sail it. l was stronger
than many boy of my age, and could
climb trees and jump fences with the
best of them, still never had been al
lowed to go off alone with the sailboatr
nor had l cared much, when Mr.. Davis
was always willing to go with us.
'One lovely August morning this
friend had gone walking with papa
and mamma, back through the woods
toward Fairfield. Tom was off with
the skiff, duck-hunting, and only
nurse, baby Ned and l were at camp.
Down at the dock the little sailboat
was gently rocking, and it seemed al
most more than l could bear not to be
out in it, splashing through the waves.
It grew very warm by eleven o'clock
and Ned fretted dreadfully. Finally l
could stand it no longer. Nurse l
said, baby needs the breeze. He's too
hot, that's all, and | want you to come
with him and let me take you across to
DR. Gales Well, to the island then?'
for nurse was shaking her head, but
she only kept on shaking it till l grew
so angry nearly ried. Such strong,
han 1fi f,,1 10
waste!
Your mammal never let you in
the world, nusse said, and in my heart
l knew SO, too, but I only snapped:
We'll, mamma doesn't know how hot
baby is and how he needs itr' At that
nurse only laughed and went into the
little kitchen tent to see to something
she was fixing for baby's lunch.
Il felt very sure that what he needed
more than any Of her 'messes' was a
good cool dash across to the island.
Ned, want a sail?' asked Ned didn't
look very sure, but suddenly l caught
his little hand and hurried down the
bank with him to the dock In another
minute l had loosed the LOCK- and we
were fairly flying before. the jolliest
breeze imaginable. 1t was very grand
as we plunged over the tiny white-cap-
ped waves. and yet for some reason l
couldn't enjoy it a bit, and kept think
ing how startled and frightened man.
ma would be to know that had dared
sail alone with baby away out into the
bay Half way across l began to no.
tice that we were not going so fast, and
in another ten minutes the breeze died
down, and instead Of heading for the
island Of DIR. Gales cottage, we rocked
about aimlessly out in the hot sunshine.
Ned began to cry very soon. Me
amt to do. home he said over and over.
l almost cried myself, FOR how could l
get him home without any breeze to fill
the little sail? III only had oars,
/ thought, and then remembered that
there had been oars and that in play
ing about the dock earlier in the morn
ing had lett them high and dry on the
bank So just sat down in despair to
wait for a breeze, or for somebody to
come and get U.S. / knew that nurse in
her fright would try to find mamma,
and felt sure that some one would !
row out for us. But the skitf! Tom
had gone off in it and there wasn't an
other one near the camp On, dear!
If only | had listened to nurse or to
and hadn't tried to come! |
That verse heard you children learn
ing Sunday, kept running through my |
hot little head. Fools, because of
their transgressions and because of
their iniquities are afflicted
"'Oh, l was the worst fool, the |
worst!' 1 cried, but l didn't know yet !
just how heavy my affection would be, |
for while the hot sun poured down
from above and the hot glare came up |
from below, baby Ned grew paler and
paler, and then suddenly stopped cry
ing and lay back like some little wilted /
Hover in the bottom of the boat. |
was perfectly wild with fright and |
grief. Taking off my big sun-hat l T
his face with it as best could; |
then, slipping along the boom to the
stern of the boat, l sat on the very edge |
and held on with both hands while / |
began tho slow and painful PERFORM
ance of sculling home with my feet.
joey, l hope you never in your life |
have had any thing 10 do as hard as /
that was. The sun beat down ON my
bare head till felt sure the hair must |
have sizzled all off the top. and my
poor little legs ached till it brought the |