The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1889-09-05
SELECTED.
PINK SUN-BOkNETS

on Jnp front Steps Oh St. MAT llolue LOT
Lutte Wanderers, looking with mild in
terest upon that small corner of the Wis
ible world
1t was world made up of brick pave
ments and stone walls enclosed by high
fence, which shut ont everything else, ex-
cept, perhaps, the sky.
Nothing could shut that out; and some
times for little while in the middle of
the day the sun came, too, and looked in
over the fence.
Once, however. when the gate had been
left OPEN they caught glimpse of man
with cart full of oranges driving by,
and wonderful vision of a little child
in white dress looked down at them
from window opposite.
Their own dresses were OF dark-blue
homespun, like those OF the rest of st.
Mary's wanderers; but, when they had
been brought to the Home, they cried so
hard for the little sunbonnets which
Mamsy had made just before she went to
heaven, that the good sisters had at
length consented that they should keep
and wear them.
As they sat there, with their arms
around each others waists, suddenly one
pair of brown eyes looked up to see ii the
other pair. half hidden in the shadow of
the bonnet. had noticed anything of un-
common interest.
No. Yet Patty was sure. very sure,
that by some accident the big gate had
been left Unmatched.
polly" she whispered, clasping the
little sistrr~tighter. Il heard something
wonderful the other day. One of the big
girls said that the earth was round, as
round as an apple, and that if you went
out walking aud kept straight on, you
would come back to the same place you
started from
"P'waps that big girl told a big, naugh-
ty lie" said Polly.
mo, the teacher said it was true: and
I've always meant ever since to go and
find out about it for myself.
wouldn't you be frghtenedY
"Oh, no and you wouldn't either, Pol
", if you had me with you" continued
Patty.
"Besides, we couldn't get lost we've
only to keep straight on and on.
but we couldn't get over that fence,
Patty; and. if we could, what would the
sisters say2"
"IIush, Polly The sisters would be
proud of us. We'd be discoveries, like
Columbus, and have our names put In
book when we got back. And Polly, ,she
added in whisper, 1.-THE gate is unlatch
ed"
Polly looked up. Sure enough, the big
heavy latch, 80 high above their heads
that even the talcst girl in school couldn't
reach it, had been left unfastened
Come, Polly" said Patty with decision
and, leading her little sister by the hand,
she crossed the yard.
The other children were busy with their
games, for it was the noon recess; and
no one noticed the two pink sunbonnets
as they pushed open the gate and disap--
peared up the street. And the crowds OF
people, hurrying up and down, and JOSH
ling them on the sidewalk, paid but little
heed to the two small figures starting on
their tour around the world.
Once in while they stopped TO look IN
at the store windows, but Patty discour-
aged these diversions.
I'VE have so far to go, you know, she
said to Polly. II don't know just how
far, but | think probably 1t Is pretty far. "
BY and by the street became less crow
ded, and pretty cottages with green lawns
in front took the place of stores and tall
brick houses. Shade trees grew on either
side and, after while. they sat down on
curbstOne to rest.
.Isn,t it nice ont here?" exclaimed Fat
ty, drawing a long breath. "Don't you
like it, Pollya'
I'D like it better If | wasn't so hun
cry said Polly plaintvely where are
we goin' to get dinner, Patty
This was a question which Patty had
not considered; but she did not like to
confess ignorance on such an important
subject so she took of Polly's sun-oon-
net, famed her hot checks with it, and
then tying it under her chin, she said,
with a confident air.
"I've been asking God to send US some
dinner, dear, and guess he will. don't
know just yet what he'll send, and per-
haps 1t isn't dinner time yet; but guess
he won't forget us. You know the Sis
ters said he fed the sparrows.'
But l wouldn't like sparrows' din
ners," walled Polly. They wouldn't
taste good"
Patty concluded that the safest course
lay In action. SO she lifted Polly to her
feet, Strengthened her skirts, and the two
little travellers trudged patiently on again,
At last they had left the city far behind
and were walking along road where
grass grew in irregular patches upon the
side walk, and where the houses were
scattered at farther and still farther dis
tances apart large white house. with
the front doors thrown open, finally at
tracted their attention.
Such beautiful place, with flowers In
the windows and in the garden In front,
roses and pinks, marigolds and flaming
popies, and q hundred flowers besides,
whose names they did not know They
stopped at the gate to look In, uttering
little EXPLANATIONS OF delight.
at looks like wainbows turned into
flowers, and smellin' sweet" said Polly.
Pent up In city house oil their lives no
wonder 1t fairly took away their breaths.
"P'waps that's Gods house" said Polly
at length, "and p'waps Mamsy's In their
waitin' for US"
Patty could not say that 1t was not, but
she had her doubts. Still 1t could do no
harm, she thought, to walk about In that
lovely garden. So she allowed Polly to
lead her up the path that ran between
row of Towering pinks to the open door.
As they climbed the broad, wooden
steps, . servant girl In white apron and
cap came out to shake buster, but stop
ped with her busting cloth 10 the air as
she caught sight Of the two pink sun-bon-
nets.
Polly looked up at her. She did not
look like the pictures she had seen Of an
gels. Still, one could never tell what an
giles might wear, and she was too much In
earnest to hesitate.
"Does my Mamsy live here?" she ask
cd.
The girl laughed.
II do not know who your Mamsy is,"
abe aid: "but this Il Mas Hester Craig's