Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-12-05
THE "BRAVE" BOYS.

How They Took Care of and Protected
Their Little Sister.
sAfraid! just like a girl! Why We'll
take care of you. Nothing can happen
to you with three men in the house"
So spoke the eldest of the three
men," aged twelve; and Dick, the sec
ond, copied his gruff base tones to ask;
'sWhat is there to be afraid of. I'd like
to know?''
ssWe1l, there's robbers-and there's
bears-and there's poclzerpickets,' Nelly
answered, timidly.
81 just wish the pockers would come
I'd fix 'em," said BERTHE. He was not
much more than baby, but he looked
very big, striding up and down with
his battery chest on" as his father used
to say.
Dick climbed upon chair and took
down an old sword from it's nail on the
wall.
This is what I'll do if bears or rob
bers come along,7 he cried, and bran
dished it in such a fierce way that Nelly
began to put more trust in her pro
tectorS.
s'That's rusty: I'd rather have the gum
said Fred; and taking his fathers rife
marched to the door and presented the
muzzle to the keyhole.
eli, there, Mister" he shouted to an
imaginary burglar on the other side OF
the door, mo admittance here without
leave!"
What would Major Barrie's state OF
mind have been just then could he have
known that his rifle was in Fred's un-
skillful hands? AS it was, he felt NO
uneasiness, believing that Bridget, the
big Irish servant, would take good care
of the children during his absence of a
day and night.
Biddy was not SO trustworthy as he
thought After the tea dishes were
washed, she went out with some
cousins from Oirland," and left the
four little ones alone. They didn' It mind
that at first. The three men had all the
better chance to show their courage.
Sitting around the fireplace, they told
all the stories they had ever heard or
read of wonderful adventures and hair
breadth escapes. This was all very we'll
as long as the least bit of daylight last
ed but by and by there was nothing but
freight in the room, and you know how
such stories make you feel, told in the
freight. They began to euddle closer
together and to speak lower; and if
coal fell in the CRATE, or mouse stirred
under the floor, they would all start and
catch hold of one another.
81 wish Biddy would come back, :"
whispered Nelly at last, with little
SILVER.
Listen! That must be her now" said
Fred, as they heard the latch of the gate
click.
ooh, I'm so glad,' Nelly exclaimed,
jumping up and running to the window.
The gate was at some distance from the
house, but by the light of the snow
Nelly could see something that made
her scream.
'sOh, boys" she cried, sit isn't Biddy!
It's man! It's a man. and she ran and
,lung to Fred.
You should have seen our three brave
men then. They tumbled, helter-skelter,
out of the room, almost knocking one
another down and screaming wildly.
They found their way somehow to the
closet under the stairs where the flour
and apple barrels were kept. The apple
barrel was almost full, but Fred scram-
bled in and curled himself up so that
nothing could be seen over the top.
There was more empty space in the
-four barrel, and Dick climbed in there
and whispered that there was room for
one more. Poor little Bert was trying
to swarm up the outside, and crying be-
cause he couldn't. Nelly gave him a
helping hand and soon had him in. She
pulled the covers over the barrels, hav-
ing presence of mind to leave little
breathing space. Then she tried to
creep behind; but no, they were close
again the WALL There she was, left
alone and defenseless-all her protectors
barre1ed up!
There was no time to look for another
hiding place, for just then the doo1
opened and shut, and mans ster
sounded in the hall. Nelly's heart was
beating very quickly; she began to cry
little. The footsteps could be heart