The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-01-26
r ANNIE's TERRIBLE TuMeLE.I
The Courage and Faith Impaired to Her
by Sparrow-A Nursery Tragedy.


by Sparrow-A Nursery Tragedy.
"Shc is all right" whispered the
nurse to the housemaid outside of the
day-nursery door. "She is playing
with her DOLL and if once she begins
talking to that beloved Tottie / know
she will not trouble me for an hour.
I'll just turn the key though, in case
she should take it into her head to
come and look for me. Where's COOKE"
''Safe enough in her own room with
a bad headache"
So the two women went out. Annies
parents were away for a few days. and
nurse and Lucy (who were both new
servants) wanted to go to the village
fair. Mr.. and Mrs. Carlisle would not
have left Annie alone with them if it
had not been that cook would be there,
and as she had been in the house ever
since Annie was born, they knew that
they could trust her to look after their
little girl.
Annie played happily enough in the
nursery by herself, talking to Tottie as
if she understood everything she said.
II wonder where nurse is?" she said
presently. Not that we want her; do
we, my pet? We don't want her to
come in now, only it is so hot, l should
like the window open"
Now Annie's old nurse, who had
been with her for years and had only
lately left to be married, never allowed
the window to be opened at tho bottom
because there were no bars across. So
Annie-remembering this-climbed on
n chair, and tried TO put the window
down from the top.
This is very awkward thing to do
when you are standing tip-toe on
chair which is not as near the window
as might be. You look rather like
suspension bridge, and your heart goes
into your mouth when your fingers
slip, and you knock your head against
the window frame.
That is just what Annie did, and for
a moment she wondered whether she
had smashed the glass or not. Think
ing that she might not have such for
tunate escape next time, the little girl
opened the window from the bottom,
rcrched Tottie on the window-sill, and
sat down to enjoy the lovely summer
evening.
"What is that, Tottie?" she exclaim-
ed suddenly, as soft click startled her
from her dreamy coziness. 1t was
really nurse locking the door, but
of course Annie never thought OF that.
She looked about for few minutes, and
then she rested her head on cushion.
still holding her precious doll. 1t was
taken up her old position on the win
dow-sill.
Perhaps Annie pushed against Tottie;
perhaps Tottie overbalanccd herself
neither of them ever knew; but the next
instant Annie gave Il scream, for poor
Tottie was tumbling down, down into
the garden below.
Annie looked after her in helpless
fright for a moment; then, when
she saw that her favorite had landed
in the middle of rose-bush, she left
the window, ran to the door, and called
out
'.All right, Tottie, I'll be down in
moment"
But, as you know, the door was lock-
ed. Now, although Annie was, as
rule, very good child, she was by no
means perfect. When therefore she
was locked in she began to kick at the
door and shout for nurse.
OF course no one came, for there was
no one in the house but the cook, who
was asleep in top room at the front of
the house, and not likely to hear what
took place in the nursery, which was on
the first floor at the back.
Quite exhausted by her efforts, An
ME sat on the floor and cried. Then
looking up she caught sight of the can
dies which stood on the mantle-piece.
Perhaps if l lighted candle l
could see if the key is in the lock-" she
said. 'If it isn't, perhaps 1 can open
the door with the cupboard key. re-
member Madge did that once when
cook locked us in for fun"
So the candle was lighted, and held
10 the keyhole. Annie could see moth
ing, so she concluded that the
key was not there, and putting
the candle on the floor went to get the
cupboard key. But, alas! she did not
notice that there was large picture
book, with loose leaves, lying on a
chair, and that she had put the candle
just under one of the leaves which were
hanging over the edge.
AL might heve been well if Annie