Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-01-24
ANNIE'S TERRIBLE TUMBLE.
The Courage and Faith Impaired to He
by Sparrow-A Nursery Tragedy.

| ANNlE'S TERRIBLE TUMBLE.
| The Courage and Faith Impaired to Hel
by a sparrow-A Nursery Tragedy.
''She is all right" whispered the
| nu. Sc 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.
TIL just turn the key though, in case
she should take it into her head to
come and look for me. Where's cookp"
'Safe enough in her own room with
bad headache"
So the two women went out. Armies
parents were away for 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.
81 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, I 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 the bottom
because there were no bars across. So
Annie-remembering this-climbed on
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 a
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 a for
GuudCC CoSupC llCAS ollllCs LILO l1oSiO SALI
opened the window from the bottom,
perched Tottie on the window-sill, and
sat down to enjoy the lovely summer
evening.
..What is that, Tottie?" she exclaim-
ed suddenly, as a soft click startled her
from her dreamy eoziness. 1t was
really nurse locking the door, but
~ Of fhaf
She looked about for a few minutes, and
then she rested her head on cushion.
still holding her precious doll. It was
not long, however, before Annie had
taken up her old position on the win
dow-silL
Perhaps Annie pushed against Tottie;
perhaps Tottie overbalanced herself
instant Annie gave a 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 a
moment"
But, as you know, the door was lock-
ed. Now, although Annie was, as a
rule, a 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 a 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 cam
dies which stood on the mantle-piece.
perhaps if I lighted candle
could see if the key is in the lock, she
said. elf it isn't, perhaps l can open
the door with the cupboard key: re-
member Madge did that once v1en
cook locked us in for fun"
So the candle was lighted. and he1N
to the keyhole. Annie could see moth
Ing, SO SIG COuCiuuCu eiieeo oAiO
kew 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 a 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
All might have been well If Annie
had not remembered Tottie. She could
not pass the window without saying a
word of comfort to the poor doll, whose
position was most trying.
I'm coming, darling, soon," cried
the child, little thinking what true
words she was speaking, only she was
going in very different way from what
she meant.
The CHEEKY words were followed by a
terrible scream; for on turning toward
the door, Annie beheld a big blaze
One leaf of the picture book had first
been scorched. then had caught fire;
the rest followed; and to the little girl,
locked in alone, it seemed as II the
whole house were burning.