Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-11-29
Rainy Days.

What pleasure a rainy day used to
bring to us children! We were g and
pas pets, Nettie, Bessie, and J. and
did pretty much as we pleased, run
ming barefOOted through the woods,
tearing our dresses, and tanning our
faces till we looked like young Indians.
That was IN the summer time, when we
ran wild. In winter we made pre-
tense Of studying with Aunt Rachel,
and wore very grave, business-hke
faces over our history and spelling
lessons.
I think grandpa was well pleased
when the chilly, slowly dropping rain
walked him with its music-fOr it was
always holiday with us three then. He
liked we'll to have his merry trio al ind
him all day, and would call out u, the
stairs: "Susie, Nettie, Bessie, wake
up-it's raining!" In ten minutes
three laughing chatterers scamperedi
down in answer to his call and climbed
over him like squirrels, while making
plans for coming amusement.
We were useful in our play, as the
east garnet bore witness. On it's walls
hung festOOns of red seed corn, and
bundles of sumach for dyeing thread,
milIet heads and silver-slin onions 1t
was a sight to please any artists eye
especially if he were a hOusekeeper
as we'll Then we picked over beans
and peas and cabbage seed for Aunt
Rachel, and put away all the .newspa-
pers in the big oak split basket, and
the letters In brown paper bags, and
rags into the barrel for carpet making.
When the day was done we would car
~ down fine supply of popcorn for
feast after supper. And how the
white captains few about the hearth,
and how nimbly we. scrambled after
theml
There were other rainy days in the
old home that I remember as we'll as
the merry ones. One I shall never
fOrget-one after which no rainy day
was ever dear to me, except for the
! sadly sweet memories it brought. Even
now, after so many years, when there
! comes. q. fearful November day, I think
Of that one lying so far, back in the
past, and my heart IS filled with. sOr<
| row.
On, Just such a one our dear little
/ Bessie was nearing the river of death
| Gentle little Bessie! We had always
| loved her more than each other. Her
/ loving heart twined its tendtils around
/ ours very closely, and, now, when she
/ was lying so still and white In Aunt
| RacheTs room, dying, our childish
| hearts were well nigh breaking with
! grief The rain battered slowly down,
/ fitfuI gust of wind whirIed the dead
! leaves against the. window-pane, the
! cedar branches bent heavily down, and
the robins sheltered in It's thick bOughs
twittered softly. Their IOudest songs
would not have disturbed Bessie now.
Grandpa held the curly brown head
! against his breast, and looked into the
thin white face with tightly closed lips
/ as pale as Bessie's own. As the little
figure quivered. In the struggle for
breath his own strong frame shudder-
ed, and his eyes turned appeaingly to
DR.. Mason, the dear old physician,
Who loved our darling, and had been
grandpa's friend since they we've boys
together. He put his arm around his
shoulder now, and said
"Tom, the. precious darling viii soon
be free from pain, with her mother in
heaven"
Aunt Rachel sat by, with US at her
knees, two aWed little things, too much
frightened to cry aloud, IS children do
IN trouble. Wesiently waited till the
frsil form grew st1ll, and Dr.. Mason
took It out Of grandpa's arms and laid
1t gently on the bed, then led his old
friend from the room.
All, well, that all happened long
ago, and at nay 6Teside another little
Bessie now plays throughout the rainy
days. Yet I shall never forget the
dreary day when Nature mingled her
tears with ours, and seemed to mourn
the Loss o. grandpa's darling dzyS'tte
May, IN WGUerty Magazine