The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-10-24


patiently trying to make slateful of
Us, but finally rolled her eyes up with
comicai look of despair, and ex-
claimed: "De tails dun git roun' de
rong way"
She learned to read after an initiative
fashion of her own, rather than in the
most approved way. Tanky loved to learn
the little stories and scraps of poetry by
heart" as the children say. Then it
was funny to see her hold her book up
in front of her so gravely, and in her
musical voice read, while her big, dark
eyes were rolling all about, looking
everywhere except at the words
But when the singing-teacher came
in to give his weekly lesson, then
Tanky was in her glory. Her old
cracked slate and her book were whisked
out Of sight, and she was always ready
first. She caught the simple airs Of the
songs more readily than any thing else.
She would sway her little body back
and forth in time to the music, her big
eyes rolling till first one saw the white
and then the dark part, her head with
its bushy halo OF wool swaying from
side to side, her little dusky hand
stretched ont among the many white
ones rhythmicallY beating time. But
when the time grew quicker Tanky's
small body rocked frantically back and
forth, and her woody head rolled from
side to side SO recklessly that felt al
most afraid it would roll quite off, and
come down with a bang on the floor!
What picture she made! How l
wished l could sketch her then, and
do her up" in water-colors Tanky
would have liked to be done in colors
best
Children have queer fancies. One
night she came back after the other
children were gone and stood alter
nately twisting her apronstrings and
hauling up her unruly stockings, until
said:
well, Tanky, what is it?'
She said: "Ouh CHI Ich is dun gwine
to hab festibull dis evenin'-an'-an'
will you Gomez
Then followed rapid and eloquent
description of the promiscuous feast in
store for me.
Were dun gwine to hab millun an
bread an cakes wild candies dun
sprinkled all ovah de tops, an'-an'-
pies"
Here she hesitated, and rolled her big
eyes around, and then named over some
of the same delicacies in reverse order,
and paused, waiting eagerly for my an
sWer.
7 1oin IN har tn f,1l hon
many, many blocks away it was where
boarded, and that it would not be posi-
BILE for me to come to the "festibull,"
as she called it.
She turned away, but not before l saw
the look OF disappointment that was
deepened in her face by the mournful
expression in her eyes. Something
about the droop of the pathe tic little
figure as it was quietly stealing away
prompted me to add: perhaps l will
come and see you, Tanky, some day."
She only looked at me wistfully,
nodded her head, and walked slowly
away.
The next thing l remember was the
advent of Tanky's cousin into our
SCuOOl. one was DIS DldCh as Idr, anu
big and stolid. Tanky proudly led her
in, and l asked her name. She looked
sheepish and stupid, but Tanky gave
her reproachful glance, and came to
the rescue with: Huh name is Sylla
Pearl Bucknah."
1t was amusing to see how Tanky,
though much smaller than Sylla Pearl,
would nght her battles for her IN the
playground, and every other place. In
deed, she looked after her always, with
quite grandmotherly air.
One day | heard some one crying
tragically in the wardrobe, where the
children wrappln9S hung went to
the doorand found big Sylla Pearl weep
ing bitterly. Finally her grief found
words, and she burst out with:
"oh, ola, oh! 1 dun loss my-my-
cloak"
Much relieved that it wasn't her head,
began hunting diligently for the cloak.
Some of the children joined in the
search, but we were unsuccessful. BY
this time Tanky, who had scented
trouble for her Pearl from the play
ground, flew to the rescue. And what
comical sight she was, as she stood in
the doorway with the wind blowing her