Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-02-22
OUR PLAN DIDN'T WORK
BY MoL+tR RICHARDS,

| poppy, AL LloueldIo ClTCuHSt@uSeS>
and lived upon small farm, They
had but one child, a daughter, who
was always called Sissy
Sissy was about my age, and I was
about six years old, when Father"
Jones adopted me into his family.
When | was about eight years of age q
relative of Mr.. Jones died. To attend
the funeral was big days journey for
his slow horse,
They did not like to leave us with
the sole care of the place on the day
ct the funeral, yet they seemed to
think of no way to prevent it. So, for
that entire day we We're left in charge
of everything.
They kept one horse, two COWS, a
pig or two, and great deal of poul-
try. 1t was my work from the start,
mine and Sissy's, to do what we could
for the cattle and poultry, and we
quarreled not little over the work.
We shared alike sport as well as
work, and We're much together Some
ties Sissy exercised authority over
me, claiming her rights as lawful pos
SCISSOR. This her parents would not
| permit when they knew of it.
The work assigned for us to do was
to water the cows at noon, at night
| put them in their stable, feed the poul-
try, and, if they returned late, provide
wood and coal and kindling.
can see yet how Mother Jones
looked when she started. She was
dressed in plain, old-fashioned garb,
and her eyes had a peculiar, wistful
expression. She cautioned us over
and over not to turn things topsy-turvy,
not to leave the house alone, or make
| fires, as none was needed
Mrs. Jones was very careful house
! keeper. Our dinner was spread on the
kitchen table and neatly covered with
| q spotless linen cloth.
After she had closed the kitchen
door she passionately embraced both
Sissy and l, as if she never expected to
see us alive again. Then she slowly
walked to the old square top carriage
and reluctantly climbed into it. Father
Jones looked worried as he stepped in
after her and drove slowly away. We
had previously planned our sport and
were very impatient, so we thought
that they would never get started.
Next to the yard was a small field :.
below this field was large apple
orchard, in which we were raising a
calf. This calf was very tame. Sissy
and | had made q pet of it, and had
quarreled not little in selecting
name. Finally. We decided on Daisy
Dingle, that each might have an in
dividual claim upon the name.
had often told Sissy that I thought
if we could get the chance we might
ride upon Daisy-Dingle's back. When
we discovered that we were to have this
Sunday to ourselves we at once decided
that this would be a golden oppor-
tunity.
We planned our ride with many
fears, lest it might be rainy, or perhaps
we might lie seen and have our doings
reported.
The weather proved to be all that
we could desire
AS soon as Mr.. Jones drove off Sissy
and | skipped up stairs, for it had been
decided that Sissy must have q side
saddle, and she had things in readiness
to make one.
First, she produced two of her
mothers dresses, which were slightly
worn; then, with a big husk needle and
twiue, we fashioned a saddle; the
sleeves served for stirrups.
Our nearest neighbors had gone to
church and their house was closed, as
was nearly every house in the neigh
borhcod
The coast was clear. Daisy-Dingle
being a pet, did not object to the
saddle
insisted that Sissy should have the
first ride. She had no trouble getting
on, but her weight, together with fix
ing her feet in the stirrups, scared
Daisy-Dlngle, who started at full
gallop before we were ready.
Sissy, having no hold, fell off, her
feet entangled in the stirrups.
The saddle had been securely
fastened to the calls back, and Sissy
was dragged considerable distance.
| was badly scared.
Sissy was stunned and semi con.
scious for time, but with the excep-
ton of few slight scratches, the worst
in her face, she escaped uniniured.
The lower portion of the orchard was
low and swampy; through this Sissy
had been dragged.
Her dress was sight to behold 1t
being Sunday, she was permitted to
wear one too fine for our occupation :;
besides being torn, it was brown anG.
green-stained from mud and grass.
After the fright, finding Sissy not
badly injured, and being plucby, she
20 +o1- 10 R,,n no,
thought l could manage better. L
got on and met with the same success,
only that | was not dragged when L
fell off, for the saddle had been aban-
doned.
Poor Daisy-Dingle did not know
what to make of such treatment. She
became wild.
We were now determined to have
ride both together. How to get her to
stand still long enough for us to mount
upon her back was the question. AS
we found it impossible to do this, we
became enraged and took turns 10
beating and racing the poor calf many
times around the orchard and over
Mother Jones' dresses.
Finally Daisy-Dingle became ex-
hausted. 1t was dinner time, and we
were hungry. So we concluded that if
we stopped to eat, perhaps by the time
we came back Daisy-Dingle might per-
NIT us to take ride.
fastening to the hoase, we were
hardly courageous enough to enter
We had neglected to fasten doors or
windows. Our appetites got the bet
ter of us, and we cautiously entered.