Wichita eagle., 1890-02-05
THAT GIRL.

tsf never in al nv ! ife did see the Ike Of
that girl. don't bets We there's another of
her sort in all Calfeza lia. l hope not, any
way!'
Mrs Fror,er s,cod IN the doorway OF her
rude little cabin and hs A.ed with interest and
disapproval up the N )untaiu road There
was nobody but little 4! year-old Jerry for her
tc tax to. and be WASH 20 busy to pay any at
tention. but with the'ps rfornances of THAT
girl" for subject Mrs. Fromer must talk.
There! Did anyts1a y ever see anything
tc equal that? Why, le just got onto that
dogs back and made him jump over that
rock as if he was a holo 9. What in the world
is she up to nowa Wel I do declare"
Quite overcome by a oonislInent and dis
NAV. the woman had % stop talking for a
moment, and she stood in breathless silence
watching the strange &c ings on which had so
upset her mind
And no wonder, for the pranks she was
witnessing were enough to make any woman
with fixed ideas of pr oprlety feel little
faint and gi0dy It mi ,ht be supposed that
Nrs Fromer would la We become used TO
such prsnbs by this tim = but she had not
Nobody did become used to them, 1t seemed.
Consequently Hilo MoGn ain, although it was
rot a volcano, was a1Wr1 IS III state OF dis
trIrbance, because 'tha1 girl" was cosltinn-
inst now. without lfn owing-or caring
that sbe had a spectator, she rehearsing
a so-t of Wild West nc,w in the rocky road
q little way above the Br1 orner house. There
were only two perfor1 mes 's-lfersef and the
immense dog she aiwa rs had with her-but
they were So active al id versatile. and made
so much nolse, that they We're more than
satisfactory
It was aurssing to zee the little midget
she was only 13, and s-rsan for her age
playing Indian and Sex WI and stage driver,
al giving u really goC = Imitation OF each.
And she wepa at her fun HstA such spirit
and enthusiasm that no locker o1 could help
beng excited IN sympat by.
The dog, great ST., BernaTd, was quite
as enthusiastic as bis uistress and was full
of the spirit of the occas ion. 1t was evident
that he saw no nnprol riety at all In this
business. He gave it a Il the assistance in
his power and was wond, Efully Intelligent in
his performances.
Suddenly the girl stcpd upon the dogs
back and bala1ced her. elf there with the
skill of a monkey while the creature scamp
cred up and down the road, leaped over
rocl.s and did many other break neck things.
The girl held stick In her hand which she
pretended was a g1n, and at short intervals
She ..nadc believe to fire ,tse weapon, giving
at the same time an Indiart whoop.
It was this feature of the show TINT had
caused Mrs. Fromer TO e:tclaim and to hold
her breath It had also attracted the atten-
ton Of little Jerry Fro aler. At once the
chill was filled with admi ration, and ran out
into the road to Join the fascinating party.
His mother caught and brought him back,
not without loud protests on his part The
girl heard his outcries and understood them.
he Spt r
hope of securing another playfel'Dw.
i1et me have him jest little whiIe,7
Size was painting and flushed and eager;
her cres spslrkled and her face was bright
and animated. In spite Of her Iu2-enpt black
hair and her torn clothing she looked very
pretty and Childish then; and there was
tslnlv nothing vicious III the straight look of
her pleading eyes.
LET me have him." she said again, ''I'll
take right good care of him, an he'll have
loadso o. fun RantersN be right glad to have
him, too"
This last was meant the highest compli-
men5 that could be paid ANY little boy
whom the big dog was wiling to accept as
play mate was hoG,ored indeed.
Jerry kicked in his mothers alms and held
out his hands to the girl and begged to go
with her, but his mother held him close and
1nON u q SUSp lufbileI away
It was a movementof dislike The girl I'M
derstood it, She drew back as if from blow,
and he stopped coaxng, while her face lost
all its bright animation. She was very sem
sitive tombo5, apparently.
"Einyl"
All turned in a startled way to- see that
Pete Pelter was standing beside them, with a
look in his face that seemed half sad and half
angry.
''lThy, dadi ye've got back"
Tie girl sprung nilnbly up and caught her
father round the neck where she chung kiss
ing lis bearded face. The rough mountaineer
kissci her in return, just a better dressed
father would have done, and -strohed her hair
very tenderly.
"Au right, amt We, Rillyg" he.said. "Ran
ter took good care on We whilst l was awayl
Got to be off again, but I'll be back this
evenin'."
He kissed her again and put her.down on
the ground.
Now you an Rantsr be off to yer fun.
Hes the compny you've got to associate with,
an 10 other!r
The girl and the dog ran away together
and the rnan turned again to speak to Mrs
Fro, ,aer.
IL don't want my gal to be intrudin' an ]
wont low her to be int-udin'," he said with
q kind of rade dignity.
''she wasn't intrudinC But will say this
Pete Paiter, you ought TO stay home more
md keep her in some sort of order. It's too
bad, the way she goes on. Why, she's the
wor' child on Hilo Mountain"
There haint no man would say that to me
bout my galr the father said, roughly. Then
ne softened his tone, remembering it was q
woman be spoke to.
"Ye're wrong bout Rilly," he continued.
"SEe amt the wuSt child She's the best
chill |, the lorln est, generousest braveSt, best
child that's goir'. It's her way that makes
yc aux different, an ways depends on p'ints
an yiew. Rillv amt so bad, bein' rough as
some is besn' smooth. Ef her mother WIZ
Gvin'--wall she showed what she'd ave done
WHEN she gave her that purity name, ANA.
rillo She'd ave made her the purtiest be-
haved child on the mountain. But no other
woman don't bother!"
Alr. Pelter made an awkward bow and
walked or toward his cabin, and Mrs Fromer
went-into the house 10 think il over. leaving
little Jerry outside. She was very glad that
be had 50 soon forgotten Rilly's invitation
ana his own disappointment
40 child on the moun:aln--or off the noun
tam, Tor that nlatter-was quite so good as
LITTLE Jerry Fromer His father believed il
ana his mother knew it, he made no trouble
at all, but amused himself in ali sorts of pret-
~ little ways. leaving his busy mother free
10 attend TO the great amount Of work which
every housekeeper-even IN i mountain cabin
IN Cahfornis-always finds 10 do.