The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-08-27

but Jest Gram, and she'll help US. Gra'
mothers almost always viii help you
She'll bring Lecty as far as the fence
there's quite a piece between Lecty':
house and mine, if the farms does join
and then Huldy, our work-girl. will carry
her the rest of the way she amt much
more'n feather now, Lecty amt, she's
fell away so.-Some folks might moi
think il was very great for Lecty to spend
the day with me, but Lecty win, and il
seems as il couldn't stand it if anything
should happen 50 she couldn't come.
You do get awful sick of such lot Of
boys as there is at my house and Lecty s
even if you do think lot of 'em. And
it's so hard TO bring 'em up right, that
you do want little rest, with nobody
but Lecty and the dolls"
Phebe Jane heaved deep sigh of re-
sponsibility, and Miss Pritchard repress-
ed smile. Her interview with her dis
obedient ~kept-in" pupil was not what
she had expected it to be, but she found
Phebe James condolences interesting.
"Elder Doak heard what they called
me-" continued Phebe Jane, vaguely
aware that she had found a sympathetic
listener, "and he patted me on the head,
just as if was little, you know and says
he, bring 'em up well, Marmy bring 'em
up WE'LL"
With a sudden awakening to her duty,
Miss Prjtchard touched the bell, and the
children came trooping in, looking with
round-eyed wonder at the clock, and con-
graduating each other with furtive nudg-
es at the new teachers ignorance of the
proper limits of recess.
81 hope that Nanny and Lecty will
have their day together" was the first
thing that the new teacher thought on
the morning of the Fourth. She drew
her curtain aside when she heard the
rattle of wheels, and saw with satisfaction
all the younger Dusenberry boys in their
wagon, with Hash. big brawny fellow
of seventeen, riding his black mare-ail
on the way to Cumberland village Even
earlier than this she had heard the Dood
boys go by, shouting and firing crackers.
She felt little anxious lest they should
get into a quarrel at the celebration. She
did not know that Hash, penned in be-
hind the wood-shed door by Marmy, had
held up his right hand, and solemnly
promised that he would not Hash would
not always promise like that when he
did, Marmy could have quiet mind.
She was at the fence almost as soon as
the boys were out of sight, and "Gram, !"
a tall, dark old woman, with a worn but
kindly face, was lifting over the fence a
fragile, wan-faced little girl, who looked
all eyes and smile. Huldy's strong arms
caught her. and Marmy went wild with
joy.
"You mustn't keep her too late" )" said
Gram, though don't expect the boys
What day it was! Hash had left
some fre-crackers and torpedoes, and
Phebe Jane had secret liking for them,
but she gave them up without sigh
when Lecty thought that they savored
too much of boys. The dolls house
which Hash had built for Phebe Jane
was new to Lecty, and they had it out
upon the piazza, with no jeering boys TO
hear them play come to see." And
goodnatured Hubby MADE strawberry
cake out of the sweet little wild starw-
berries that grew all about Gilead, and
cream pies with mountains of frosting
and Nap, the old dog, frightened up and
performed all his tricks, as if he realized
the Importance Of the occasion and al
together the day passed too soon, and it
was time to watch for the rockets from
Cumberland Village common.
As soon as it was pitch dare" Lecty
said she must be carried home and Phebe
Jane agreed TO this sorrowful necessity.
Some of the boys might come home /;
Leck had strong tendency to blow HIM
self up, more or less seriously, with fire.
crackers and toy pitols. and little Aaron
Dodd always got lost, so there was an
undercurrent of motherly anxiety amidst
all the felicities of the playhouse, and
some dread of being surprised as well.
There don't seem to be so very many
rockets" said Lecty, as the watched the
darkening sky. "But look, Phebe Jane,
what great haring light, right over by
our mill stream
'It must be at the Grindalls," said
Phebe Jane. "They had fireworks one
year. See, it lights up the whole sky.
Oh, Lecty, it must be fire It's your
mill"
"0h, oh, Phebe Jane Mary Butter
cup and her kittens are shut up there
away up-stairsI got Gram to shut the
door, because Dicky GrindalI was about
the mill with firecrackers, and he tor
ments cats"
Phebe Jane flew. She shouted FIRE as
she vert with all the breath she had.
She had seen Lecty spring to her feet and
in her excitement had scarcely thought
It strange. Now, as she heard footsteps
behind her, she turned and in the dusk
saw a small figure evidently struggling
hard to run as fast as she did. 1t was SO
like Lecty that it filed her with wonder
and vague fear. But she could not stop
TO wonder or fear. There seemed to be
no one to come at her call men, women
and children had gone to the Cumber-
land Village celebration but still she
ran on and shouted. And still the little
figure, trembling and stumbling with
now and then quivering sob breaking
from its lips, followed close behind until
at last it fell, little heap by the road
side. w
"Oh, Mary Buttercup and all her dear
kittens~ it murmured with a great sob
of despair.
The Dusenberrys were coming home
from the celebration. Leck was riding
the mare now, and Hash was dangling
his long legs from the back Of the wagon,
while Leonidas drove. Now and then
Hash would growl at Leonidas about get
ting his feet upon bundle which was.
under the scat. 1t was some blue sprig-
ged muslin and some blue hair ribbons
which Hash had bought for Marmy,
hocfa 70 do - A. g --& tI,;r<. l.,