Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-11-01
BROTHER And SISTER.
BY C. C. SCOTT.

Two children were playing in the yard
nnder the grand old oak. They had
built little houses of bits of moss that
grew in the damp recesses of the
pnarled roots that iutted out of the
ground, and with broken twigs had
fenced in the yards and gardens around
the little messy homes.
Scattered here and there were pieces
of broken cups and dishes, some plain,
others painted in bright colors, and
great variety of broken glass-which
they had arranged as toilet sets and
mirrors to adorn the homes they had
built.
Several rag dolls of serious counter
dnces and extreme age sat around, while
chickens made of paper and pigs and
cattle manufactured of potatoes were
scattered around.
The children had spent some hours
in this amusement, but at last had
grown tired and looked at each other in
weary kind of way, each wondering
what they should do next.
The elder of the two was pale-faced
boy about eight years old.
4 pair of bed-ticking suspenders, or
@galluses," as he called them, held up
his blue cotton pants, through which a
pair of little brown legs, Primy with
dust and rough with briar scratches,
protruded; dingy, homespun shirt and
q straw hat on a second summers duty,
completed his costume.
The other child-a little girl of six,
with brown eyes and wealth of sun
Drowned haiI-wore pink calico dress,
fashioned so short wasted that her
dumpy little figure looked as broad as
she WIS tall.
Suddenly the boys eyes frightened
and he said:
Il tell yoS, little sister, les go to the
woods and find two little trees and bring
them here and plant them, and they
will be our trees, and when we get
grown we can tell that we planted those
big trees.
yes" chimed in the little girl, and
we can name them our names, too
Won't it be funDy?"
Down into tangle of shrubs and wild
flowers they scampered, drinking in, as
only children and lovers of nature can,
the beauty of the sloping fields in their
springtime holiday dress, each a poem
of living green.
To these little ones, whose brown eyes
and vivid fancies saw clearly and deeply.
the odor of the flowers came as a
heavenly incense, aud the rustling of
the leaves and grasses were whispered
messages from the fairy land.
Down by the little stream which ran
through the wood lot they found their
namesakes-tw tiny hawthorn sprouts
growing side by side.
The boy, after much tugging, aided
ibY digging about the roots, succeeded
in uprooting the little twigs which were
to be transplanted.
Delighted with the GROWING of their
effort, each took plant and laughingly
ran back to the play house. With an
old skiIIet-handle the boy dug hole
for each little tree, while his busy COM
panion brought, in a leaky tin cofee-pot,
water from tub which stood at the
well.
Placing the trees in the holes pre-
pared for them. the boy packed in the
dirt while the little sister poured In the
water she had brought.
An so they planted their namesakes,
and i T days watched and watered them
and wondered if they would live. For
few days the leaves looked wilted and
almost dead, but soon they began to
take on fresh look as the little roots
began to take hold IN their new home.
And so the little hawthorn trees
aourished, and the children we're cor
respondingly happy.
But the wears went on, and there
came a time after while that the play
house was forgotten, for the children
grew as did the trees, until the dark
haired, pale-faced boy became mai
and the brown-eyed girl had blossomeo
into a fair, beautiful woman.
a stranger from fsr-away New Eng
land saw her, loved her, and she placed
her hand In his and gave her heart int
his keeping.
A few years they lived near the ole
home, and these years were full OF hap
oiness. but there came time at las
when dark clouds began to gather al
over the land. Muttering thunder wa
heard along the lakes and around the
Atlantic coast, and sullen answers cam,
Urowlinc up from along the Gulf and
fhe valley of the Great River. Soon
loud fash leaped out from Fort Stump
ter and the storm began.
The husband turned to his own PEG
Die, and she, bravely walking IN tn
path of duty, went with HIM .,
The parting was sad one. Will
aehinr heart and streaming eyes tn
brother watched his @ittie sister pas
out of his sight.
She shed no tear, uttered no word
bat the pallor of death held her face
and her figure trenbled Like storm
shaken leaf as she turned her back o. o.
her brother and childhooc's home Wlt
the little playhouse under the hawthorn
trees.
The war came on. Like q gigantl
cyclone it swept over the land; beior
its terrible breath the whole Ism