Sharp County record., 1890-01-30
PEGGOTY'S BOOTS.
Why Papa Didn't Buy the Cast
Iron Ones.

Peggoty sat on the doorstep gazing
refectively out on the pleasant June
landscape.
She had on her countenance an ex-
preston of rapt interest and divine COM
passion that would have fitted cheru-
BIN in one of Fra Angelicos pictures.
1t was one of Peggoty's best and most
effective poses None the less 50 for be-
ing entirely unintentional. That round,
rosy face framed in SOFT golden curls
large limpid, blue eyes and rosy button
of a mouth, about all, that tender, pity
ing expression, made most attractive
picture. Strangers passing often paused
to admire and ask u few questions Of
such a pretty little girl. An aspiring
young artist, a friend Of the family, al
ways alluded to her as that "angel
child" and elderly ladies were apt to
shake their heads solemnly and fear she
wouldn't live long. "That expression
was positively uncanny in child so
young"
People who know Peggoty well, how
ever, were not at all taken in by it.
Members of the family seeing the "angel-
child" expression usually surmised
trouble, In point of fact Baby Robin
had scarcely sobbed himself to sleep ten
minutes ago with long red scratch
down his chubby face made by Peggoty's
naughty little fingernails. The latter
had just finished an unpleasant inter-
view with mamma, and had come out
upon the doorstep to reflect. Not that
Peggoty was bad child. Itwas simply
that those natural implements, fists and
fingernails, were always close at hand,
and if baby was too greedy in appro-
priating her toys or Johnnie vexing,
Peggoty came down upon tn EN- like a
small tempest, after which she was sorry.
She didn't mean to scratch or slap. 1t
someway did itself without consulting
Peggoty, and she didn't think till after
ward, and not long then, l am afraid.
As she sat upon the doorstep she was
thinking-not about the baby; that cpl
sode was almost forgotten, am sorry to
say. Only enough memory fingered to
give that pensive, pitying expression
before noticed-she was thinking about
her boots, but alas! the celebrity with !
which her little toes worked their way
through the stoutest and best sewed |
shoe-leather was little less than mirac- |
ulous. When papa started for town
that morning he had asked if there was
any thing wanted, and Mrs. Sherman |
answered with sigh: "Yes you must
bring Peggoty a new pair of boots to
wear to school tomorrow. Her last
ones are about worn out" "What said
papa, $50 soon: You don't mean to say,
Peggoty, that you have worn out a pair
of boots in eight days? What shall | !
do with you? Now, look here. will
bring you new pair of boots tonight |
and want you to make them last at
least two weeks. If you do I'll give you
some money for party for Rosalind,
and if you don't"-Peggoty's angel-child |
expression gradually dawned, and papa
had to turn away to complete his SEN
tence; much as he knew about Peggoty
he never could quite resist it-"l'n
have pair of cast-iron ones made for
you sure"
Peggoty's active imagination had dis
posed of the party and was now con-
templating the awful possibility of the
boots not lasting. No little girl she
knew had cast-iron boots. How heavy
they must be. Perhaps they would rust,
and above all what would Dotty and
Louise say! Dotty and Louise were
twins, and lived just across the way.
Peggoty was apt at times to cordially
detest them. 1t was trying to have
nurse continually saying: 'Now if you
only kept looking nice and neat like
Miss Dotty and Miss Louise" They
were pretty little girls, too, with fair
faxen hair, only it didn't curl much,
and large brown eyes. Their hair never
got rough and snarly, their aprons were
never mussed and dirty, and as for
boots, well, / suppose they wore out
sometimes. Peggoty declared they
lasted years and years.
The thought of Dottv and Louise look
ing with interest and compassion upon
herself arrayed in cast-iron boots was
almost more than sne could endure.