The Louisiana Democrat., 1890-09-10

her. and by it's feeble assistance the
child scrambled UP upon the bed.
'.Tot thought as you was going there
she'd love to send somefing to muzzer.
Muzzer never writes to Tot, you know,
never once since she went away. Why
doesn't muzzer write to Tot, Miss Mary?
When papa goes away he always writes
letter to Tot, all for her own self. He
puts Miss Marjorie Hastings on the en-
velope. and nurse reads it to Tot out
loud. When Teddy and Tom is at
school they writes to Tot lots and lots, so
why doesn't muzzer writeP Muzzer isn't
like cook neither; she could spell beau
tiful and cook can't. She could spell
the cat and the rat on the mat just as
easy, and talk lovely out of book.
Muzzer was teaching the cat and the
rat on the mat to Tot just before she
went away. Nurse teaches it to Tot
now, and when Tot gets stupid she raps
her over the fingers. Muzzer didn't do
that--neverr' she added with little
sigh that was half sob.
There was silence for little while,
and then Tot lifted her head again and
her little face was as bright as ever.
rs your trunks all packed, Miss
Mary?" Miss Mary could not answer,
so the child took her silence for con-
sent "lf you hadn't packed them Tot
was going to get cook to come down and
help you. Cook packs trunks just boo
fully. She always packs TOMS and
Teddy's. She sits on the top and
squeezes them down. It's the only way
they can shut them. Last time on
Tedd's trunk she jumped up and down
three times: but if yours is packed,
Miss Mary, you can carry the flowers in
your hands. Give them to muzzer with
Tots love and kiss, and ask her to
write Tot letter. Muzzer will know
Daddy Longlegs right away; that's the
sunfower. Muzzer always called him
that. He grows right up in the corner
of the garden, and Tot had drefful
time picking him, he was so high up.
Tot got box and stood on that and
pulled Daddy Longlegs down. Muzzer
"oh iSiiCHbC UlC lCSV VI UuSLu COS
they've growed since she went away.
But muzzer helped Tot to plant them
all, Tot remembers. Tom and Teddy
was home for holiday, and muzzer and
all of us went out into the gardens.
Tom had shovel and Teddy had hoe,
and Tot dropped the seeds in. Muzzer
had gone away before they coined up,
but Tot always remembers to give them
a drink just as she told her to. Tell
muzzer that we've got new watering
pot now, and Teddy's gone into long
trousers, and the little bantam hen has
laid an egg. 1t was a weeny little bit
of one. Tot had it for breakfast.
And tell her Tots getting dreffully
big girl. She coined down here all
alone"
alone! Across the bridger' exclaimed
Miss Mary, sitting almost upright in
bed. The bridge was safe enough for
grown person, even though it was such
wretchedly made affair, but for
child like that-why it would be the
easiest thing in the world for her to
slip underneath the railing. The creek
was deep just at that point and the cur
rent very swift. Miss Mary uttered a
prayer of thankfulness as she thought
of the child's escape.
Then the medicine began to assert it's
sway, and though Miss Mary fought
valiantly against it it was as much as
she could do to keen awake.
"Youse sleepy, Miss Mary" remarked
the child.
YES" she answered. '1'm afraid /
must plead guilty, Tot. I'm not at all
polite, but you must blame the doctor
for that; he's given me some horrid
medicine. Make yourself comfortable,
Tot, dear. There's your little rocking
chair over in the corner, and Ruperta
Ann is in the cupboard. Well just put
the flowers in this vase for the present
until-until | am ready to CO."
So the little chair was brought over
to the bedside. and Ruperta Ann, huge
rag baby, was brought forward to be
put asleep. 1t was a popularity of Tots
to talk to her mimic children precisely
as though they were possessed with all
the attributes of flesh and blood. She
fondled Ruperta Ann for little while,
then reproached her sharply for her ex-
treme wakefulness. Finally she began
to sing to her in her sweet treble lit
tie song which her mother had taught
her. Miss Mary opened her sleepy eyes
in surprise as the child began to sing.
1t was the first time since her mothers
death that Tot had ever sung this song.
They had often coaxed her to do so. for
it was by far the prettiest song in all
her baby repertoire. Once up at the
Red House, during the boys holidays,
Miss Mary had been seated at the piano
playing for the three children. They
had just finished singing: "The Frog
He Would a-Wooing Co." and half un-
consciously Miss Mary's fingers strayed
into the opening bars of Robin Red
breast. Come along, Tot, and sing it,"
cried the boys. And SO Tot stood up
there beside the piano and began:
Goodbye. goodbye to summer,
For summers nearly gone;
The garden's-"
And then she stopped suddenly; she
could not go on with it. Her little lips
were quiyering, and great lump had
crept into her throat. Since then no
one had ever asked her to sing it, and
consequently Miss Mary was all the
more surprised to hear her begin it now
of her own accord.
The last sipbt that Miss Marv,s tired