The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-07-30

You watched to see when she TOOK the
| KEY down from the nail in the kitchen,
! then you followed her and saw her
| take down a great. glossy brown ham
and cut off the smooth, pink slices
| from its heart.
Then you ran to see grandpa start
| the leach. The leach was only bar
| rel of ashes set upon a sloping plat
| form, but it was very mysterious 10
YOU and you nearly broke Your neck
| climbing on the fence so that YOU
/ could peek in and find out what made
/ the pail of water which grandfather
! poured in ut the top of the barrel
change to the dark brown liquid which
| fell drip-,lrip into the stone jar below.
Then YOU ran out under the cherry
! trees TO see the chickens. Some were
/ in the three-corned coops with Stats
| nailed across the front. and some in
! barrels with stick driven into the
| ground at the open end. There were
| lots of little downy chicks, like round
| yellow balls, and they ran about cry
ing peep! peepH
Then you had dinner. You ate in
| the kitchen because grandma said that
| she and father ate there when they
were alone. and they didn't want to
make company of you. You had
| ham and eggs, and asparagus, and
| baked potatoes. and for desert there
! was the Indian-meal pudding tina; you
liked so well. You wiped the dishes
after dinner, and when you had set
| them away you ran to hunt eggs. The
| first nest you found held twelve beau
| tiful white eggs, and you brought them
to grandmother in your apron. How
foolish you felt when she told you that
she had just set the hen on them. and
she hurried to put them back before
they were cold.
Your spirits fell little then. aud
you went away by Yourself behind the
currant bushes. There were some
sheets bleaching on the bushes. weren't
there? Yes, and there were some cot
ton rags which grandmother had dyed
hanging on Il clothesine near by.
They were oppcras-yelow, but
ternut-brown, and indigo-blue- As
you saw these your spirits fell still
lower. for you thought that you might
be asked to help TO sew them after they
were torn into carpet-rags. In fact,
you weren't really happy again until
grandfather called to you that he
shouldn't wonder if the old eat had
kittens hid somewhere about; then
You fairly fell over yourself in trying
to beat grandpa to the barn.
You found the kittens in IN empty
mangCr; there were three, two white
and one Maltese. Then there were
some baby pigs behind the barn. and
you visited them and the doves in the
cote. and when grandfather wanted a
drink You held the dipper for him to
pump into. Pretty soon it was milk
img-tmc, and then supper-time. and
then. oh. so soon! bedtime. Grand
mother heard your prayers, and helped
you up into the big, creaking bed and
tucked you in and kissed you good
night.
You lay there, drowsy and happy.
with the scent Of the lilacs aud flower
ing currants coming in at the window.
There was white quilt on the bed
with blue calico stars, not il soft. silk
thing like this" and the doctor
touched the cider-down quilt which
had slipped to the floor as the lady
nestled comfortably back among the
pillows After Il time" continued
the doctor" you turned Il little and
the bed crcaked, and the noise startled
you. You heard the soft mournful
cooling of the doves and it made you
feel lonesome.
You wished your mother were
there. then YOU remembered that YOU
hadn't said tie prayer about bless
mamma and papa so you slid down
from the bed and whispered your lit
tie prayer, and then YOU climbed bacl.
and i'll a few moments you were---n
But the 'doctor'sn soft, droning
voice stopped here. He had no need
to finish the sentence. for the lady's
drowsy eyes had closed and her regu-
lar breathing showed that she was
sleeping naturally and peacefully.
There was smile on her lips although
her cheek was wet with tears. Softly
the old man laid the bunch of lilacs on
her pillow and tiptoed from the room,
followed by the husband.
There was Il moments whispered
conversation in the vcstibule and
chink of gold coin; then the door
opened noiselesSly and the doctor"
shambled down the street. Chicago
Times.