News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-01-29
MYRA'S AMBITION.
BY WILLIS WILLIAMS.


81 just hate it. / cannot do one
thing without having that cross baby
tagging after me-"
Even as Myra said this her cheeks
grew red with some other emotion
than that of anger.
She was going through the hall to
her own room. DO not think that
Myra was usually in this mood.
People thought her a very amiable
little girl, and she was. This morn
ing she wanted very much to go
coasting with Mile Rutherford and
her two cousins from the city, but
her mamma wanted her to take care
of Jean, her baby sister, because she
had to go to town, and Mary, the
maid of all work, would be too busy
to give Jean any attention. Myra
rejected with scorn the suggestion
that she should take Jean for a time
out on the hill and let her see the
other children coast. She could sit
all bundled up in her sled, and the
other children would watch her while
Myra cOasted down the hill two or
three times To this Myra would not
consent at all.
"Well, then, you must take care of
her in the house, if you are not will
ing to watch her out of doors this
beautiful morning" said Myra's
mamma, firmly. 1t was then that
Myra declared that the baby always
interfered with her pleasure. Her
mamma did not hear this, for Myra
was out in the hall when she said it,
but she knew that Myra was angry,
and she felt very sorry that the baby
must be left to the care of little girl
who did not wish to care for her. 1t
was train time and she must 90, and,
calling Myra down stairs, she kissed
her goOd-by, and put the baby's fat,
dimpled hand in hers, saying so
plainly in her face, 81 know you will
be good to her." Then Myra cheeks
grew warm again, the door closed,
and Myra and Jean stood in the hall
alone. They went into the sitting
room and watched the window for
mamma to wave her hand from the
station platform. They did not
leave the window until the steam
from the engine had passed out of
sight above the trees, nor until the
faint whistle of the locomotive at the
cross-road had died away; then they
felt that mamma had really gone,
and that they were alone. At this
moment the shouts of laughter rang
out from the hill above the house,
and the frown came back to Myra's
face, and the half jerk she gave baby's
hand as she took her from the win
dow quite astonished baby, who was
not used to just that sort of treat
ment.
Its always the way" muttered
Myra. Every time l want to do
anything, can't" and the baby was
pulled by one arm up the stairs much
faster than the fat little legs could
go.
"P'ease don't Myra; | don't ak
so fast" and the puzzled look in the
big blue eyes would have made Myra
more tender had she looked into the
baby's face. She knew this, proba-
bly,, and for this reason she did not
look at Jean. Myra paid no atten-
ton, and Jean let her hand slip out
of Myra's and pulled herself up by the
banisters. She patiently followed
Myra to the hall window where Millie
and her cousins, Dick Shepard and
Horton Thorne, were to be seen. AS
she saw them chasing each other up
the hill and then running races down
the hill on the sleds, " Me want go on
my sled," said the baby, insinua-
tingly.
"They don't want babies out there
bothering Them" snapped Myra,
turning once more to the window
pane without a glance at the tiny.
grieved face of Jean. The laughing
and shouting went on out of doors,
though it was evident that Millie was
looking for Myra, for she came very
often on Myra's side of the hill and
looked anXiously toward the house.
Myra knew that the baby and her
sled would be gladly welcomed, but
she said to herself, Pm not going to
be nurse the very first time | meet
Miles cousin; they have lots of ser
wants in their house, and don't have
to do such things" and you may be
sure that this thought did not make
| Myra any more tender to the baby,
who rarely felt SO utterly alone as
she did when she looked at that
frowning face.
Slowly Jean went out of the room
and down the stairs, but Myra never
missed her.
"Shure, is it you, me darlint?'
said Mary, taking the baby, whose
lips were very tremulOus, into her
arms. "Shure, it's not used to being
without it's own mother, so it amt,
and down went jeans head on Mary S
comfortable shoulder without the
least attempt at keeping back the
tears. "Shure, good children don't
cry whin everybody loves thin and
is glad to cuddle thim,' continued
Mary, sitting down and holding Jean
against her floury dress so that even
her hair was white on that side
"Now if yes don't cry another droI
I'll be after making We the most lovely
pie in saucer that thin two blue
eyes iver risted on. Whist now, anC
I'll be putting in the stuftin' before
We know it," and Mary bounced VI
and put little girl, who looked very
comical with patches of flour over
one entire side of her dress and head
on the floor. Mary's stutfing was
custard, to jeans great delight, anC
she soon forgot Myra and her frowns
"See that, now" exclaimed Mary
holding the saucer filled with the Gus
tard, all a lovely golden brown, Sc
that Jean, and Rose the cat, cOulC
see it; "and whin We have the lovcl.
chop yer nanny lift for yes, shur'
it's right royal dinner yer woulC
be after having" and Mary caugh
, the little girl in her arms and waltze'
around and around the kitchen, fol
lowed by Rose, who made wild at
tempts to catch Mary's shoestrings