Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-08-29

went out into the back yard.
THAT backyard OF grandma's;
was there ever such a delightful place!
There was the smokehouse first OF all,
just the right size for a playhouse,
only grandma always kept it locked.
You watched to sec when she took tho
key down from the nail in the kitchen,
then you followed her and saw her
take down 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
Darrel OF ashes set upon a slop}ng
+ board platform, but it was very mys-
terious 10 you and you nearly broke
yoA>neck climbing on the fence 80
/ that you could peek ia and find out
what made The pail Of water which
grandfather poured in at the top of
the barrel change TO the dark brown
! liquid which fell drip-drip into the
stone jar below
/ Then you ran out under the cherry
I trees to see the chickens Some were
IN three-cornered coops with Stats
nailed across the front, and some in
barrels with sticks 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 peepn
Then you bad dinner You ate in
the kitchen because grandma said tha5
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 that you liked so
well. You wiped the dishes after din
ner, and when you had set them away
you ran TO hunt eggs The first nest
you found held twelve be niiful white
eggs, and you brought tn, N in to
grandmother in yong apron. How
foolish you felt when She told you that
she had just set the hen on them and
che hurried 10 put them back before
they were cold.
Your spirits fell little then, and
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 clothesline near by,
They were copperas-yellow, butter
nut-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 out TO you that he
shouldn't wonder II the old cat had
kittens hid somewhere about then
you fairly fell over yourself in trying
TO beat grandpa TO tho barn.
'You found the kittens IN an empty
manger; there were three, two white
and one Maltese. Then there were
some yaby 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
ing-timo and then supper-time. and
then. OH so soon! bedtime. Grand
mother heard your prayers and helped
you up into the high creakiug bed and
tucked you in and kissed you good
night
'You lay there. drowsy and happy
with the scent OF the lilacs and flow
ering currants coming in at the win
dow There was a white quilt on the
bed with blue calico stars, not a soft,
silk thing like this, and tho doctor
touched the eider-down quilt which
had slipped to the floor as the lady
nestled comfortably back among the
pillows, After time" continued
the doctor You turned little and
the bed creaked and the noise startled
you. You heard the soft mouruful
cooling of the doves, and it made you
feel lonesome
You wished your mother were
there, then you remembered that you
hadn't said tn. prayer about bless
mamma and papa so you slid down
from the bed ana whispered your little
prayer and then you climbed back
and ir % few moments you were----'
but the doctors soft drouing
voice stopped here. He had no need
10 finish tho sentence FOR the lady's
drowsy eyes had closed and her regu-
lar breathing showed that she was
sleeping naturally and peacefully.
There was "a smile on hor lips although
her check 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 moments whispered
conversation in the yesdbuie and a
chiuk or gold coin then the door was
opened uoisolessly aud the doctor
shamh'ed down the street --Chioogo
Times.