The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-09-16
MISS PERRY'S MASCOT.
By JULIA T. BISHOP


By JULIA T. BISHOP.
don't mind if ye bring out one for q
few weeks, Ebenl" called Miss Perry
from the front door, where she stood and
shaded her eyes with her hand but,
mind you, it must be good, hefty one,
at can help me along with the work. /
don't want ne young 'uns around jest for
me to wait on. And I'd ruther it would
be boy an girl"
Yes, Marthy," called Eben back from
the wagon, gathering up the reins in his
slow, deliberate way, and in a few min
utes he and the fat old farm horse were
jogging comfortably down the road to-
gether, while his sister went back into
the house and " set the bread to rise in
the window.
do hope Eben won't commit no
foolishness," she said TO herself, as she
went busily from one piece of work to
another.
He's been after me the longest time
10 take orphan for the summer, because
the asylum people was a sendin' 'em out
that way, and jest had to give in, but
know in reason I'll repent it. oughter
a gone an picked one out for myself
Eben amt got no practical notions bout
i'm"
Surely, if ever there was place where
an orphan could come and learn how to
live, it was to this Perry farm. The old
house was large and cool, with wide gal
leries and great bowers Of vines. The
prairies stretched out in front of it, with
wheat fields and corn fields and orchards
and back of it were high wooded hills,
with the wind alwsvs nakinG music
among the leaves, and with a pretty lit
tie brook drawing sperfect tail Of music
about through the hills.
That little brook was alive with min
nows, if only any child had been there
to see them and there were even tiny
fish in the deeper holes, that might have
been caught with pin-hook, they were
SO tame.
The only trouble was that there was
no child about the Perry farm. Those
spotless floors had never been tracked by
childish feet. The very cat, that great,
demure, contented cat, had not seen a
child for so long time that I think he
would have been frightened almost to
death if one had CHANGED to come upon
him suddenly.
And now the word had been spoken,
and Miss Martha's promise was given.
A child was going to be brought there
that very evening-perhaps some great,
rough creature, who would spread disor-
der all over that orderly house. Miss
Martha could only sigh and tremble and
hepe again that the orphan would be "a
good hefty one"
Eben was late getting home, and Miss
Perry idgeted about from the kitchen to
the front door until Socrates, the cat
grew suspicious Of her movements, and
hid under the kitchen table and growled
at her.
"Of course the child IL be hungry, as
children always are" she said, and she
hurried back to the table and filed up q
glass with creamy milk and set it beside
that plate that was to stand between her
own and Ebens. Then she set down a
dish of honey in its own snowy comb and
then, after another journey to the front
door, she brought out glass of currant
jelly.
Indeed there would have been nothing
left in Miss Perry's stores, if the sound Of
the wheels had not stopped her. At that
sound she retreated into the corner at the
end of the table and stood waiting, as
grim looking as though she had never
had kind impulse in her life.
What had come over Eben She could
hear him talking before he reached the
gate, and he drove up and stopped with
a great flourish.
Now, then, Sampson" she shouted,
cheerily, and before Miss Perry had col
lected her scattered senses, they were
coming along the hall What was that
sounding beside his heavy tread Hot
the tap Of crutch?
swell, Marthy," he said, slowly, and
wiring his hat little awkwsrdly, now
that he was face to face with the conse-
queHces, Il brung ye s orphan, an 8
good, hefly one, no, amt he? Ye might
hunt year, an not find one as needed it
any worse"
The little fellow beside him-sueh q
tiny little fellow, leaning upon such q
little mite Of crutch looked from one
70 the other Of them. He had q small,
thin face, and his eyes were far too large
and bright for it. He had friendly spir-
it, this orphan that had come to the
country for the summer, and presently
he limped over to Miss Perry and held
up tiny hand, with smiling
HoTcy
Miss Martha took the little hand-she
could do no less but she looked so grim
and relentless that the child said. apols-
ally:
" I'm much obliged"
Miss Pery's face crimsoned, and she
looked at her brother.
81 reckon he needs it" she said, curt
", "an' as long as he's here he shall
have it. Come on to.your suppers- Eve
rything's been waitin' fer hour, an
reckon that the little feller Is awful hun
cry"
As the child ate her heart warmed to
wards him. He had never been placed
before such q supper in his life.