The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-12-12

YOU went 10 see III you cnlllNnt nelp
grandma ret dinner, but she said she Il
rather you ran out of doors-so you
went out into the backyard.
That backyard of grandma's; was
there ever such delightful place!
There was the smokehouse first of nil.
just the right size for II playhouse.
only grandma always kept it locked.
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 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 TO
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 at 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 slals
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. aud they ran about cry
ing peep! peep!
Then YOU had dinner. You ate in
the kitchen because grandma said that
she aud 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. aud for desert there
was the lndian-meal pudding thas YOU
liked SO well. You wiped the dishe-
after dinner. aud when you had set
hem away you ran 10 hunt eggs. The
irst nest you found held twelve beau
Iful white eggs. aud you brought them
% grandmother in your apron. How
'oolish you felt when she told you that
she had just set the hen on them. and
'he hurried to put them back before
hey were cold.
Your spirits fell little then, aud
you went away by Yourself behind the
,urrant bushes. There were some
sheets bleaching on the bushes, weren't
here? Yes. and there were some cot
Ton rags which grandmother aad dvsd
hanging on IA cIothesIine near by.
They were copperas-yellow. but
'ernut-brown, and indigo-blue. Az
gou saw these your spirits fell still
lower. for you thought that Won might
be asked to help To sew them after they
we're torn into carpet-rags. In fact.
you weren't really happy again until
grandfather called .c you that he
shouldn't wonder if the old cat had
kittens mid somewhere about then
you fairly fell over yourself in trying
to beat grandpa To the barn.
You found the kittens in an empty
manger; 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 n
drink you held the dipper for him to
pump into. Pretty soon it was milk
ing-time, 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 and flower
ing currants coming in at the window.
There was a white quilt on the bed
with blue calico stars. not IA soft, silk
thing like this" aud the doctor"
touched the eider-dowD quilt which
had slipped to the floor as the lady
,sssslled comfortably back among tine
"s. After time" continued
<ctor." 'you turned little and
ic.eaked, aud the noise startled
Gu heard the soft. mournful
the doves, and 1t made you
3me.
JSished your mother were
n you remembered that you
I'd the prayer about bless
.lnd papa 80 you slid down
bed and whispered your lit
. r. and then YOU climbed back
49,. "A few moments you were--"
= But the doctors" soft, droning
voice stopped here. He had no need
TO finish the sentence, for the ladv's
drowsy eyes lad closed and her regu-
lar breathing showed that she was
sleeping naturally and peacefully.
There was a smile on her lips although
her cheek was wet with tears. Softly
the old man laid the bunch of lilacs on
her pillow aud tiptocd from the room,
followed by the husband.
There was moments whispered
conversation in the vcstibule and
chink of gold coin; then the door
opened noiselessly and the doctor
sha IN blpl down the street Lhica1o