The San Saba weekly news. (San Saba, Tex.) 18??-1???, 1892-01-08
"A LITTLE CHILD"
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

the open sea, and Miss Nancy Dear
born, resolutely digging for clans on the
beach, looked out toward the dull, fiat
landscape with a shudder.
Her niece, Fanny Sweet, was with
her. Both were dressed in strict accord
ance with their employment, in calico
gowns, with knit worsted jackets, and
scarlet shawls tied over their heads.
Miss Nancy was tall and gaunt. Fanny
Sweet--"Sweet Fanny" as the girls of
the neighborhood jokingly called her
was small aud round ard rosy.
The wind, which turned Miss Nancy's
nose to a fine purple, only added n
fresher glow to F9nny's peach-like
checks, so unevenly does Dame Nature
dole out her gifts.
And as the two women dug diligently
in the wet sand, and piled their dripping
treasure-troye into the splint basket be-
side them, a brisk dialogue went on.
~, for one, shan't consent to it, said
Miss Nancy ITS bad enough for you
to marry fellow like Asa Litchtield,
with nothin' but morteaged farm and
his own two hands, when you might
have Hebe Holt, with the whole rubber
factory at his back"
Fanny's cheeks were real peOny color
now.
az wouldn't have Hebe Holt" she
cried-''not if he had all the money in
the
'sThat'n dol" CURLY observed Aunt
Nancy. ~ heerd all that afo9e-no
need to repeat it. It's bad enough, I'm
sayin', for you to make such choice as
that, anyhow; but when Asa has the i'm
pudence to ask you to take them two or
phan young 'uns of his sisters to bring
up, into the bargain, l say that's the
last straw on the camel's backl"
az like children, Aunt Nancyp
"Get outn sharply retorted the old
woman. "Children meddlin', torment
in little things don't b'lieve there's q
creetur Twin that really likes children
If Asa was to bring you pair o young
rattlesnokes or pair O. catamount kits
in basket, you'd say you liked 'em!"
but, Aunt Nancy"
'Will you let me get a word in edge,
waysl" peremptorily demanded Miss
Nancy. 81 never see such one as you
be to talk What want you distinctly
TO understand is that l draw the line at
them young 'uns, and IrefGse to give my
consentr'
"They have got to be provided for,
Aunt Nancy
"Well, where's the poorhouse and all
the asylums we're taxed to pay forl'
lisa never would allow"
''Neither will I, said Miss Dearborn,
uncarthing whole colony of different
sized CLANS. - won't hear sno,her
word I'm sick o the whole bust
ness
A brief silence ensued, during which
Miss Nancy dug assiduously On, and
Fanny followed suit as well as she could,
stopping ever and anon to brush away
the tears that blinded her vision.
ave don't seem to hev much luck, to-
day. observed Mss Nancy. "Needle
Beach amt what it used to be for clans.
I'd like to get enough for supper TO- night
and a br'iin' for breakfast tomorrow
inorniu', and a mess to send to Widow
Clements, and My laws what a gust
o. wind that ere wasl l guess, Fanny,
we'd better strike work if its BLOWN
up from the east like that There goes
my head-shawll Quick-help me hoist
the basket outer the way O. that big tidal
wave l amt made no mistake in the
almanac, hev IL don't understand
this
Fanny Sweet abandoned the basket of
clans to its fate and chung to her aunt,
while at the same time she tried to drag
her shoTeward.
''Aunt Nancy, she shouted in the old
woman's ear, ''it's a seualll l knew
there was black cloud coming up, but
I didn't think it would reach US so soon.
Let US run-let US make haste to the
smuggler's Holel Quick. Aunt Nancy
Never mind the clans and the spades.
It's beginning to rain so terriblvI"
Miss Nancy Dearborn was woman OF
genuine courage and spirit, but the
black sky, the rising surf and the howl
ing of the wind terrified her into rapid
retreat.
"oh, why didn't we keep watch on
the cloudsl" she bewailed herself, hold
ing desperately to Fanuy's arm, while her
gray hair streamed wildly from her I'M
covered head, and every step in the wet
sand becamea greater difficulty. "What's
goin' to become of u.s. The last equi-
noctial they had on Needle Beach lasted
three days and tore away"
"This won't last three days, Aunt
Nancy" said Fanny, cheerily, as she
dragged the old woman under the shell
ter Of Yuinous log hut built up against
betting rock, where, according to the
voice of popular rumor, smugglers had
once made merry rendezvous, and where
the back mouth of cave was said ia
lead to the bones of drowned people in
Vulnerable. "But shouldn't at all won.
der if we had to stay here until the tide
made it unsafe to go back home to-
night. Don't fret. I've got some gin
ger cookies in my pocket, and there's al
ways dry wood up against the rock. And
besides" she added with laugh, 81
know where Asa Litchfelds fishing
friends keen their matches in little
cubbyhole in the rock. We can make a
fire and eat out cookies, and Why,
Aunt Nancy, what's the matterl Why
do you scream sol
For even as the two women pushed
their way into the hut, little child, with
long yellow locks floating around her
like a sea-sprite, came running to them.
'eDoes it rain2" SAID she. "But it's
nice and dry here. And Johnny is com
ing back when he's caught some fish.
And Eve got basket of lunch here
seer"
'.Mercy on US, child who be you?"
said Miss Dearborn, staring in amaze
ment.
sim Daisy!7 unsteady answered the
sprite.
"Daisy whol"
'Johnny's Daisyln laughed the child.
chubby four-year tot. tsJohnny
left me here. He's catching fish. He'll
be back soon."
81 hope to goodness nothin' happened
10 himl" said Aunt Nancy, with groan.
"What's his ether name, childln
"Just Johnny" said Daisy, with q
puzzled lifting of her eyebrows.