The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-06-17

So ! found myself alone. l was in an
excited frame of mind. Not At all lone
ly; but / couldn't play with the dolls
until my new friends return; SO !
roamcd rcstlessly about the room,
pausing near the fascinating work
basket At last. At this moment ! can
see Just how il looked. The shining
bronze necGlecase, the racks" OF
thread, the bobbins-an the imple-
mentS for the needle of that day-and
just on top was large roll of tape.
Alas and alas for Maria'S warnings, /
took il up. turned il around and around
and. yielding to some impulse, | can't
say what. / pollcd my finger through
the center and-out ran the tape!
held the circle remaining il Llacc
in my hand. fairly stiff with fright.
What had | done. And. poor baby that
| was. picked up the wavy strip had
pushed out and sat down on the floor,
winding and twisting and turning, try
ing to put it back into the middle again,
/ believed had done some irrcparablc
injury, and my tears fell faster and
faster while all Maria's taunts came
back. No-unlcSs / got that tape
rolled in again. surely never would I
see my little playEaatcs again. And oh,
tain what Maria would say Suddcnly
! heard =: step on the stairs and, cold
with fright. ! sDran- TO my feet. To
this day can't tell how it happened
that | made a bolt for door to the left
of the window. opened II, and, seeing
narrow flight Of stairs, dashed up them,
still clinging TO the unluclly tape, Ny
one thought was t. hide until got that
roll in place again; and up / went,
along rather dark hall and into what
| knew later was the attic.
There, for Il moment, / stood painting
and bcwilGcred. There was light
enough from two or three windows,
and saw a. large place. nearly full of
trunk furniture, etc, some old. some
new y tail secretary stood near one
Of the windows and behind this ! took
refuge, sitting down near the dusty
pancs OF glass and beginning once more,
but with very shaky little fingers. To
roll the strip of tape back in its
place. 1t 3-OutdAt go. of course; and
50, wrctched Is only little
child can be over 4 borrowed trouble
that seems to her young ignorance ter
ribly real. leaned my head against the
framework OF the window sObbing and
crying my heart out, After such a love
IL morning, And now never again
would ! see my little friends, And
Maria would nag" worse than ever
and Ch--Oh-wcll. since that day sad
hours and real troubles have come into
my life, as they must into all who live
in the field of trial. but / question
If ever the future looked so miserable
as it did while / sat there with the
tangled tape in my little hands and felt
that all my new happiness was 1T an
end, But what 4 blessing IL Is that
children worn ont with any worry or
excitement, fall into dreamlesS sleep.
y roll of carpeting was near by. With
out being conscious of il. my head
drooped, and presently / was away off
in the land of Nod.
! must tell you during the hour slept
what was going on below.
In a few moments after my flight up
stairs the children came back. Nat
urally a search for me followed: then
RoSalic and Mr.. Roberts Were called.
They decided | had gone home, and
RosaIie was sent flying over to bring
me back. OF course dear grandma was
alHrmed; and while l slumbered in
happy forgctfulness of my trouble q
search was going on in all directions
for the missing child. II was Addy. /
believe. who from the garden saw some
thing which looked as if it niigh be / in
| the window OF the attic; and so nv first
conscious moment was awakening in
/ the afternoon to find half a dozen peo-
| pie leaning over me. talking. laughing,
crying together; and | sat up bcwildered,
but called out:
II didH'f mean 10 do itt'' and clutched
he tan I fol I /, -.
to task 10y all combined, especially as
| Maria steely glance was the first which
met mine.
! At this day, when anyone who re
/ calls the time wishes to teaze me, they
| will say:
''YOu didH't mean 10 do it'' 1t has be
come a family by-word.
Well, of course | explained as well as
/ could what had happened, holding up
the tape grimy with my tears and the
dust of the window; and just then no
one laughed They saw the pathetic
| side of II all, suppose. Even Maria :
sharp tongue was silent.
What comfort there was in the way
| was taken home. And when the next
| day Mrs Roberts ran across with 4
! real French doll for me, I felt as though
! l could bear even to have Maria do hc1
| harshest with the curling stick if ]
had my new treasure in my arms mean
! while
do you know" / heard Mrs. Roberts
| say TO grandma, this is n capital chance
to make it all up with Nell? I'll write
her tonight. / never understood why
| she felt hurt with me-
Grandma was silent for a nom eut, her
/ knitting needle pressed against her low
er lip. Then she said, gravely:
''Well, Marian, will tell you. When
Nell was left widow she wrote you,
asking your influence in securing a
| position for her You never an
! swered" -
Il nerer heard a word of the lzindl" she
| eXclaimed-and then the two older peo-
| pie talked in lower tones; but later ]
learned that nv mother and Mrs. Rob
| erts had once been dear friends but had
drifted apart; and through my dor
rowed trouble / now rejoice to say
they met again, forgot and forgave;''
and / am telling you this bit of the past
in the library of the White House,
where my brother Dick-Addy's hus-
bands the beloved and honored mas
ter.-Lucy c. Lille, in y. Y. Independ,
| ent.
ne IIrEDhDN NhTliRE