Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1893-03-18
the Oldest of the young Gradys, and
who was wiring a bonnet franc.

who was wiring a bonnet frame.
Turks, more like said Mrs.
Grady, FOR they don't know how to
lie in beds nor sit IN chairs"
Turks said Mary, who do they
talk ike2''
Like turkeys, to be sure" cried
little lame Jim.
! Then the baby, who was in the
!" cradle just about taking a nap, grew
wide awake, and lsped, "Gobbie.
Ecbble, gobble.'
There was a shout at this from ell
the chiidren-that is, from al but
Kate, who said, How silly" and
turned to her mother again.
What are their names2" asked
she.
1.-THE little girls name is Gloria,
leastwise, that's what her mother
called her. and that's the only word
out of all their lingo I could make
head or tail Of. y
And how does it look up there2'
asked Kate, putting down her work
and making a regular business of
asking questions.
Hay thenish = replied Mrs. Grady,
with a jerk Of her head There's
the ugliest parcel Of thorns and weeds
a-growing in the window as ever
you set yer two eyes on, and the
fowerpot they're in is made Of crock
cry all colors like CASTLE soap and as
big besides as q Washtub."
Here the baby, getting tired of say
ing 'Gobble, gobble," to amuse its
brothers and sisters, set up scream.
and Mrs Grady let alone 1.-The out
landisll fulriners, and rocked the
cradle, while she sung Kathleen Ma
vourneen, which was q favorite of
the baby7's.
Some time after Mrs. Grady had
taken her departure Mrs Reggie
opened her eyes Her faithful little
nurse was still beside her.
Mamma, said Gloria, when will
you get well2''
Il DO not know" said her mother
with a sigh.
well, when you 60 homo to Spain,
where you say it i, SO bright and
| warm, that will make you well, sure,
won t i52'
Il think Sc said Mrs Reggie.
"Ah, the dear old home. anl afraid
l shall never SEQ it again, and you,
my darling ng-wilat will become of
you when | die7'
"Oh, you viii break my heart if
you talk SO, : cria,. Gloria. Il know
that letter viii como soon, with
money enough to take Us to Spain a
hundred times, and our wallet is not
empty yet, BY any manner of means, "
Gloria talked moro bravely than
she felt. but she was determined to
look on the bright side of things
She went owe, and looked at the
straggly plant in the china vase.
Mamma, she said, laughing, TIN
getting tired Of tending this priclzly,
cross thing, that's never blossomed
since / can remember What do you
keep it for2"
when your papa and were ready
to sail your uncle brought it to Us.
It's a century plant, he said, keep
it for my sake, and you will find how
rare and precious it is :"
"WTell, think lie might have given
you something better, ,'pouted Gloria.
Suddenly she cried, "Oh, mamma,
here is a bud
L guess not, said her mother 1T
only blooms oncein a hundred years. y
THE idea Of waiting a hundred
years for a single flower, thought
Gloria.
The days went by and the money
melted away like smoke. There was
no letter.
One day Gloria was knocking in
her turn at Mrs Grady's door.
Said Mrs. Grady in her turn, What
do you wantl' And for an answer
Gloria pitched forward, and would
have fallen heaIiong had not Mrs
Grady caught her in her strong arms
"A pretty howdy do, said Mrs
Grady, carrying her in the room and
noting how thin and pinched her
face was. She's starved intoirely."
Peggy and Jim and Tommy and
Mary and Nancy and Kate gathered
round, while the baby dropped his
bread and butter and ate his fingers
instead. When Gloria came to her
self she took courage.
II want to find some work to do. |
Our money is most gone.
you're not big enough to work, y
said Mrs. Grady
I'm not big, bat, oh, SO strong"
said Gloria, trying to stand up.
Mother cried half a dozen hun
cry voices. "the taters are getting
cold"
''Bless me, sure they are, an wasn't
forgittin thin entoirely; come now.
darlint
And before Gloria knew it she was
sitting at the table with a piping hot |
potato before her and dab of butter
on the top of it like a golden crown
How delicious it was to the poor
child, who was half fainting with
hunger!
''Hooray!" cried Tommy, as he
seized his hat Il only leads the
hosses to drink now, but jest you
wait when [ get to be boss; I'll take
you to ride with a four-in- hand"
"Heigh-ho!" said Nancy ''I'll be
stirring nv stumps, I guess. There's t