The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-12-28
THE FIFTY-FIRST TINE
How "Billie's'' Poetry Brought Sue.
cess to q Good Cause.

How "Billie's' Poetry Brought Sue.
cess to Good Cause.
Jack and Billie Golden went to the
same school Being brother and sister
one would suppose that they might oc
casionally walk home together. al
least at lunch time.
But in the first place neither Of the
children wasted much time in walking
! since running was SO much moro easy
and natural, and it seated them sc
much the sooner at the dinner-ta BILE.
In the second place, though Billie was
amiably enough inclined to Jacks com.
pany, Jack much preferred to go with
the other boys.
| Billies baptismal name was Belinda,
but it was too formal for ordinary use,
| and did not accord congenially with her
short red hair and her somewhat boy
ish appearance and manner of speech.
To Billie herself the full name BE
linda" had so often prefaced some SEN
tence of Punishment from the school
room. the tea-table or the family circle,
that it's associations were of a gloomy
character. She thought billie" an
essentially feminine name, and never
heard a boy called by that appellation
without shock of surprise.
She was about year younger than
Jack. Out of school hours she and he
were on excellent terms with each
other. On this particular day, al
though two minutes past noon saw
them separately speeding their indie
pendent ways home, they happened to
meet on their own block. Billie shouted
companionably:
Hi, Jack! wait for me; Ill want
to ask you something's
"Ask ahead" answered Jack, slow
ing up alongside. with q reflection that
everybody on that block knew them to
be related. SO that it was no use pre-.
tending to be strangers.
"Um-um," mumblcd Billie. casting
about for something to ask. ''um-say
do you think Dora will have dinner
ready?"
mot much! Is it ever ready?"
pretty seldom. But l say. will
1dtuCT Dc AOuACs VI 10 tAAS tAAC ICY AO
has to stay at the Officer
mo such luck; he'll be home"
sack Golden, that's your father
you're talking Of" said Belinda, virtu-
ously, but she spoiled the reproof by
grinning admiringly.
did you think was talking Of Tom
Taylor's father?" snapped Jack.
By this time they were at their own
garden. They entered it by hurting
themselves against the gate. which
gave way for want Of latch.
The garden was large and neglected,
as the duty Of watering it fell alter
nately to Billie and Jack, who were
each every day 50 sure that it was the
others turn to water that the beds
were generally, as now, baked to clay.
In California, where these two lived.
the rain waters gardens at but one
period in year, and SO the Cobdens'
flowers suffered.
Dada, Dackt Dada, Billet" shrieked
baby's welcoming voice
Where are you, Little Pitcher?'
''Aml" responded the shrek.
The children raced ohediently to the
back stoop, where the yellow-haired
baby stood, and they greeted her with
rapturous kisses Their next greeting,
Just as rapturous. was bestowed upon
Bones. an ungainly black dog. who
barked msdly. for his nature was emo
tional
Bones and Little Pitcher proclaimed
to the neighborhood, in the heartiness
of their welcome, the return of the
Cobdens from school The shrieking
barking, talking quartette swarned
voraciously into the kitchen. where an
untidy ia BILE was but half-set. and where
a distressed. pretty girl was hurriedly
irving some food upon red-hot. spat-
tered stove
Dinner not ready yet, Dora?" walled
Billie. The surprise in her face could
not have been greater il the pain of
the situation had arisen from its novel
-.
Not quite. Billie" replied Dora,
gathering q new wrinkle of worry as
she remembered tina. the dish she
wanted for the chops was still among
the unwashed collection in the sink
Not quite, Well. / like that It's
always not qui,e;T hawled Jack. seiz-
ing a roll, and devouring il as Il he had
10, seen food for days
What have you been doing all morn
ing. Doraa" demanded Billie, also seiz-
ing roll.
Il have been practising, replied
Dora. with an attempt at dignity, which
was weakened by her starting tears
20 children, please go play little
while. I will call you when dinner Is
ready"
twas not very long before she did
call them, but il vas 20 poor meal,
and into no. and dirty kitchen Not
that thsr minded much-oae Eoon VS.