The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-11-10
THE LITTLE RED CRUTCH.

1.-The worst of it is" said Nanette, "that
there isn't any garrett to this house."
Nanette was leaning on the parlor win
dow, pulling the lace curtains very much
awry, and looking disconsolately out in
to the wet street.
II don't mind rainy days in story
books" continued the small philosopher
because there are always garrets in
story books, -always; and little girls find
the loveliest things in them when it
rains,-old laces, and skeletons, and
things
"Skeletons!" calculated the listener at
the other window. "My, Nan! Should
you like to find skeleton? I'm rather
glad we haven't any garrett, if skeletons
live in garrets. But tell you what"
lowering her voice mysteriously, and
coming over to stand on the same long
suffering curtain that Nan was abusing,
there is little shut-up place in this
house that must have something awful
in it,
The "little shut up place" was closet
in the third story b ok room. A gabled
roof made irregularities in the ROOM and
one of them developed into dark closet.
"But it's locked" objected Nanette.
mo, it isn't. pulled it open one day,
just very little way"
"And what was inside?"
Nothing" confessed the discoverer,
except dust and darkness. But l did
MT go in, you know. l wouldn't for any
thing"
The next minute two slim little figures
might have been seen--they could not
be heard stealing up the great Queen
Anne stairway. Tiptoeing. and cover
ing up laughing lips, and pinching each
other, they reached the third story back
room, and stood before the closed door.
But it was not an obstinate door; and
the small, cunning fingers soon had it
open. Darkness and dust, indeed
plenty of both, and nothing else to be
seen,
Would you be afraid to go in, Nan?'
mo, indeed! 'Fraid of what?"
Would you go way back to the very
darkest end?"
Nan insisted that she would.
"Well, then, do it," dared the other;
and sturdy Nan plunged into total
eclipse. She came back to the cheerful
light OF day with great alacrity, covered
with dust, of course eyes full, nose and
mouth ditto, apron looking like Cinder-
elias, and something in her hand. Wink
ing her dusty lashes, she held up her
discovery. 1t was little red crutch.
Downstairs they clattered. with noise
enough to make up for their silent as
cent, the little crutch bobbing along
each step as they few down to grand
mothers room.
The look that came into grandmas
eyes when the crutch was held up was
very much the look Anita would have
shown if the skeleton had been found
indeed, or ghost.
There was clearly something to tell;
and, as story on this wet day would be
even more delightful than finding ekel-
eton, the dear old lady was at once put
in state of siege, the crutch and two
little girls sitting down obstinately be-
fore her.
Zone breezy fall day." said grandma.
surrendering at discretion, "a little girl
went out to the barn to swing"
What barn, grandma?"
This barn." she answered, twas the
most delightful place in the whole world.
1t was none of your fine Northern barns,
with stained lass windows, but great
high rooted, dark raftered place, where
cobwebs had leave to sleep, where the
breeze wandered in and out all day and
the sunshine played about, as the chill
dren did hunting eggs. 1t was full of
sweet odors from the bayfield, on one
side and the apple orchard on the other;
and the little Virginia girl, whose swing
dangled from one Of the lower beams.
had no idea that anybody in the world
had higher claim on it than she had :"
"What was her name, grandma"
"Her name" said the old lady, looking
SHAREHOLDER name was Nancy, of
course"
"And she went out to swing one day.
prompted the listener.
"She went out to swing one day, deter
mined to work up till she touched the
beam. She was very strong and very
skilful. She put her little bare feet on
the board seat, seized the rope high up,
gave tilt this side and that. and was
off. Do you know how to work up'S-
how to bend the knees, and straighten
them again with jerk that sends the
obedient swing flying through the air?
Nancy came so near the beam that its