The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-12-06
JACOB AND ME-"

"Me" was Rupert, and it was early
in the summer that he begged to have
his hair cut
Its so hot and tickly and tangly
and boversome, and I'm old enough to
look like q boy" he said, which was
true. His mother put her arms around
him-they were sitting in the big wick
er chair by the parlor window-and
held him as If she would let him
60
II want my baby as he is, she said,
which was also true. There was q little
silence.
1t was O low, little room, full Of
quiet and half darkness. There were
some we'll filled bookshelves, well
chosen pictures, just enough pretty and
more OF less worn rugs and cushions
and a bowl Of garden roses ON a low
table. The child leaned his head against
his mothers shoulder, the despised hair
q bright tangle against her dark gown
and gazed adoringly into her face, but
she was looking out of the window
across the meadow, where the black
trees and the slender spire of st. Mi
chael and All Angels were clearly de-
fined against the cool twilight sky.
There was a churchyard around st. Mi
chael's, but it was i'm the shadow. The
twilight deepened. A cowbell tinkled
in the distance, and q young man and
two girls with pretty shirt waists and
tennis racquets went chattering laugh
ingly by.
That's the boy that plays the organ
at st. Michael's," said Rupert. II go
in sometimes to hear him do it. He
likes it. When he isn't playing, he is
talking to those three nice girls in the
little house down the road. They each
have q scrapbook, and the little boy has a
scrapbook, and they put everything in''-
He stopped suddenly, his gaze fol-
lowed his mothers across the meadow,
and he slipped n soft arm around her
neck, while she took possession Of the
little brown hand and kissed 1t gently.
An old woman came slowly down the
road-an old woman, with straight,
white hair, blue calico gown and red
handkerchief twisted around her neck.
She was driving a flock of clamoring
ducks and geese, and Rupert's interest
was at once awakened.
Buy me one, mamma, II of the
big white ones. 1t would be such good
company, and I'll never say another
word about the hair" It was an odd
fancy and odder bargain, but it ended
in Mrs, Cardell's most promising gan
der, very much surprised and named
Jacob, being shut up in Mrs. Wares
chicken house for the night.
He did prove good company" With
a string around his leg for safety, he
followed Rupert hither and yon. To-
gether they planted q garden and dug
it up from time to time to see how it
grew" together they hunted for frogs
in the meadow, and together they waded
in the brook below the hill; together
they sat on the steps when it was time
for mamma" to come home, holding
a long and rather one sided converse
ton.
In September q plan began to grow
in Rupert's little head, and he told ia
cob all about it.
Mamma had begun TO teach in town
now and was away all day. Julia, the
maid, could be very good when she
chose, but the day Rupert came tum
bling into the kitchen, his feet very
muddy, dragging after him poor bewil.
dered Jacob by the length of his string,
trying to explain all in a moment, she
said:
did l ever see the like of such 6
bothersome child, and the pesky beast
and picked them up unceremonious
ly by the left wing and the right arm
and put them down on the doorstep
Rupert cried a little, and Jacob Wen
to sleep ON n leg, and presently julia
repented, spread q nice slice of graham
bread with apple auce and presented i
as a peace offering, explaining that sh'
had just scrubbed the kitchen and wa
i'll tempered into the bargain ''along O
reasons you can't comprehend. Ant
tell mt about the plan, darlin."\
Rupert shifted, ate some of the breat
AMI fed the rest to Jacob, talking, all tn
time.
Mammals birthday and St. Michae
and All Angels day come just the sam
next Saturday-and papa used I
buy a goose and apple sauce and a cak
with candies. 1Twenty-eight it was las
year. This year makes 30, and the bi
punch bowl full of Michaelmas daisit
papa used TO go way into the couI
try when we were i'm the fiat in towl
but here the meadow is full of then
Jacob and me found them-and candl
in tho silver candlesticks and dim,
cards. Could yon paint dinner card
julia? The boy that plays the orgs
could do them. ! think, " but Julia w
thinking Of something else. her for
head Wrinkled up, her pale blue ey
gazing into indefinite distance.
Rupert wondered suddenly why Jul
didn't 90 ON and finish being pretty
Her hair was soft and wayy and brow
md though she twisted IL mp tight
twice o day II generally rippled loose
above q broad white forehead. Her 81
! very Light, but shaded BY 10