Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-08-08

lay the ringing Of the dinner bell. bu
restrained the impulse 1t would b
violating the compact, and, besides
y Rob must learn self-reliance, and es
10 pect the consequences Of his own heed
is lessness. So the dinner bell added il
. voice to that Of the cookoo clock, an
e it was funeral knell, as well as
a business-like summons to dinner. TO
v it tolled the untimely death of Esther
n little project When the family assem-
2 bled, there was an empty chair at tn
a table.
/ "oh, dear!" walled Sue; and "Hov
5 meanl' added Freddy. giving the table
r leg vicious kick; for you see, Rob had
indiscreetly confded to them his secret
| the day before, and they were looking
forward to the candy-pull as much as
! he. As for Esther, she was thoroughly
, disappointed in Rob, and she had be.
gun to have such hope Of him; it was
too bad.
Dinner was half over when Rob.
nushed and breathing heavily, entered
the room Such chorus OF reproaches
greeted him from the children that
papa and Esther forbore to add their
voices.
You keep still till your opinions
asked said Rob, goaded into this re.
proof by the children's gratuitous crit.
icisms Of his tardiness.
YES, children, be quiet" said Mr.
Jordan. You speak rather roughly,
my boy; but I know that you are dis.
appointed, and your sister and are
almost equally SO"
Rob attacked the beefsteak in ST.
lence, and the rest of the meal was a
quiet one. Esther fingered after it
was over, half expecting some explana.
ton; but, beyond the remark that he
stayed at Joes longer than he had in.
tended, Rob vouchsafed none.
1t was the next morning that Joe
simmons came over to the side porch
where Esther was sitting in her favor.
lite place behind the vines.
Good morning, joe"
Good morning, Miss Esther l.
err"
u suppose you are after Rob III
speak to him."
mo, no. Joe hastily interposed. ~
was looking for you" II broke off n
morning glory which had gone to
sleep under the suns too ardent atten.
tons and ground It's purple juice into
his fingers. Esther, from long expert.
ence with boy ways, knew disclosure
OF some kind was coming.
"Sit down. she said, plensontlv
You have something to tell me and
want to hear 1t.
"Well-er-Bob was over to nv bonse
yesterday afternoon you know We
had big time out in the barn. and l.
kinder forgot about the baby. Ma
and pa had gone out, you know. and
left him to me-
(Lcst you might think it piece of
gross neglect on the part of Mr.. and
Mrs Simmons to intrust so precious II
charge to SO youthful an older broth.
err 1t is well to state that the infant in
question was sturdy young creature
of two years.
"he-er'-another lungeat the morn.
ing-glory vine-"got a-hold of some
green apples, and after awhile he
came out to US in the barn, yelling
awfully. First we didn't know what
was the matter; but we went into tina
louse and saw the pieces thath he hadn't
,aten' and knew something must be
lone right off quick. Cholera morbus
you know, is SO awful dangerous. I
think of thing to give him '
tut whisky; knew they gave that in
OTIS OF sudden cases; so while | held
Alfe Bob went after it, a
My goodness whisky" said Esther. T.
Ter startled imagination picturing her A
Innocent brother ma king his wav be-. o
ind Objectionable screens, 81 hope he u
hought to go to drug store" .
"0h, yes'm,' answ cred Joe, she did ~
was bad enoug h to 60 there after it, VI
IN temperance, you know belong to y,
he loyal legion; but knew the haby'd "
OF to have something, The clerk III
I'D Rob he could get something better ~
ian whisky and gave him bottle Of u
edicino' We gave the baby dose of u,
; and after awhile he went to sleep u, ~
a said Il told her all about 1t this 81 81
ornlng) that it couldn't have been 1T
lie apple that hurt him; he couldn't a. ~
I've felt it so quick, and besides it W "
as ripper than it looked. But tell ~
~ was scared at the time. az, "1
What ameround for, Miss Esther. -
as to tell you that this is what made o.,
'h so late home yesterday. made ~
m promise not to say anything about 81
nat kept him; but forgot then about ~
G candy'pulling you know Rob told -.
before, that he expected to have co. e.,
e.. didn't find out till this morning 80, ~,
at he was late for dinner. asked =.
eddy Ma said | oughtnt to make =; a''
yone keep anything from his folks ,,,,
d that it generally wasn't wise to a ""
Ike such promises But it was all ~" aa'
fault ! hadn't wanted ma to hear ~ ~
it, for fear she wouldn't trust Inc ~, w.
iin' And then afterward that w., ,'
med kind Of sneaking so told her NJ,
self | hope you'll-er-fx it up hn,
'ut the candy-pulling, Miss Esther; tha ,
so that can come, I'd feel too snr
an for that, but on his account-to o u
Ike 1t up for him, you know" ,,o,
joe" said Esther, ''Im glad you and Ion
are such friends. That candy-pull the
oming off this evening, and you and the
are going to have the thing in
rye"
n hour later Rob, entering the -
'hen, found Jane cracking English ban
nuts, and Esther removing them one