The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-08-03
scurrying little mortals they would

bel
"Dear little mother, poor little
mother, I'll shut the door and keep
the Arabs as still as ever l cam"
Helen always called them the Arabs
when she spoke of them collectively.
1t was family pet name for them
The baby had toppled into the big
pan, and was fast asleep when Helen
went out She picked her up and
laid her tenderly beside the mother.
Then with wonderful ease she flew
about, finishing the dishes, setting
the table for lunch, and doing three
things at once with nimble dexterity.
She met the Arabs at the door with
hushing forefinger. They trooped in
on tiptoe, shifting anxiously for din
ner smells.
"Tm awful hungry" Archie whis-
pered 'shrilly.
$50 be lawful" Harry echoed.
"Are there sweet potatoes, Helens"
Il smell EN-! I smell emp Molly
cried, under her breath, dancing
across the floor.
'Sh! 'sh! Yes, there are sweet po-
tatoes, but not for Arabs with dirty
faces. Come here this minute, and
let me polish you up. Oh, Harry,
where ever did you tear your trousers
500 A great big hog tear!'
FOLKS oughter not have fences
with splinters to 'em, then," Harry
spluttered, with his mouth full of
soapy water. Il was crawlin' under
to see if Pat Curran's COW chews gum.
Bill Miller says so"
"Does she9" Molly asked eagerly.
swell, I'm not certain sure, but |
think so. She wouldn't open her
mouth more'n a crack for me to
look"
81 bet she does," little Archie
chimed in, "'cause I've seen her my
own self. She makes her jaws go
just this way-look"
Helen smiled in her sleeve, and
laid the little discussion away in her
memory for "Motherdie's" delecta-
ton. The older boys arrived, and
dinner was presently in animated
progress, though everybody tried to
keep still-and didn't. AS by magic
the sweet-potatoes vanished under
the eager forks and spoons, and the
creamy rice followed rapid suit. The
Arabs were a hearty little tribe.
Nothing pleased Helen more than to
have them appreciate her cooking.
She sighed little now over the
thought that perhaps Mahala would
scorch the rice after she was gone.
swell, I dread her!" suddenly ex-
claimed Roy, as if in answer to
Helen's sigh.
"Who?" asked Archie, between
mouthfuls.
"Mahala. She'll scold us like sixty
nine when we make tracks over her
floors. and Helen never does"
"Shell wear hoops" said Molly,
holding her little silver fork in refec-
tive suspension.
"And make-b'lieve bangs"
"And cloth slippers, with 'lastics
criss cross over her ankles"
"And white stockings"
Helen contracted her eyebrows
sternly. "Stop, children" she chided.
"Mahala's a good woman from the
top of her head"
"Make-b'lieve bangs" murmured
irrepressible Archie.
"-to the soles of her feet"
"Cloth slippers, you mean"
Helen's eyes tried not to twinkle.
.'She's as much better than am as
as-you can't think" she ended,
lamely.
The Arabs laughed in derisive
chorus.
"But, honest, Helen, it's goin' to be
so lonesome and poky" Molly walled
over her empty saucer. "We sha'n't
have speck of fun till you come
home again"
ga whole year,"
Twelve months. Four times
twelve's forty-eight. Forty eight
times seven's-"
"Three hundred m sixty-fvew
concluded Roy, scornfully. Roy was
in the grammar grade, and was re-
garded as an oracle in arithmetic.
The baby woke up and lifted her
voice hungrily, and Helen ran away
to her. The busy afternoon foil wv, d
the busy morning on swift wings, and
it was almost supper time before she
could sit down and think a minute.
Then she held Uncle Genes letter in
her lap and thought about that.
Let her come soon," it said, land