Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-03-30


her gifts to him.
"Oh, Nancy" said Charlie, "why
can't you be rich instead of Mrs Hicks?
You are so good and she is SO meant!
'Och, me darlint, one person can't
be Everything, ye know. If l was rich
l might be name; an sure it's Nancy
Mahoney as would rather be good and
poor, than rich and name. But now l
must be hurryin back after me pies!''
With this she hurried off, leaving
Charlie to his reflections and his sup
per. He ran down to. the duck pond
to eat it on the big rock under the tree,
and to be out of sight of Mrs. Hicks
window, and there he found little
Mary, who waited on Mrs. Hicks.
Il knew you would come here to see
if the water had filed the hole that you
| fixed for the ducks, and so | brought
| you some supper down here she said,
handing him some doughnuts and
mug Of milk. Mrs. Hicks gave me the
doughnuts for fixing her beer, but l
was so angry at her for treating you
so mean that | could scarcely thank
| her.
Charlie put everything nicely to-
gether on the rock, saying:
''It is not so bad to go without sup
per. after all, is it? We can have a
| jolly little picnic here all to ourselves
Mary did not want to eat any, but
Charlie insisted. and, as there was an
abundance for both, they sat down on
the grass by the rock, and ate and
talked about how they hated Mrs.
Hicks and how they liked Nancy.
''Do you know what [ wish?" said
Charlie.
"That we had more chicken pie?"
said Mary.
ooh, no, | wish that | was bigger
and that you were bigger, and that we
had place just like this, only no Mrs
Hicks in it, and we would always keep
Nancy to bake chicken pie. Would
not that be jolly?"
Mary said it would, but she must go
in or Mrs. Hicks might wake up and
want her.
II brought you a shawl so you would
not catch cold tonight, she said as she
was leaving him. ''Where are you go
ing to sleep?"
II don't know" said Charlie.
Mamma used to tell me pretty
stories about sleeping near flowers, and
that angels would watch over us then,"
said Mary.
Il will try it tonight" said Charlie.
''What flower will l choose?'
Il would sleep under that large white
rose bush by the fountain; the roses are
SO lovely and fragrant" replied Mary
''That will be a nice place. | had
thought of the marigolds because they
always remind me of you
"Of me?" said Mary, pouting. "Tbose
big yellow flowers like me. | am not
yellow"
"Oh nor said Charlie, ''but your
name is Mary and your long curls are
so golden, that l always think of you
as 'marigold' !"
''How funny" said Mary, laughing,
as she ran off before he could say any
more, and left him thinking and watch
ing the stars make their tardy appear
ance.
Presently he bethought himself of
Nancy's empty wood-box, and after re-
plenishing it and the water bucket she
gave him such a bright smile and pleas
ant goodnight that he forgot about
Mrs. Hicks.
The moon had risen and was shining
brightly across the lawn when he took
his shawl and went over to sleep under
the rose bush by the fountain. Through
the leaves he could see the beautiful
fountain playing and hear the ripping
waters. The fountain represented an
angel of mercy with cup of water in
her hand, surrounded by little fairies
and Cupids with their bows and
arrows. The soft sound of the ripping
waters seemed like music to Charlie
as he lay listening to its play. Soon the
sounds grew fainter and fainter until
he could scarcely distinguish them at
all. He was fast asleep.
Charlie was awakened by the old
rooster Growing in the barnyard. He
sat up and rubbed his eyes. 1t was not
quite daylight. He looked toward the
house which was usually dark and ST.
lent at this hour, and saw lights fitting
from room to room.
He at once conjectured that some
thing must have gone amiss, and hur-
ried to the house where all was confu-
sion.
''Och, is it yerser?'' cried Nancy, as
he entered the kitchen. ''Sure and
when ye see the missus now, it's sorry
you'll be for her. Indade an it's a
sorry night she's spint. The doctor is
here and he says she cannot live at all,
at all. She's been a calm We all night
long, an thinks we've been drowned in
the duck pond, an she's been askin'
the doctor to send for Mrs Norman,
that little woman who teaches the
school. She says Mrs. Norman is yer
mother and your name amt Smith at