Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-08-01
gun to have such hope of him; it was

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 know that you are dis
appointed. and your sister and I are
almost equally So"
Rob attacked the beefsteak in ST.
lence, and the rest of the meal was
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
ite place behind the vines
Good morning, Joe"
Good morning, Miss Esther. L
er-"
'I suppose you are after Rob. I'll
speak to him"
mo, no." Joe hastily interposed. "I
was looking for you" He broke off
morning glory which had gone to
sleep under the suns too ardent atten-
tions, and ground its purple juice into
his fingers. Esther, from long expert
ence with boy ways, knew a disclosure
of some kind was coming.
"Sit down." she said, pleasantly.
"You have something to tell me. and I
want to hear it.
"Well-er-Bob was over to my house
yesterday afternoon, you know. We
had big time out in the barn, and L
1 kinder forgot about the baby. Ma
and pa had gone out, you know, and
left him to me-"
Uest you might think it piece of
gross neglect on the part OF Mr. and
Mrs. Simmons to intrust SO precious a
charge to so youthful an older broth
er, it is we'll to state that the infant in
question was sturdy young creature
of two years
"He-er"-another lunge at the morn
ingglory 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 the
llOuSC anu saw IuC PlCCCb IldL lldun y
eaten, and knew something must be
done right off quick. Cholera morbus,
you know, is 50 awful dangerous
couldn't think of thing to give him
but whisky; knew they gave that in
lots of sudden cases; SO while i held
Alfe Bob went 9ster it."
"My goodnessl whisky" said Esther,
her startled imagin alton picturing her
innocent brother ma king his way be-
hind Objectionable screens. ~ hope he
thought to go to drug store"
"Oh, yes'm," answ cred Joe, che did.
1t was bad enoug h to go there after it.
I'm temperance, you know-belong to
the loyal legion; but knew the babyd
got to have something. The clerk
told Rob he could get something better
than whisky and gave him a bottle of
medicine. We gave the baby dose of
it, and after awhile he went to sleep
Ma said q told her all about it this
morning) that it couldn't have been
the apple that hurt him; he couldn't
have felt it 30 quick, and besides, 1t
was ripper than it looked. But tell
you | was scared at the time.
what came round for, Miss Esther,
was TO tell you that his is what made
Rob 50 late home yesterd ay. made
him promise not to say anything about
what kept him; but forgot then about
the candy pulling (you know Rob told
me before. that he expected TO have
one). didn't find out till this morning
that he was late for dinner. I asked
Freddy. Ma said | oughtn't to make
anyone keep anything from his folks,
and that it generally wasn't wise To
make such promises. But it was all
my fault. | hadn't wanted ma TO hear
of it, for fear she wouldn't trust me
again. And then afterward that
seemed kind of snealsing, 80 told her
myself | hope you'll-er-fx IL up
about the candy-pulling, Miss Esther;
not so that | can come, I'd feel too
mean for that, but on his account-to
make it up for him, you know"
Joe" said Esther, I'm glad you and
Rob are such friends. That candy-pull
is coming off this evening, and you and
Rob are going TO have the thing in
charge"
An hour later Rob, entering the
kitchen, found Jane cracking English
walnuts, and Esther removing them
their shells.
What are you doing2" he asked,
curiously.
Getting English walnuts ready for
the candy-pull this evening, you
blessed boyr' said Esther.-N. Y. In
dependent.