The Van Buren press., 1896-10-24

! ing as broadly as ever.
Aunt CLANCY looked at her ominous-
". and assumed an expression OF in
jured dignity when l told the girl to
go into the kitchen and get some
breakfast, and then She might begin
her sweeping.
was quite busy that morning, and
never thought once of the doubtful
character ON the premises. Aunt Clancy
was also forgetful, evidently. from the
way she sang over her work.
Eff Iigion was thing that money could
Jesus. Jesus. dyin Lamb.
The rich would live and The poor would
die,
Jesus, Jesus. dying Lamb"
we're the words l heard so many times
that began seriously to ponder about
their truth and long for change of
tune. After dinner there was period
Of silence. followed by such an unusual
eommotion that l hurried out TO the
kitchen TO discover the cause. met
Aunt CLANCY coming, dragging the
snail, squirming yellow girl.
Yer needn't try ter GIT er way. 70
done tell Miss Ida what kin er trash you
is painted Aunt Cheney. "Dis here
yaller imp is been up ter some of her ole
tricks, lettin' things what b'1ongs to
other folks stick to her fingers. See
herel Hol' up dar, gall" giving the
small culprit shake See here what
she was totem off, and she held up a
small pearl-handled pocket knife tri
umphantly.
Il four hit under de house" said the
girl doggedly.
Il think Toddlekins lost that knife
the other day. ] missed it from my
basket after seeing him with it, l said,
hoping to settle matters and close the
scene; but Aunt Clancy was yirtuously
indignant, and DESTROYS of administer
ing speedy justice, and it was only with
difficulty that [ could persuade her to
desist
81 won't have the girl to do any more
work for me-" | said, to keep my old
servant from feeling that was utterly
disregarding her detective work.
Toddlekins and Patterfeet had been
delighted with the company of the girl,
her playfulness being vast improve
ment, in their estimation, over Aunt
Chaney's stolid amiability, and they
tearfully watched the small figure till
it was out of sight, Toddlekins calling
after her: Come back and play wifi
us tomorrow, Retta's girlin and Pat
terfeet eehoed: '.T'um back morrow,
Netta's drill"
@Jes' listen at dem chiilun." cried
Aunt Clancy, "inwitin' dat nasty little
warmth ter come an see 'emi"
Mamma, she played wifi US so good!"
said my little man, with reproachful
blue eyes, and you wouldn't let her
stay"
/ explained to him, in the most lucid
manner, the evils of such companion
ship, but without good effect. if | could
judge from the eager pleasure which
shone in his face few days later when
found him perched upon the back fence.
deeply interested in something on the
other side Of the high boards, little Pat
terfeet sharing his interest, though she
stood on the ground, with her little face
pressed closely against the space be-
tween the boards. There was a con-
slant mufmur of voices, and occasional
~ ripple OF soft laughter, and when |
inquired into the cause of their sup
pressed amusement, Toddlekins an
swered gleefully: IT'S Retta's girl,
mamma" aud Patterfeet echoed "Wet-
ta's dirl."
a toy monkey that was regarded by
them as a priceless treasure was miss
ing after this visit, ard Aunt CLANCY
had no doubts as to what had become
of il.
81 gwine ter give dat gal good lick
In eff she don't make herself skase
here" she declared; but she was no
match for the wary little vagabond.
She persisted in paying surreptitious
visits to the children, who seemed to
divine in some mysterious way when
She was waiting ON the opposite side Of
the back fence for n stolen interview.
Nothing that we could say made them
think less of her, and Aunt Chaney's
arts all failed, when she set traps 10
catch her small tormentor. She bribed
the children with cake babies to play
near the back gate one day, and laid q
bait of n very fat looking cake boy on a
big box, with the remark: "De fust one
dat want mo- cake can take dis boy -
The temptation was great, and Retta's
girl would probably have fallen into
the hands of her enemy this time, il
Foddlellins had not warned her as she
was edging towards the cake: "Aunt
CLANCY is coming" he whispered, and
the girl escaped as Aunt CLANCY APP
peared around the corner of the kitchen
near the gate which she had expected to
dash to and shut when the girl came
in for the cake, and thus have her cap
tured. The children always came for
lunch when she was about, and she
hardly ever came without something
| being missed soon after.
| bore all this with considerable pa
thence till, one day when she had ven
tured into the house while l was out, a
valuable scarf pin disappeared from the
| dressing table, and as il could not be
| found after the most diligent search, |
decided that Retta's girl had taken it,
and that it was now time for me TO as
sert my authority and forbid any fur
Their visits from her. | determined to
send positive orders TO her mother to
keep the girl at home, that | would not
put up with her deprcdations any
longer.