The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-11-11

The pounding, with its accompani-
ment of baby language. had ceased.
''Roddy boo! Roddy boo" called
Tilly, in alarm. Had he run away
again?-Oh, dear!
Its that grsn'mother knot I tied!'
she thought. IF 1 only could learn
to tie square one that he couldn't
undor'
She got down from the salt box in a
hurry. It fell over with little crash.
Tilly was so short and the table was so
tall that the salt box was as necessary
to ironing day as the irons themselves.
s.Roddy! Roddy Doo-oo! she called
all the way out to the apple tree. Yes
Just as she had expected. He'd run
axay! The clothesline trailed away
with sinuous curves down to the little
one-hinged gate, but there was NO
Roderick DLu, rosy and dimpled and
dirty, at its end. Only his crumply
pink sunbonnet with the white poker
dots was left of him. lilly snatched
it up.
HRoddy Doo-oo! Rod-dy Doo-oo-oo!
Where are you-oo?" she kept calling,
unconsciously poetic. There was very
little poetry in Tilly CANDLES hard,
unsheltered little life-and so much
prose!
The big calico apron that went with
the irons and the salt box trailed
round Tilly's toes and got in their way
persistently. The crumply sunbonnet
tapped against her knees as she sour
ried on.
ssWhere'n the Grated worlds her un
toe" she gasped. "He sin't up the
rosd or down the road or crossways o
the road. I can't see single inch Of
him, and it's too far to the riv- Oh,
no, no, no.!
She shuddered all over her thin little
frame, ard the freckles on her small
face stood out unduly prominent on
its sudden whiteness.
'.He never could run there, with
such teenty-tonty short legs-he
couldn't! he couldn'tr' She comforted
herself, but the fright stayed behind
in her heart. That terror was never
quite out of Tlly's heart, except at
night when Roderick Dhu was asleep
and beyond its reach.
'sOh, dearp' sometimes she thought,
ssif Moses Brady's last name was only
Bulrushes and he ha a miracle rod
and could dry that river upl'
But Roddy Doc had not run away
to the river. Tilly found him-of all
places!-in Gershom Flint's front
yard. Was there ever such baby
there beforee Did ever another baby
rummage among his flower beds?
It terrified lilly to see him there.
She caught him up and twisted him
in her apron.
so Roddy Door' she cried, softly.
'sYou ran away, you naughty baby
you naughty, naughty Roddy Door,
tsFow! fowl seer' piped Roderick
Dhu, opening his tiny moist palm to
display broken-spirited flower or two
crushed into it. His little face peep
ing out of Tilly's apron was freighted
with mischievous glee.
"Mo' fowl he cried, struggling to
get down.
"No, NO; no more towers. Roddy
Doc must 60 right home with Tilly
an never, never, never run away
again! An o Roddy Doc, when you
do ran away, don't run to this mans
house. He don't like little babies
naughty babiesr' she added, pointing
q hasty moral.
Sne hurried home aud retied Rod
erick Dhu with au extra. knot to the
ropes end. Then she went back to
her ironing. 1t was Mrs. Primble's
, ironing, but when Tilly took it home
by and by sharp disappointment
awaited her.
..You needn't come after the clothes
next Tuesday, Tilly," Mrs. Primble
said. San You needn't go to Miss
KathItne's neither. She told me to
say so. She an mes goin' to put OFT
our washin's an iropins both. We've
decided to-
s'May-may I do 'em for you?"
asked lilly, eagerly.
ssYou, child? Why, you're crazy!
You amt no more fit to scrub than a
swaddlin' baby"
ooh, yes, Mis- Primble, I'm real
strcsg-feel of my arms. An they're
just as tough! II wisht you'd let
me-"
''No, no, child. Wnat an idea,'
Mrs. Primble's voice was unconscious
ly sharp. Besides, we've got a
woman all spoke to. How's Roddy?"
she added, hastily changing the sub
ject.
'swhat'm? Oh, Roddy Doc? He's
pretty well, thank you, ma'am. L
guess I'd better be goin' now.s'
Out in the street Tilly's tense little
hands beat tattoo against her sides.
She wiuked rapidly TO keep back the
tears.