Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-06-10
Little HeTOine-Cat
BY LEANoER S. KEYsER.

They were thrashing" over a
Neighbor Shanewalter's that after
noon. The Shanewalters lived onl,
half mile from the Bensons as thu
crow or the bee flies; but around by
the road, as men walk or ride, it wa'
more than three-quarters of mile.
As Katie Benson stood on the por
tico, looking across the intervening
valley along the crow-and-bee line, sh,
could see the straw-carrier of the
thrashing machine pointing obliquely
upward out of the back door of the
barn, while the straw foated in rag
ged-edge clouds of yellow from it,
upper end and then dropped airily
upon the great round stack where three
or four men were laboriously trudginf
about to trample down the straw.
Now and then cloud of dust and
chaff would pour out of the door
driven by the fresh breeze, and com
pletely enveloped the workmen on the
stack. At intervals the hum of the
machine would reach Katie's ears. One
of the men was her father-he was
building the stack-and she wished
that she was over there herself, jump
ing about on the springy straw.
But it was Katie's duty to stay al
home that afternoon with her sister
Liza, two years older than she, and
Neddie, the "baby" of the family,
years of age. Shortly after dinner
Mrs. Benson had said:
Now, girls, 1 must go over and
help Mrs. Shanewalter to cook supper
for the thrashing hands. Stay close
to the house all the afternoon. DOM
go away for anything. And take good
care of Neddie"
eyes, of course, you can play any
where about the house."
"And mayn't we haul Neddie in his
little wagon out in the road?" persisted
Liza.
eff you promise not to go more than
a few rods from the gate"
"Oh, we promise, don't we, Katie?'
Katie nodded her promise readily
enough, but there was strained ex.
preston on her pale little face as if she
were trying to suppress some agitatine
emotion.
whats the matter, Katie?" hel
mother queried. you're not afraid
to stay with Liza and Neddie, are
you?"
A little red rosebud suddenly bios.
somed out on each of Katie's pale
cheeks and her eyes scrutinized a crew.
ice in the floor into which she was try
ing to thrust her bare little toes.
"No-I guess not-just a little" she
stammered, in self-contradictory way,
"You needn't be afraid at all,
Katie" said Mrs. Benson, putting all
the assurance she could into her tones.
"There isn't anything to harm you. y
"Oh, Katie's such a 'fraidy-cat, y
scoffed Liza. " She'd be scared at a
mouse's shadow, so she would, if she
was alone. The other day she saw a
little snake in the yard, two rods away
from her, and what do you think she
did ? She just stood in her tracks an
screamed as loud as ever she could,
till I got stick an killed the snake.
Pooh It wouldn't have hurt her"
81 can't help being afraid OF
things" Katie sobbed.
:" What's the use to be afraid y
boosted Liza. I'm not at all afraid
of anything. ! wouldn't be such a
'fraidy- cat as Katie is I'd have more
spunk !"
Liza's lofty way of putting her own
heroism in contrast with Katie's tim.
idity stung her little sister to the quick,
bringing hot tears to her eyes. She
knew she was 'fraidy cat" and
that was just what made her sensitive
to her sisters jibes.
For awhile after her mother had
gone, Katie could not revive her
courage. She stood on the portico,
and gazed longingly across the valley
at the thrasheys. Every sound about
the house and barn startled her, and
she had visions of tramps and robbers
galore, if not of wild and savage
beasts bouncing down upon the un-
protected children left alone in charge
of the large, rambling farmhouse.
Liza guyed her for awhile, making her
weep still more.
But presently a game of hide-and-
seek in the large, bushy yard drove all
the little 'fraidy-cat's fears out OF
her mind. A jolly afternoon they
were spending, sometimes putting
Neddie into his small wagon and pull.
ling him back and forth along the road
in front of the house. The wagon was
an old-fashioned, home made one, with
a rough box and pole and heavy little
wheels hewn out of thick board but
il was strong and serviceable, and nc
doubt pleased the children fully a,
well as the trig express-wagons of to.
day please our own boys and girls.
At about half-past three they were
playing with the wagon in the road
Katie began to feel a little tired with
her vigorous romping, and present.,
she said to Liza
I'm going to sit on our post ant
rest awhile"
She opened the gate and stepped
into the yard, and then followed
little path winding through thicl
clump of rose bushes and berry stalk
10 one corner Of the yard, where
couple of steps enabled her to climb I,
the top of large fence-post. Thi
was favorite perch for the children
when wearied with their play. TIL
tall. sharp pickets prevented thei
climbing down on the outside into tn,
road, but made convenient supper
for tired back. Perched on top o
the post, Katie watched Liza AM