The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-04-15
A DOSE OF CATNIP.
BY ANNIE II. DONNELL.

Jy, ana exclaimed: My ldnu, hilary,
how you scared me! Can't you come in
folks doors instead of their windows"
But, there, you amt responsible. Sit
down, Hilary"
Says she wants some catnip," Hilary
repeated in a high, nasal singsong;
-catnip-catnip."
who says she wants it?'
THE new lady over t the Crossin'
She seen me goin' past the house. She
asked me did 1 know whereabouts it
growed, an l says up in Aunt Debby's
attic, an she says she wants some"
Hilary stood swaying awkwardly on
his long, loose legs. He was homely-
poor Hilary! But the vacant light in his
eyes was worse than the LONELINESS.
Miss Deborah's face was sweet with
pity when she looked at him.
'I'll fetch you a doughnut, Hilary"
she said. you go sit on the doorstep
and eat it while I go up attic. It's
nice and shady out there"
She hustled away to the pantry in
her crealling starched calico. At the
door she stopped to call back: shes
got a baby, amt she? Sick? Poor lit
tie cretur-well, catnip's just what it
needs. I hope there's some left had
a plenty. But there was Lucia Bent's
baby and the Spooner twins-there. eat
your doughnqts, Hilary. My land!
what's the boy doing?"
She laughed suddenly at the spectacle
of Hilary solemnly trying to tickle the
nose of his own shadow on the walk,
with a small willow switch.
Aunt Debby found no catnip in her at
tic. except few leaves i'll little heap
under the catnip nail, so she hurried
back, looking troubled.
cts all gone, Hilary-it's too bad!
had plenty. I'm afraid that poor
nittle baby'll suffer with collie. She
said it was the baby, didn't she? Poor
little thing!"
Miss Deborah did not wait for an
swers, but ran on anXiously. "You
better go right on to Ruth Stebbins'.
l guess she'll have some. Tell her it's
the baby. She'll give you a cooky-if
you hurry"
She went back to her work, thinking
anXiously of little Mrs. judas baby.
AT last she resolutely united her apron
and put on her sunbonnet.
I'm going to run acrost to Rates
and see if she's got any catnip. Like
iier'n not Hilary'n forget. I amt GO
ing to run any risks with a baby cry
ing with collie
Then, with a rueful glance at her
work undone, Miss Debby walked across
the fields TO Rates.
Mrs. Ruth Stebbins was making
gooseberry jam. and her flushed, tired
face met Hilary at the door with little
frown on it. well, what do you
want?" she asked.
"A cooly," answered Hilary. "She
said so, if I'd hurry up, an l done it."
"Who said SOP"
''Aunt Debby, when she sent me
after the catnip for Mis- judas baby"
''Oh, catnip! Well, you can wait. but
/ believe our eats got at it and ate it
all up. I'll go andsee.'
Did they eat up the cookies?" fall
tered Hilary,
Mrs. Stebbins' laugh cleared off the
frown. She got the cookies and gave
them to Hilary. "You can sit down on
the grindstone and eat EN-" she said,
pleasantly.
When she came back a few minutes
later, Hilary, having dispatched the
cookies, was trying to get the nose of
his shadow on the grindstone.
I'm goin' to grind it." he said. cheer
fully. Pete Smedley said he ground
81 Jones'"
well, you needn't do it on my grind
ssone,' laughed Mrs. Stebbins. BE
sides, you must go over to Pete's and
pet the catnip. | haven't got a mite.
They'll have some. it's likely. And
Pete can help you grind your shadder's
nose!"
Hilary hesitated, shutting his toes
uneasily. II don't want to traipse any
more" he whned. "Pete's mother
don't make cookies; Pete said So
"She makes beautiful squash-pies,
Hilary"
''Sweetened with merlasses?"
"Oh, I guess likely! Now you run
right along, or it'll be past their sup
perfume and" But already Hilary
was hurrying away.
Did Mis- Judd say the baby was real
sick, Hilary?" called Mrs. Stebbirs
after him, but he did not hear her.
Poor little thing" she muttered.
''catnip's splendid, but / shouldn't We
thought Mis- Judd would've known it.
She don't look as if she ever saw any
catuip. She's a real stuck-up little
woman; l guess she feels above COM
mon folks. Hope!" Mrs. Stebbins
raised her voice as she reentered the
kitchen. Hope Stebbins was just com
ing up out of the cellar. "Mis' Judd's
little baby's real sick, and she sent after
some catnip."
"Oh, poor little thing! You sent her
some, mother?"
Il haven't mite left. That comes of
keeping such a batch of cats. be-
1ieve I'll drown half of 'em myself
this afternoon"
Hope laughed merrily. "Your drown
ing wouldn't wet fly, mother!" she
said, smoothing her hair before the lit
tie square glass on the wall The face