Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-06-10
HerOile-Cat
BY LEANDER S. KEYSER.

BY LEANDER S. KEYSER.
hey were thrashing" over at
khbor Shanewalter's that after
f66h. The Shanewalters lived only
kSI# mile from the Bensons as the
5z6H or the bee flies; but around by
<66 road, as men walk or ride, it was
We than three-quarters of mile.
Is Katie Benson stood on the por-
80, looking across the intervening
ley along the crow-and-bee line, she
I'D see the straw carrier of the
ashing machine pointing obliquely
ward out of the back door of the
IN, while the straw foated in rag
[ed ledge clouds of yellow from it's
Per end and then dropped airily
on the great round stack where three
q four men were laboriously trudging
oIout to trample down the straw.
Vow and then cloud of dust and
IF would pour out of the door,
ven by the fresh breeze, and COM
4Ietely enveloped the workmen on the
ok. At intervals the hum of the
I1a chine would reach Katies ears One
81 the men was her father-he was
sliding the stack-and she wished
Sc she was over there herself, jump
"a about on the springy straw.
But it was Katie's duty to stay at
me that afternoon with her sister
<Iiza, two years older than she, and
eddie, the ''baby' of the family, 4
<&Ars of age. Shortly after dinner
Us. Benson had said:
''Now, girls, [ must go over and
clip Mrs. Shanewalter to cook supper
|br the thrashing hands. Stay close
s. the house all the afternoon. Don't
% away for anything. And take good
6are 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
. few rods from the gate"
ooh, 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 agitating
emotion.
"What's the matter, Katie?" her
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 crew
ice in the floor into which she was try
ing to thrust her bare little toes.
"No-I guess not-just little" she
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"
ooh, Katie's such a 'fraidy cat, -"
scoffed Liza. GO She'd be scared at a
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
as loud as ever she could,
bill got stick an killed the snake.
Pooh 1t wouldn't have hurt her. +"
CT can't help being afraid of
things" Katie sobbed.
What's the use to be afraid -
boosted Liza. 60 I'm not at all afraid
Of anything. I wouldn't be such a
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 a s' '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
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 game of hide-and-
seek in the large, bushy yard drove all
The little 6 'fraidy-cat's - fears out of
ner mind. A jolly afternoon they
were spending, sometimes putting
Neddie into his small wagon and pull
ing him back and forth along the road
IN front of"the house. The wagon was
an old-fashioned, homemade one, with
a rough box and pole and heavy little
wheels hewn out of thick board but
It was strong and serviceable, and no
doubt pleased the children fully as
we'll as the trig express-wagons of to-
day please our own boys and girls.
At about half-past three they We're
playing with the wagon in the road.
Katie began to feel little tired with
ler vigorous romping, and presently
she said To Liza