River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-07-21
STARS.
BY RAM KENNEDY.

n ing ABOUT the mousse, JLIs way
and that, "up to the eyes in work.
The maid and temporarily engaged
assistant superintendent operations
over a steaming tub; Mrs jameson
and her sister Caroline lent them
an occasional hand, deyoting the re-
mainder of their time TO cooking,
securing, cleaning and the hundred
and one matters Of domestic neces-
sity; tradesmen, with that unerring
instinct Of their kind which always
prompts their visits on the most in
convenient day, made frequent de
mands upon the door, the children,
home for awhile, were busy too, for
this was washday in the house of
Jameson.
Tie baby sat solemn and silent in his
tiny chair. securely tied thereto by
disused pair Of his fathers braces
Scattered on the floor around him
were toys and picture-books, on his
lap lay a slice Of bread and jam Il
broad red trail Of the latter indicating
direct path over bib and chin toward
his mouth. lie turned large and
listless eye upon the surrounding
hustle.
Baby is quiet to-day" sail Mrs.
Jameson once, glanciug casually to-
ward him.
Yes; he's thinking Of something
not even eating his bread and jam"
did UNI sit and finka-fnk?" This to
the child, with a seductive waggle of
finger.
But baby sat motionless, gazing COW
i
say "Googoo!"
At that moment the maid came In
from the scullcry, bearing with her
steamy atmosphere and an unwhole
some odor of soap. In her arms was
a ponderous basket of damp linen
fresh from the wringing; this she de-
posted with a thud upon the floor.
I've done this lot, ma'am," she
said, AN I'm almost ready to start
on the coloreds Ill put this here
minute while | go and get my line
out. Hope it'll be fine day for the
drying"
Mrs. Jameson stood at rest for mo
ment and surveyed the bulky basket
before her. She sighed. 1t was the
dream of her life that at some happy
far-off day her good man should earn
just that little more-than-enough
which would warrant her in putting
out her washing, But now she was
niddle-aged, and the dream had not
yet come; when it came-years later
1T had lost its value, for her good
man vas gone.
NO, don't put the basket there"
she said, its in the way. Put ii
where baby is, and move him into the
corner"
Did ums have to be put in a corner
like a bad boy?" said the maid, as
she followed out her mistress instruc-
tons.
The baby remained as impressive as
ever.
Suddenly miracle occurred The
1amp-oil man having arrived and dc
lyered himself Of his odoriferous bur
den, it became again necessary for
Mrs. Jameson to pause from her la
bors to pay him. For this purpose she
went to the cupboard, wherein She
kept tho sundry little boxes that
served her for bookkeeping aud, draw
ing one forth she presently poured
into her hand tiny shower of change.
This comprised several coins of the
smallest sort, but one Of them stood
out royalty from the rcst-a bright
coppery beauty flashing with the
sunshine. 1t was a new halfpenny.
The child's eyes glistened de
sirously.
"ti gil" he said, which, being in
terpretcd. is Give"
Rut this remark remained unheard
amid the hustle; and it was not until
the lamp-oii man had received his due,
aud the coins bright halfpenny as
Wen had been restored to their little
box and cupboard that Mrs Jameson
became aware Of the child's restless
ness.
"Halloo, little mannie What 90
want now"
"Gi-gi!" This with an imperous
wave Of hand.
"Gi-gi? Oh, he wants his picture
book. GIVE him il, Caroline"
And Mrs jameson. turning away,
began to seour a saucepan
But baby had no Joy Of his picture
book On top Of his bread aud lam ii
lay UNDECIDED, its crude, gaudy illus
tratious seeming as naught beside
that golden glorious something he
had momentariiy seen fash across his
cosmos
"Gi gi!" he cried plaintiyely.
Perhaps its his geegee he wants,
said Mrs Johnson, picking up dilap-
idated horse from the debris Of TOYS
ON the floor.
Mama" dissented the child, waving
a. aLi1p