Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-17

| they wouldn't ask Drusilla to join them.
| and they wouldn't complain about her to
! their mother. This seemed to lift heavy
| load from Drusilla's mind. She breathed
| freely and became even cheerful.
The journey to Mr. Bobs' house was in
all respect a repetition of the former one
Johnny Bapter driving the two-seated
| spring wagon and singing blithely, and,
| when they arrived at their destination,
Miss Elvry was standing at the door with
a smile of welcome. Little Billy Biscuit
had grown considerably He had larger
| ideas, too. He was no longer a calf in a
| pen, but saddle horse, tied to the fence,
chair turned on its side answering all the
purposes of a fence in this case. The bril-
| die was a length two of basting thread,
| and, though it seemed to be a frail sub
| stitute for halter. it must have been
strong. for it served to hold this FESTIVE
| horse, which was making tremendous eff
| forts to gain its freedom, paving the
| ground and kicking out its heels at a terri
! BILE rate
The earnestness of Little Billy Biscuit
| was comical to see, and Sweetest Susan
| thought it was The finest spectacle she had
ever witnessed. She wanted to hug the
child then and there; but Miss Elviry shook
| her head.
"Twould upset him for the rest of the
| day she explained EFF you want to
please him. just say, Whoa, there! Eff
| you git on wi him you've got to believe in
| his make-believe. You wouldn't believe it.
| honey, but that child amt half much
| trouble as grown person. Why. when you
want MIN TO De sui all you We got TO 90 Is
| to tie him with some SEWN thread an
say he's a boss. A boss he'll be tell you
/ come an onloose him.
The children entered at once into the
spirit of the affair. At word Sweetest
Susan and Buster John became horses, and
Drusilla was a mule. The change was eff
| fected as suddenly as the genii in the Ara
ban Nights could have accomplished it. No
waving of wands nor Incarnation was
necessary.
This drama of the horses was all very
well for a little while: but the older chill
| dren, being used to more variety, soon grew
tired of 1t, and it was not long before they
succeeded in coaxihg Little Billy Biscuit
| out of doors. Just they went into the
yard Miss Elviry suddenly remembered
| that she had forgotten to feed the hen with
the young chickens that had just been
taken Off so she mixed some cornmeal
and water in tin pan. and began to cali
the hens
The call was answered from overhead in
the most unexpected manner. A crow,
cawing and croaking, began to circle
around Miss Elviry's head, and presently
| lit in the pan of dough.
oh. get away from here!' Miss Elviry
cried impatiently; you're alters stickin'
yourself where you amt wanted
She pushed the crow from the pan, but
he flew back with many croaks, and not
until Miss Elviry had given him a good
share of dough did he cease his fiutterings.
She dropped a Wad of the food on the
ground, and this the crow proceeded to de-
toui, AoihiH6 " OH the "lliie- MISS
Elviry went to another part of the yard,
hunting for the young chickens, but the
children stood still and watched the crow.
ant T.. l done tor you dey Wqz cunJer-
can't git in a mile er no crow less'n you
been rubin agin deze folks. Now min
what tell you; dis crow sho is satan; you
may follow after i'm eff you wanter, but
amt gwinter bulge out'n my tracks,
Little Billy Biscuit however, was very
good terms with the crow. He sat on the
ground by the bird, and with small twig
touched him occasionally on the legs. The
crow saw the movement every time; but
invariably he would raise the leg that had
been touched. stretch out the toes on the