The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-07

themselves passed many a pleasant
hour in discussing il, when otherwise
they would have been very lonely
Sweetest Susan often thought of l3ttle
Billy Biscuit, and once, when tall.ina
| about him to her mother, she mentioned
what Miss Elviry had said about cast
off children'S clothes. Now, as il hap
pened, there was a chest full of clothes
| somewhere about the house, and Mrs
Wyche made haste to hunt it up and
sort out as much as might be of some
service TO the little waif. Then, woman
like, having her mind on the matter
she insisted that the clothes must be
sent as soon as possible, and gave or
| derS that JOHNNY BaDter should carry
everything the next morning.
The children, hearing of this, insisted
that they be allowed 10 go along, and
as there was nothing to prevent (Sher-
mans army having unwittingly dis
persed school and schoolmaster). il
was arranged that Johnny Bapter
should use the spring wagon, which
had two seats, so that Buster John,
Sweetest Susan and Drusilla could all
go along. And as Johnny Bapter was
gonig that far. he might as well take
an early start and go on to Harmony
Grove to carry some gifts of butter,
flour and other supplies to an old friend
of Mrs. Wyche's, whose husband was in
the army, and whose sources of main
tenance had been all but swept away
by the army of invasion.
The children were up bright and
early. but they found Johnny Bapter
and the wagon waiting for them. There
was not much delay after that, you
may be sure; only a little wait on
Drusilla, who was not likely to allow
so short a journey to interfere with the
play of her appetite. Buster John and
Sweetest Susan went out to the wagon
with half their breakfast in their
hands. Johnny Bapter took off his hat
to them very politely, and then, when
they were seated in the wagon, he took
off his hat and bowed twice.
You're mighty polite this morning,
Johnny Bapter," said Buster John.
What's the matter with you?"
We'll, fust 1 bow ter you-all. an
den l bow ter dem ar waff1es an dat ar
ham. L amt seen no waffies in so long
dat l bleege ter bow at UNI. Dey may
not know me. but | knows DEM"
That settled it. of course. Johnny
Bapter knew what he was doing. In
their exuberant spirits the children
would have given him all their waffies
and ham, but no: II amt no ways
greedy" said Johnny Bapter so he
only took two-thirds. An de waffies
got butter on 'umr' he exclaimed I'm
mighty glad you-all tuck a notion TO
go long. Look like dey amt been no
war when you kin git a tase er waffies.
Git up dar, hoSsi what you holdin' back
on level groun fer, when you known
I'm UP here eatin waffles? Eff anybody
ak you-all how come l don't blOng ter
no church, you up an tell UNI dat its
des kaze | amt hear none er de preach
ers say dey's gwinter be waffles up dar
whar good folks goes. Eff devil des
say 'waffies,' I'm wild UNI. an I'll stay
wild 'um, too; don't YOU disremember
dat.
Fer John-nee Bapiter is. my name
You AK my NANNY. she'll tell We de
same"'
This last was a snatch of song that
SWeetly on the morning air
1t was accompanied by a shaking of
the relns that set the horse trotting at
the top of his speed. In very short
while, as it seemed to the children. who
the ride. they were at Mr. |
Bobs', where they We're met by Miss
Elvira, who said she was delighted to
see them. The clothes. she declared, |
the very thing, every stitch being in the !
right place. and each garment certain |
to lit t-wy-ty-"ome might be a little I
too big now at the present time. but /
hey wouldn't stay too big many days. /
Somethin' told me YOU all was a
cOmin' today. | had a ringn' in my /
light ear, an my nose has been a
eetchin' ever sence l got up this morn
n. ! know'd / was certain to have |
company. and who could it be. says l |
o myself. but the youngsters from the
Abercrombie placer"
How is Little Billy Biscuit?" asked
sweetest Susan.
''As fine as split silk" responded Miss
ilviry, with a fond laugh; las fat as a
zig. and the cutGst thing you ever laid
yes on. Come right in; he's back in
lere some'rs. Billy! Billy Biscuit,
Where are yau, for goodness sake?''
Here me?' replied Billy.
Come here" said Miss Elviry;
here's somebody want to see you
'Uh-uh, Me tan't; mes a moo-talf.
Ioo-talf in de pen-tan't dit out"
When Miss Elvirv and the children
vent to see what Billy was up to, they /
ound that he mad turned chair on its
ide, and with that had penned himself
n a corner of the room.
"Moo-talf want water" he exclaimed.