The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-09-15


slippers and bronze boots until the
time for our return had come.
did you see that unicorn?" asked
Lizzerbuth, soon after we had turned
our faces homeward.
"A unicorn!" I exclaimed in delight
ed surprise, mo, where was it,"
20, just back there in window
No, you can't go back. Come right
along with me, Patty Waters You
can see it some other time. Your moth
er said you must keep with me-"
This was true and / thought it best
to obey, but 1 walked by Lizzerbuth's
side in a state of discomfort and rebel
lion. l wanted to see that unicorn
more, it seemed to me, than anything
else in the world. I imagined it SUI
perb creature with waving name and
a curling tail, ornamented at the end
with something like tuft of ostrich
tips. It's one horn was pointed defiant
| ly forward as it stood gracefully poised
on its hind legs, while one slender fore
foot rested upon a shield and the other
scornfully epurned the air.
WAS the lion there, too, Lizzer-
buth?" I ventured to inquire.
| "A lion? OF course not! What a lit
/ tie goose you are, Patty Waters!"
| was silenced, but not utterly cast
| down. I would tell my big brothers
| about the unicorn and one of them, I
! felt sure, would take me to see it. And
! perhaps, if it We're a dear little baby
/ unicorn, the man would let me go in
and pat it. I felt that I ought to have
remembered that Lizzerbuth did not
| 1N,r ,,,,x 1r, = lab,
understand the intensity of my desire
| to see this creature? Little spraWling
kittens never moved her to cxtravagant
expressions of delight; webbing and
top-heavy puppies even failed to excite
anything but her contempt. She had
never squeezed and kissed a rabbit to
the verge of suffocation. And she had
never-how / pitied her for this depri-
vation!-ridden upon the back of
tame bear. / had-and OH the intoXi-
eating joy and terror of it! And to-
morrow | was to see real, live uni
corn. How could / ever wait until the
morrow dawned?
We had reached Church street when
Iizzerbuth suddenly asked: You
know the way home from here, don't
you? Just up across the Green?'
"Oh, yes" I said.
We'll I've got to go down this way
to do an errand for my mother. And
you'd better not go. You'll get all tired
out, and be late home besides, and then
your mother'd scold you. You'll run
right home like a good little girl
won't you? Yop can't get lost If you
go straight back the way we came
l never quite understood why Lizzer-
buth deserted me at this juncture, es-
pecially as she had promised my moth
er that she would bring me safe home
within an hour. AfterWard, when |
came to understand her better and adj
mire her less, it occurred to me that
she probably had a penny to spend and
did not wish to share the purchase with,
me. She had inquired into the state of
my finances when we first set out, and
had looked disappointed upon learning
that I was penniess. At another time
I should have objected even with tears,
to being left alone, but now such an ar
rangement seemed to be entirely desir-
able. Once free from the supervision
of my commanding officer | would go
straight back and find that darling I'M
icorn. My heart beat high with joy as
I assured her that knew the way per-
fectly well-that I'd rather go home
alone. and that she'd better hurry if
she had an errand to do So she kissed
me goodbye in her patronizing, big
girl fashion, and skipped away, all her
black curls flying. And then. as soon
as | dared, / turned and went back
down Chapel street.
But where was the unicorn? Not to
be seen anywhere. Evidently it had
been taken away from the window.
And / had not the courage to go into
each store to inquire if they kept uni
corn there. Then it occurred to me
that Lizzerbuth might have seen it on
the other side of the street. She was a
observant child, and I was
not. So l crossed to the other side, at
ter some delay, as I prudently waited
until passing teams left me a clear /
space Then | began the search again. |
but unfortunately, in my excitement, | |
had turned in the wrong direction.
Eagerly | scanned every window, and /
still no unicorn. My eyes grew misty !
with tears as the conviction was forced |
upon me that / must go home, without
seeing the beautiful creature. My
ofother will find it for me tomorrow
said, and trying to comfort myself
with the thought / hurried on. con-
scious that | would be late and that I
deserved reproof. The sun was going
Town and the air grew sharply chill. I
partly from cold and partly
rom an underlined fear that was press
ng upon me more heavily with every
step. Something was wrong / should
De near the Green, and yet 1t seemed to
nave disappeared Then an unfamiliar
object rose before me and my fears
ook shape. 1t was a bridge-and there
vas no bridge on the way to my home
clasped my little cold hands together
ny throat Sweiled and ached with ris-
ng sobs, and the big tears burst from
ny eyes. | had not found the unicorn,
md | had lost myself.
A moment I Stood bewildered and
espairing; then cheerful voice said:
What's the matter, little girl?"
ooh, l can't find my way home.' 1
vailed.
"Wel, you know your name, l sup
ose?"
ooh, yes, it's Patty Waters
And your fathers name, and your ,,
treet and number?"
l gave the desired information. ..
"Well then, there's nothing to cry