The Wichita daily eagle., 1901-06-01
A Doll AND A MORAL


Now, child" he said. put down that
thing and come"
Mary laid her doll on teh worn leather
elbow chair. gave IL a little sympathetic
pat on the back and reluctantly crept
TO the side Of the botanist as he sat al the
table.
DO you see this drawing Of s9eci-
men?p
Don't can me sir I've told you be
fore"
Yes. uncle"
Vow. now. Am your uncle-related
TO you in any way? 1 am your guard
dian. You should have learned that in
a week"
Mary looked at her black frock for IN
spiration, failed TO find ii, and whinl-
pered.
7 won't have that, miss" cried the
botanist angrily. but he should have said
ward 10 be consistent.
Nary's sprinkle OF tears dried in her
eyes like wind blown drops OF rain on
a easement. The botanist's tone soft
ened. He felt almost as If he had knock
ed over a delicate specimen.
You must learn self-reiiance," he said,
with a stiff, kind smile. You are now
an orphan. face to face with the hard
facts Of existence, and you must learn
10 SOW early that your harvest may be
full for the reaping.'
Il can sew a hem" said Mary
"Hemt' echoed the botanist. well,
we'll. Look at this specimen and tell me
what it is"
L think"
Il wish you to know"
It's a bit of laburnum, then"
TO what family does It belong?"
Mary rubbed her left calf with her right
shoe buckle. felt an inclination TO giggle,
weakly blushed. looked toward the high,
dusty window ana into the little sOrdic
patch Of Brompton garden beyond and
frightened anxiOusly.
1T belongs to yours" she said; ''at
least that one there does. Only" she
added, perplexed. you haven't got no
family
tut, TUT This is shocking. Describe
the flower"
'It's-it's like rows Of little yellow bees
hanging on
1T is papiIionaceous, certainly. we
can do without the fanclful description.
Hear me read this: The iaburnum (of
the genus cytisus) has its leaves on long
stalks; leaflets rather glaucOus, ter
nate, nearly sessile, oval, mucronulate.
me petioles and subdulate stipules
dOwny The seeds are highly poisonous,
containing the principle known as syti-
sine and possessing narcotic acrid prop
critics. This description, which / have
written down, l wish you now TO take
to the little black table, with your die
tiOnaTy. In the latter you will search for
each word whose significance IS unknown
TO you, and when you are perfect in your
task you will come and construe TO me" ."
The botanist turned his head as he I'm
ished and a tonce bounced to his feet
with a positive yelp Of rage. Mary was
hushing her doll, who was awake ana
crying.
This is outrageous he shouted. you
are a bad, ungrateful child
His fury came with clap. 1t was
part OF system. no doubt But to ex-
pect him to be a philosopher as wen as
a botanist was to be ridiculously exact
ing. So he snapped the doll out of the
astonished mothers hands and in an ex-
cess Of indignation tore head and body
apart at the neck and threw the man
gled remains on the floor.
How dare youi he cried, stamping
and vibrating his clinched fists. You
have been petted and spoiled 1 shall
take you in hand with extreme severity" ="
One moment Mary gazed dumfounded
on her murdered innocent: the next she
flew at the bOtanist tooth and claw. She
pOmmeled him and he tried to ward of
the blows, too astounded for words. But
at length he got his arms firmly around
her, dragged her TO the door, thrust her
violently without and turned the key. The
child screamed and thumped on the pan
els a few minutes, desisted suddenly and
was heard sobbing going upstairs.
His thought swerved with a jerk. They
ran to-and embraced. shall We say?-a
rag Of yellow ribbon under lock and
key in his desk over there.
"She is wonderfully like Lucy" he muir
INJURED, and went on with his work,
which he found little savoriess.
Presently came tap at the door, s.
timid one. and after an interval an
other. The botanist came TO himself,
through an aIgebraic formula and went
and opened it. Outside stood Mary,
bowed and repentant-
Please she said, Il am good now."
I'm glad to hear It,.
please, may I have Eunice2"
THAT barbarous fetch? Certainly
not"
For an instant Mary's expression seem
ed to forebode resumption Of the old
May 1 do my task7" she saId.., with
Weeping courage.
you can try to make amends. but I
won't have you here. I am very much
displeased"
Mary. pathetically forlorn, took book
and paper and retreated- At the door
she put up a trembling lip. WIN you
kiss me?"
The botanist expiated his blush with
burnt offering Of anger. Go away" he
said. I am displeased, I tell you"
But when Mary had departed he felt
badly at ease. He was conscious of q
maggot in his brain, and ukened his head
TO an oak apple. After lunch he went out
for a walk, and when he returned Eunice
had vanished, and the house seemed cold
and dull.
Toward evening rain drummed on the
windows. and after dinner. restless and
dissatisfied. he stood looking out into the
dreary garden. II was shadOwy. no light
there. and the black. wet ground shone
like eelskin But under the laburnun in
the far corner was a broad splotch oc
whiteuess.
Suddenly his breath caught Ike kink
in running reel. He stood moment,
then stole 70 the bell
God. Cod" he muttered as he rang It
in sacred fashion
What is thatg' he said TO the ser
want who appeared.
The girl looked and gave q cry.
"Its Miss Mary." she said. and ran
into the rain. pursued By the bo1tanist-
They found the child soaked.
Take her-y0u. whispered the bo-
tauist, i am uot worthy 10 De a nrst
principle
The riri carried the child swiftly into
the sitting room.
Light the gas she said, inDatiently.
ard was meekly cbeged
Then in q moment the botanist rushed
al the child. slapped and shook her and
seemed 70 so mad
.T.et her be. you deviit' cried the girl
str1czrina- 70 defend ner charge. but tire
botanist took 10 notice ot her. for Gary
opened her eyes.
what have you eatan7" he shrieked.
ana Alary nurnured, A yellow bees
egg
Then the botaaist seemed 20 90 stark
CrazV