Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1901-02-14

VIVA a4Nu olttllts lWO llNNlt vi 81
mans. descendants of Martha Wash
ington's family line and the youngest
representatives OF that distinguished
name, lived with their parents and
Aunt Kathy at Rose HILL a lovely old
home on a slope. not far from the
banks OF the historic Potomac river.
There was a shady grove in front OF
the house full of pretty play-places and
messy rock brakes.
Viola. the elder, was tall and strong,
with long, thick golden hair. and in
her sweet blue eyes a frank, open ex-
preston which always told what she
was thinking about She was big SIS
ter" to little brother" who was fra
gile and slight. with gray eyes and
brown hair. Everybody loved Steenie,
he had such nice ways, and although
he was little. his notions of honor and
right were big. He loved everybody
and every living thing on the place,
from the horses and dogs to the chick
ems, ducks, and the tame rabbit ana
swallow which were their special pets.
But most of all he loved mis- sister,
and would always do what she thought
best. SO they were companions in ey-
erything and always happy together
Both were fond of outdoor sports and
delighted to go barefoot. This once led
TO what might have been a serious ac-
oident, for one day while climbing up
into cherry tree, Viola lost her hold
and fell through, her bare foot catch
ing by the heel in the notch Of the
tree, and her head suspended over
spiked fence. Steenie ran in terror to-
ward the house to bring Aunt Kathy TO
the rescue, crying:
Come quick! quick, or Viola will
be killed."
Fortunately-fo Aunt Kathy could
mt clum-a boy was on the grounds
near by, and running up, helped to
disentagle the victim.
Another of her hair-breadth escapes
was TO come bounding down on an old
cellar door which had lost its hinges.
Aunt Kathy. who happened to be near,
sprang forward in time TO break her
TALL When she was picked up unin-
jured, her aunt reminded her that she
should thank God for sparing her life,
and the little girl Immediately knelt
down where she was, and said:
Il thank thee. dear Jesus for letting
Aunt Kathy catch the cellar door," evil
IDENTIFY considering her aunt special
providence.
Both children dearly loved Nellie
Gray a white horse on which they
rode together. Sometimes Il happened
they got pitched over her head and
then the horse would lift her feet care
fully for them to crawl safely out, and
neigh with delight
One night the big barn took FIRE, ana
grandma, who was visiting them al
Rose Hid. was so scared that she put
Steenie's clothes on him wrong side
ont Afterward she found the two
children on the garnet steps in the
dark, their hands clasped in each 9TH
er's, praying to God, away from the
confusion, thinking He could hear
them better of By themselves.
Afterward. when Viola was older, the
barn burnt down again and seeing the
glare Of the flames from the house, she
was the first one to try and get the
animals out Her own riding horse
was among them. and in her efforts
to save it, she went back twice into the
building and got severely burnt. She
said afterward>:
Il felt so selfish, safe outside, with
all those poor things suffering in
there"
With so many live pets, there was a
death occasionally and regular burial
ground was provided for those they
had loyad Aunt Kathy heard loud
walls one afternoon. and looking from
her window saw approaching a sad
procession carrying an old
trunk tray on which WIS the body of
favorite cat. while Viola, armed with