The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-07-06
THE TRAVELLED MISS TREE.
By HENRY DICK.

pleasantly as he asked, who lives
here, little girl?"
my father" said grandmother
promptly.
And then. as she was really a very
polite little girl and wished to behave
properly, she introduced herself, AN
I'm his little girl, en- this is Lydia
Tree"
At the sight of Lydia Trees inter-
esting countenance held up for his in
spection, the stranger seemed much at
fected. Probably he had never seen
anything quite so beautiful. Grand
mother was very much pleased; 80
when he asked her If she could get
him drink OF water, as he was very
warm and thirsty, and politely offered
to hold Lydia Tree while she went to
fetch it. she consented at once. 1t
would be pleasant and novel expe-
rience for Lydia Tree to be on horse
back. She was not the mother to deny
her child any reasonable pleasure or
advantage. Lydia Tree was handed up
to the stranger. and grandmother de-
parted for the water.
II took her some minutes. for the
drinking gourd was rather large Tor
her small hands, and she had to walk
very slowly to avoid splitting the water.
When She reached the horse block she
saw Lydia Trees head sticking out
from the top of the strangers jacket.
She looked very much distressed,
grandmother thought, buttoned up in
that way, with her arms inside. Grand
mother felt half inclined to cry. She
was just about to request Lydia Trees
return, when the stranger finished his
long draught-
II think I'll take Lydia Tree now,
please" said grandmother, holding up
her short arm.
The man cast his rapid glance over
the yard. There was no one in sight.
He gave his horse sharp cut
with the whip 1t seemed to grand
mother afterward that in that one
jump they were down the road, leav-
ing nothing behind them but a cloud
of dust
It was several moments before her
poor little brain was pierced with the
terrible idea that Lydia Tree had also
gone. For a moment she was simply
paralyzed with anguish. Then. with a
cry which brought her mother rum
ming from the house, she threw her.
self on the ground in tempest Of
tears.
It was some time before any one
could make out what had happened.
Poor grandmother could only wiring
her hands and sob: Lydia Tree! O,
Lydia Tree!" When, finally, she had
become sufficiently coherent to give
them some idea of the tragedy that
| had befallen her. horses were saddled
| and several of the farm hands started
| In pursuit. Grandmother was great
| favorite and everybody burned with in
| dignation to think that grown man
should meanly rob a little girl of her
| treasure.
| The man had too long start. Never
again had grandmother set eyes on
him or Lydia Tree, although it was
many years before she gave over ex-
pecting them both. She could not be-
lieve that he did not intend to come
back. Her heart was sore at the
thought of Lydia Tree compelled to
live among strangers. They all decid-
ed that the man was probably sailor
who had stolen this odd-looking baby
doll, perhaps to take to a little child
Of his own.
Grandmother's father tried to com
fort her by promising that John should
| make another Lydia Tree for her. Johr
somehow understood little girls as few
grown-up people do. So he made hel
q playhouse instead, for which grand
mother was secretly very grateful. al
though she did not think it right tt
say she didn't want another doll, a!
her father had suggested 1t. She ant
John became greater friends than ever
He certainly did have grandfather
heart.
This story Of Lydia Tree was An
MES favorite story. She never tired o
hearing it. II was her secret convic
ton that Lydia Tree would return
some day, although grandmother hat
given up expecting her. She neve
dreamed that she was to have any par
In it.
When Annie was 10 years old, he
father had some business that oblige
him to go away over to Holland, t
the city of Amsterdam. AS he Nigh
have to be there for many months
Annie and her mother went wit
him. It was certainly a great e.
| perience for a little girl, and to sa
that Annie enjoyed all the wonderf,
things she saw on that journey an
the quaint life in that curious oil
. world city would not express 1t.
Is only with the part of her journe
, that has to do with Lydia Tree thu
this story is concerned.
When Annie and her mother ha
, | been living in Amsterdam about
: month there was great fair he
, there for the benefit of some charit
/ Armies father had been told that OF
B | of the chief exhibits was a collectic
of all sorts of curious toys. which Il
children from all parts of the wor
: are accustomed to play with. So A
Q ME and her mother went one ate
r noon.
It would take too long to tell OF
t the curious things that made up tn
: wonderful collection-of the tops fro
I Iceland, kites from Japan. stills fro
n the Marquesas islands. and what A
L ME called 'Noah's Arks," from Afric
b OF course what interested her mo
: was the collection Of dolls. Ann
r thought most of them frightfuL al
{ felt a great deal of pity for the