The Red Cloud chief., 1901-05-24
Miss SaIome's Gresham"

Mercy. no. Ones all | can manage.
and more too" groancd Miss Salome.
II couldn't get my sleep out last night
dreading it-but I promised your hus-
band; You raj put me down. My LIES
insured
Both women laughed gently over the
little pleasantly. but IL was Miss Sa-
lome's face that Strengthened 10 its GUS
tomary sober lines FIRST. The face OF
the minister's little wife took" natur-
ally to laughing curves. and held them
persistently after the real occasion for
them was over. The people OF Sweet
water said II was "A wonder the mother
OF six little children, all OF EN- cases.
ever felt inclined to laugh.
i've got the 'T' all made, Miss Sa-
lone. | don't see how | can make #
into an o.! Besides, n would be so
lonesome; aren't you most afraid go?
Think OF my little Jerry or my Ted or
Mistress Mary being n somewhere
alone!"
The pencil waited, still, and the min
listers wife looked toward Miss Salome
"''" WIN i'NSAioilbbs 'h' S"' v
beyond her the broad stretch OF prim
lawn and the lilac bushes fringing IL.
II looked like such a beautiful chance
for fresh-air children. And the house
the minister's wife sighed softly, re-
Numbering the crowded little parson-
age.
Shall ! write the 'wo' after the IT,?
Or could write 'hree,' you know"
Miss Salome laughed. but not with
yielding in II.
Write One" she said, land after
my name you can put in "a parenthesis
And the Lord have mercy on her
soul!'"
1t was early July, and hot waves OF
clover-sweet sunshine crept into all the
open windows. There was scarcely n
breath stirring. In the cities, the tene-
ment-house people gasped for their
breath, and the little babies were borne
away in tiny pine collins. The minis
ter's wife was thinking OF the babies as
she rose to go.
MY list Is counting up" she said. 81
shall send 1t tomorrow. don't care to
wait any longer. The accounts in last
nights paper were heart breaking, Miss
Salome-the tiny ones are dying SOL"
II don't read the papers In the hot
waves" Miss Salome said briefly. IL
make fans OF them them" She fol-
lowed her caller through the cool, dim
hall to the front door.
you've said a girl. OF course?" she
called after her. "Of course you I'M
derstand l can't have any boy traipsing
! round?"
Yes; | said one little girl" the
minister's wife answered quietly.
The children-Sweetwater's share
would come the last week in July and
stay a fortnight, the city missionary
wrote. They would be the forlornest
waits OF the street, and nc n was to
expect perfect manners or clothes.
Miss Salome stayed awake oftener aft
err the minister's wife read her the let
ter. There were plenty OF times when
she rallied bitterly at herself for ever
promising.
On the long-dreaded day, she walked
to the station to meet the train and her
fate. The minister's little wife Joined
her half way. She had a determined
look In her sweet, tired face.
I'm going t bring home the left
overs" she said. There are most al
ways n or two. Somebody gives up
at the last moment, or else the mis-
%sionaries can't resist the temptation to
smuggle in one extra at the end.
shall bring any little leftover home, II
l have to make a field-bed for my boys
out on the piazza! 1t breaks my heart
to read about the poor little suffering
things"
She was not thinking OF Miss Sa-
lome's big, empty rooms-she was
thinking of the terrible, crowded rooms
In the sweltering city tenements. Miss
Salome would not let herself think OF
those.
Then the train swept In and the little
waits trailed out on the sunny platform
and stood about uncomfortably. The
minister's wife sorted them out busily
checking them off as she went down
her list-these two to Deacon Spooner
those two to Mrs. Withepspoon-one tc
the Wetherell's one to the Greenes
n to Miss Salome-but Miss Salome's
was a boy! They were nearly all boys
The n or two girls were mere babies
and Miss Salome had specified no ba,
bies.
Dear me-" murmured the ministers
perplexed little wife, gazing up anc
down the ~disreputable little ranks in
search of a girl to fit Miss Salome. A
touch on her arm made her turn.
Never mind about me-" Miss Sa,
lone was saying, with humorous wrin.
kles round her eyes; Il can get along
l wasn't really hankering."
But there'l be too many to gc
round, Miss Salome. / haven't dareC
to count, but | know there are more
than enough. And so few little girls
i do believe Miss Trent made a blum,
der and sent US the wrong consign,
ment! Poor little things!"
There were three left-overs, ever
after Deacon Spooner TOOK an extra
boy and the Greenes took two.