The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-28
wal. anyway said oranpap. ambisu-


"She seems TO understand very well.
said the plump lady. whose skirts were
seized by half dozen children the minute
she reached the landing
''Yas. ma'am reckon you might say she
does purity well. considerin'. and she under
stands all the home folks purity we'll"
'.And she'll very soon understand us. here.
And she'll have plenty of playmates. and
she'll be well taken care Of"
I'm sure o. tibet. ma am; I'm sure o. tibet.
If she jes' don't take on when l leave her.
I'll leave purity comfortable. / reckon she
ought to be right happy here, ma'am. It's
a mighty nice place."
"She will be- said the plump lady, who
said she was the matron of the institution.
"She will be after she gets used to it.
They're all little homesick when they
first come. but they get over it in a few
hours and are happy forming childish
friendships. Don't worry about her; I'll
keep her with me the first few days"
"Idy." said the old man. will you stay
with the lady when l CO.,
''No. Grandpap; I'll go with YOU"
Wont you stay with me and have nice
time with the other little girls" coaxed the
matron, kindly, as we'll as she could for the
six who were fighting for the possession of
her fingers.
Ida May took Granpaps hand. backed
hard against him and began to pull away
toward the door. She took a last look at
the beautiful door as she went. that she
might impress it on her memory for Katie's
benefit
TIDY said G;anpap, desperately. loosing
his hand. "you must be a good girl now
and stay here with the lady. She'll take
care Of you. Granpap has TO go home an
tend to the farm, but you must stay here.
dye understand"
Ida May understood She had been
tricked. And by Granpap and everybody.
and now she was TO be left here all by her
self. The walls of her confidence fell in
and the fountain of her faith was dried up.
She cast herself upon the beautiful floor
and laid her cheek on the little cold stones
and lifted wall of mingled rage and Desc
lation.
What is the matter?' asked the teacher,
pausing on her way to the Office.
Its only a new pupil, Miss Noel" re-
piled the matron. She'll be all right pres
emily. But l will just have to leave her for
a little while with her grandfather, for the
superintendent sent IOr me quite HItee1
minutes ago."
I'll stay with her, volunteered Miss
Noel. She was divided between pity for
Ida May and pity for Granpap. She did
not smile at all as she bent and touched
the little brown hand. Ida May looked at
her. looked again, stopped screaming, sat
up on the floor and finally allowed herself
| to be lifted to Miss Noel's arms.
81 want to go home" she cried, cling
ing to the teachers neck with both hands.
$50 you shall-in good time" agreed Miss
Noel, briskly. Miss Noel taught an oral
| class and knew how to talk so that even
the deafest little girl could understand.
You shall go, if you really want to go
very much
Ida May had been sure she wanted to go
very much. Granpap and the plump lady
were sure, too. The teacher didn't seem
sure-whch was rather unsettling.
What is your name. baby?" she asked.
setting Ida May comfortably on her knee.
T-e-da May"
Ida May. That's pretty name. How
old are you. Ida May?"
Eight" holding up the fingers of both
| hands.
| And where do you live?"
| Down to Granpaps.
my names Ballister, ma'am," said
Granpap, sheepishly.
The teacher laughed and pinched Ida
Mays cheek. How delightful to have
ones cheek pinched! 1t made one seem to
be nearly the most important thing in the
world, and the teacher was almost as pref.
ty as Aunt Mary.
WHO else lives at Granpap's?"
Gran and Aunt Mary and Aleck and
| Katie
"Katie's a neighbor child ma'am," In.
terpolated Granpap, unwilling to father
the community.
''And does Katie go to school?"
Katie did. Ida May had gone with hel
until that dreadful sickness but after.
wards Katie had gone to the country
school without her. Miss Noel seemed tc
mediate on Katie's schooling for a mo-
ment and Ida May felt still more unset
tied. She could not hear the clang of the
gong that announced dinner time
"Mr. Ballister," said the teacher sud
denly, when you get a new kitten, wha
do you do to make 1t stay?"
MY wife buffers their paws, ma am,
said Granpap. politely.
Exactly. Well, 1 think we had bette
go and butter the Kittens paws
Ida May understood the last sentenc,
and decided to postpone her departure til
she had seen the kitten. She trotted alonl
cheerfully enough with Miss Noel, Gran
pap bringing up the rear. They met tn
plump lady with a different half-dozel
this time) and she gave Ida May an ap
proving nod. Somehow, Ida May got TIL
impression that she was doing well. The.
went down the wide hall and through som
big glass doors, and finally came to
great room filed with tables-dinner ia
bles, covered with white cloths, and dishe
and steaming food. There were enough
tables to seat 300 persons, and Ida Ma,
wondered who would eat it all. She wa
very hungry. Suddenly a door on eacl
side of the room was flung open, and tw
lines of children began to file in-boys I
the right of her, girls to the left of her
the plump lady in front Of her. When Id
May had begun to think they would neve
stop coming, the doors were suddenly shu
again, and everybody sat still. A tall ma
with a forid face, who had met them a
the train that morning, stood up and mad
some queer motions with his eyes shut
and then, walking to the middle of tn
floor. he inserted his right forefinger be
tween the first two fingers of his left han
| Nka 0iyoIat Looked m RIGHT and a. on