Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1903-04-17


Come along, Annermiria. lets go fer
Walk III the park. Well ave a s.ood
ole sime, Won't we:'
Yer won't get bit fer yer diuner
II yer do. But don't upset yerselyes;
there'll be more for Albert an Maudie,
'Arrlat and me-"
Yah bury yerselfr' was the polite
retort, as the young ladies disappeared
round the corner But .loe did not
really feel uneasy, as he was con
ynced they had no real intention Of
stopping away from school.
Il won't let ina beat YOU I'll bite
'er legs if she do little voice said
by his side. He looked down CRATE
fully. 1t was Maudie Harriet.
Yer allus was good little un,
he said then added, with precocious
knowledge, but, then. they centrally
Is good when theys kiddies. It's when
they gets older they gets so rough |
mind Minnikite and Annermlria jest
like lambs
Like mef" asked Albert, looking up
from his mud pies.
Now, you're Jest fat puddin' cad
Put yer cap ON at once or III soon
mike yer mind"
The baby began TO whimper. aud he
folded her close in his arms and kissed
the little shriyeled face. "Shoo 20 ter
sleep, Sairey Ellen he whispered
softly, Its Il long time fore you'll
grow up and glt rough and saucy."
sat shiyering at the top OF the drafty
stairs for their mother to come home
and unlock the door
shes lite tonight" Anna Maria
said. leaning over the broken down
rail. But even as she spoke a heavy
step came up the stairs. The children
listened anXiously, and Joe at last OBJ
served.
she asn't ed much. Guess Wen
be 'er orphans tonight"
| In Il few moments Il woman's heavy,
bloated face appeared. followed by an
unwle.Ay body.
Lite ter-night," she said, rather
thickly, feeling for her key. 80, we'll
turn over moo leaf ter-morrer"
When she had lit a lamp on the ta-
BILE, she sat down on the one sound
chair and began to cry.
Gimme me biby," she said at last
me little orphan bby-me Jimmys
chile
She fell to kissing 1t, and 1t woke
with IA feeble. peeyish cry.
With an oath she pushed it from
her. and Joe just caught 1t as 1t al
most fell from her lap.
Take it she said. ''therell be bet
ter company ter-morrer."
lie walked up and down until the
child slept again with it's tiny head
against his neck. while the woman
Snored heavily in her chair. The early
winter light was just tiltering through
the unshuitered window when Joe
awoke and sat sp. His mother had
not slept in the bed He blinked his
eyes and looked towards the chair, but
il was empty. With II little cry he
sprang out of bed and rushed towards
this time. and 1t was locked.
That morning went slowly by, while
the children fought and wrangled and
the baby walled and would not be
comforted. Towards evening Joe was
leaning out of the window showing
the baby some sparrows fighting on
an opposite roof. when there WAS II
shrill scream behind him. He turned
and, 10 his horror, SAW Albert stand
ing shrieking with lighted newspa-
per in his hand.
Let 20, yer fool"' he shouted. The
child let go his hold, and the lighted
paper huttered against some rotten
clothing hanging against the wall and
the next moment the whole room
seemed full of smoke and flames. Joe
sprang To the door and kicked with Ill
IS might, but it would not yield t.
his puny efforts. and the smoke stifled
him. There WAS no water in the
room, and the woodwork had already
caught and begun to crackle. He ran
to the window aud gazed out by tbs
side OF the window on one side there
was about four feet of broken ston,
ledge about foot and Il half wide
on the other side ii had crumhlet
away.
"Git out of the winder on 10 this"
he shouted to Minnikite. She climbed
on to the stone work as best she coult
and clung to the side like little rat
Anna Maria followed. and Albert hold
ing Maudie between them. There was
no room for more.
A crowd had gathered below, and
man was trying frantically to kicl
down the stout oak door, which ole
Ell Mathews, the only other then in
mate of the house always locked whel
he went out. Joe watched him will
, a slckening fear in his heart and mois
tened his lips. The heat OF the fir
: inside was scorchlng him, and blacl
smoke came belching out above hi
head.