Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-08-15
Roxana Barbury.


The Shrill sweet sound of whiStling
Mrs Lawton came to the door of the
addition" which was kitchen in sum,
mer and woodshed IN winter.
'Roxana. RoXana.' She called.
No answer came. but the whistliug con-
tinued from Il source not distant but un-
seen "Roxana!" The third call was
abrupt and impatient. Where he you,
Roxana!' Mrs Lawton looked to the
right and to the left. and even under the
wash bench that stood just outside the
door: everywhere but into the laughing
mischievous face that pcered down at
her from between the branches of the
cherry tree above her head.
"RoXana Barburyr
Roxy deemed it time To make her
whereabouts known. She was psychic
logically familiar with her aunt tones,
and knew just which variation meant a
seolding TO come, and which presagcd
Bringing blows upon her palms with a
birch switch. The addition of her SUR
name was always an ominous sign.
Here l am, Aunt Patience SHE
called.
Mrs. Lawton looked mp. "Roxana Bar
bury. come down ont q that tree, She
commanded. First thing you know
yOu'lI break your limbs Amt yod
ashamed of yourself, climbin' trees like
tomboy, You'll never he good for
nothing, never in the world. Come down
here right away; want you to stem
currants for jelly"
"All right" returned Roxy.
As Mrs. Lawton left the doorway the
whiStling began again. -ItoNana Bar
htttrx+ ~ that npISp the
her aunt from within. Don't you know
that 'whiStling girls and growing hens
never come To no good ends!
Il ought to know it," muttercd Roxy
in judiciouS undcrtone: I've heard it
don't know how many times day ever
since came here To live.
II was with reluctance that Roxy pre-
pared To descend She loved it MP in the
trees 10 be high in the air where She
could both look down at the powers THAI
preyed'' upon her leisure. and up to the
blue sky through "A framework " green
foliage that ruStIpd soothingIy. was SOME
thing that gave her rare delight.
''I'd sight rather eat cherries than
stem currantS." she thought ~ She made
her way from hough 10 bough, and when
she had reached the lowest one prepared
y swing herself to the ground
Even that lowest bough WAS very high.
and the girl was proud Of her cuurag" to
lang from il by her hands and drop the
long. dizzy distance 10 the grass below,
Roxy did not believe in doing many
things. hut what She did she liked Ia do
well, and il was her boast that She could
climb trees better than any boy In the
village Now She decided 10 prolong the
pleasure of her feat by going rs far out
on the bough aS She could before letting
herself down
Whstling softly. and AZ the trunk of
the branch grew narrower feeling kcenty
the intoNication Of danger. She moved out
until she bad gone too far. tn" hou%h
broke and went crashing Ia the ground,
carrying with it its human burden. which
lay inert among the leaves aud twig>
scattered on the grass.
Roxy'A eyes. which had closed upon
green world. opened upon white one.
She was in bed at the hospital Al
though its wards were but two IN num-
Der. a mems and womcns. the town
was proud Of its hospital; few places the
same size boosted one.
Roxy found herself feeling strangely,
and when she tried 10 lift her head
nurse came to the bedside quickly and
told her she must not move.
The uniform. with its snowy cap aud
apron. was source of wonder TO Roxy.
as was the minglng of kindness and
iirmness in the nurses tone. She bad
~
firm and kind too.
She sank back obedienriy and found
that by turning her eyes she could SEQ
ont of the window on her left. The top
most branches of u tree, waving Ike
gigantic green plume against the sky
told her that il was still summer.
Roxy lay waiting for something "a hap
pen. although the days stretched them
selves To weeks nothing ever did happen
outside the routine Of meals aud the Wis
its Of the doctors. except that once y
week her aunt came to- see her and went
away leaving the patient feyerish anG
restless
"She acts 80 queer" Roxy said onre 10
The nurse in a puzzled tone. "She never
scolds me any more. and il makes me fee
as If was going to die
Miss Williams bent and kissed Roxy
solely on the forehead. You are not
going to die she said
Ii was curious world in which Roxy
found herself world where there was
no fault finding and no rivalry excep, in