The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-07-31


and bees and butterflies. All alone she
was, for mother did not come out into
the garden much these days. Joan
stopped before a tall pink hollyhock
and spoke.
Il don't think this is such a nice
summer as most" she said. i used TO
say fink, once-oh years and years
ago when l was ker-wite a little baby,
but l say therlnk' now, cause I'm
most grown up, you see"
Then she walked on again down the
little twisted gravel path, with her
hands clasped behind her, and her
brows grave with thought. For SO
Man Daddy used to walk when be was
having big "therink"
But it's whole days-'most years
since Man Daddy went away" she
said, stopping beside a gray green bush
of lavender, and he said goodby so
hasty, he squeezed me so hard that he
hurt, and his eyes were angry, and l
hadn't been naughty, at all. Are you
sorry, sweet lavender?'
She buried her face in the fragrance,
then trotted on down the little path
till she came to a tall foxgloye. She
tilted back her yellow head and gazed
up. at the white and red bells with
wide gravity, her hands still elapsed
behind her back.
zone day." she said, "a lady came
to see mother. It vast was a long
big time ago, afore you were horned,
pretty ladies what bow and she tried
to kiss me when she was going, but !
didn't like her, you see, and l wouldn't
kiss her. and l ran in to mother and
mother was i'll on the--I forget-the
bed without covers in the drawing
room, you know, and the lady was
smiling ever so, and her dress was as
long as new little baby's, and that
was the day Man Daddy went away"
She bowed grayely to the polite fox
gloves, and trotted on.
Before a group of tall white lilies
she stopped again. She came closer,
ftnd stretching up her arms, pulled one
fently down and laid her soft cheek
against the snowy petals.
For a moment the baby lip quivered.
MAN Daddy loved you the bestest OF
ALL Queen of the Garden'-that's
what he called you, you know"
Then cry went up in the warm,
sweet air. 81 want Man Daddy-oh, l
want him so bad!"
The little hands were unclasped only
to be locked together tighter still.
For I'm most grown up, you see, "
whispered Baby Joan to the tall white
lily, "and grown-ups don't cry, you
know"
She left the lilies, and walked on in
deep thought. At the end of the path
lher wee red sunshade was tied with
tAtFing to a nail in the wall. Such a
long while it had taken to fix that sun
shade "propelly," but Joan eyed it
proudly now.
"Are you ker-wite happy?" she said
peeping round at the clambering white
and pink convolvulus behind the lit
tie parasol. poor muslin ladies', didn't
the wind blow you drehul?"
Then she watched little blue but.
terfy as she f1uttered about from flow
er to flower, and finally sailed over the
gall.
"If I was a buttlefy," she said to
the convolvulus, Il would soon find
Man Daddy" She sighed, so that her
small muslin pinafore bosom gave a
big heave. But then" with another
Thought, "Id have to leave mother"
< She sighed again Mother says
Don't worry, joan, when I ask when
Man Daddy's coming home, and then
she kisses me ever So to make up"
She trotted on again, with hands be-
I'd her back.
woman looking from window
he'd away in anguish from the small
feminine imitation of Man Daddy.
Suddenly the chubby legs twinklet
in wild haste up the garden, across
the velvet lawn, out of the open gate
into the road.
81 can go most as fast as a buttle
fly" said Joan, and III find Man Dad
" at the nice place where Fido was
BOX when he was lost, where Their,
we're such a heaps and heaps of dogs
I know Man Daddy'I be there" with Z
gleeful chuckle that brought the dim
pies laughing to her cheeks. "Mothe
never thought of that. b'lieve it wa
the lilies what put the therink in m!
inside"
Along the hot. dusty road meatini