Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1903-06-11
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no. Mummy was not a present.
giver except on birthdays and at
Christmas time. In fact Mummy was
not associated This mind with presents
at all. He rather thought of Mummy
as the person who very often did not
give him the things he wanted. But
she was Mummy, just Mummy, and a
hundred presents could not alter that
fact. His little Life was made up of
Mummy and his meals, with his father
as a very irregular, but on the whole
rather nice, if not very understand
able, person, thrown in. Sunday was
Daddy's day. He had a. vague idea
that Daddy had made Sunday to rest
in, and although nurse and Mummy
said it was another Persons day, he
considered that his father had had a
good deal to do with the arranging of
it. As for Auntie, she who gave him
the presents and never found fault
with him, he figured her forth as a
lady bountiful, who, fortunately, did
not know how bad he could be- at
times. It was clear to him that
Mother never told her about his pun
isments. Mothers own boy, the boy
of the tears, and the penitence, and
the promises to be good in the future,
and the kiss and the cuddle on the
pillow, and the last goodnight, ten
times repeated when the light went
out and he was left alone-Mother's
own boy reckoned on secrecy. OF
course, Daddy was told occasionally;
and so far he had observed; with out any
Of the threatened evil consequences;
and Daddy took strange views of
things which Mummy and her boy saw
very well only showed how little he
knew Of their world.
When Mother went away on a visit,
she took home with her, and the
house seemed empty. His voice echoed
when Mummy's ears were not there
TO catch it; the doors creaked strange
ly, and at night the stars stared in
upon him threateningly, saying:
''Now I've got you alone" No one else
was of use against these stars. He
felt it would be wise really to pray to
God till Mother came back. It was at;
one of these times that Auntie got her.
self put into his prayer. Sheleft: to his
own wit what he should say, and as she
had promised him something special
soon, he added to his nightly list:
keep Auntie good" She kissed him,
punched the pillow all wrong, and left
him to the long night No toy that he
could think Of would save him from the
silence, and the stars, and the echoes
in the house. When Mother came
back, and home returned, then he be-
gan to reckon the days till Auntie's
present was due. It was to be given
to him after tea on Friday. On Tues
day he plunged deep into knowledge
and philosophy. There were "a hours
in each day, out of which he slept ten.
IF am a good boy, Mummy, and
20 to bed always at nine, and never
call you back, the time will pass quick,
won't it?"
"And if I sleep an hour longer in the
morning and cont make a noise to
waken Daddy, there will be less time,
won't there?"
"Could 1 sleep whole day if Lay
still and just forgot?"
There is NO fear of the clock stop
ping, 10 there, Mummy"
On the Wednesday he said: II hops
Auntie IS quite we'll. If she was ill
suppose she would send the present
1t would be very ESS ard if she hasn't
bought # n Could Tot take tea be
fore we go? I am sure shan't be
hungry" ~ o.,
On Thursday, .Auinh lie called and told
him th4 present was bought, and that
she had to attend to it every night A
cold fear broke over him. Was It .
dog? He did not want dog. Was il
. cat? He hated cats.
Couldn't go with you, Aunt,e, ant
stay with you till tomorrow, just tt
make sure?"
swell, couldn't have a peep at it
% that shall not be so very much sur
priced when see it, Susan says whe1