The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1903-06-04
Joan

mother did rot cone oai is,o the ssrdel
N och these dsys Joan stepped before
tall pish holly book snt spoke
I dout see this 10 such . nice sumnsr .
N no,,. she said. Isssd 10 ssy fnt. onc
-ob. yesrs snd yesn SEQ shen ss her
si,e little baby, bat / ssy sberiok nov
'c.o. rm N ast srovn up, you zee.
Theu sbe walked 90 sssis dosn the III
tie t.i,,ed gravel path, siIh her. snd be
bross grave With tbousht For 20 Ma
Daddy ased 10 vslk vten be When be "a
b.,ios . big "tberiut +"
Bat ne whole dsys most yesrs-sinc'
Man Daddy vent away, che said. ssoppini
beside gray green bush of lavender. snt
be ssid eoodby 90 hssiy. be sqnstrad nj
90 bard that be hurt. spd bis eyes we're Of
Cry, snd hsdn't bees naughty st oil. Ar
you sorry. sweet lavender.
Bhs burisd her ices 10 the ffssssnce,
then tros.sd on down the little psth till
che came TO . tall ioxsleve. She tilted
back her yellow hesd and asEsd up 81 The
white end red bells With vide gravity. ber
hands still clssrei behind her back.
oas day, she said. lady came to see
mother |, was lii vs . long big time
ago. store you we're bornsd. pretty lsdies
vhst boz, End she tried 10 kiss me vhen
she VS. going. bat | didn't like her. you
Gee, snd wouldnt kiss her. end rsn IN
to mother. and mother vss III on the-I
forget the bed without covers 10 the
drawing room. you ksov, snd the lady
vas smiling ever 80 much. and her dress
vss - long Is . new little babys. and that
vas tas day Man Daddy vent svsy.
She bowed ersveIy to the polite fox
gloves. snd Wotted on.
Before . group Of tell white lilies che
stopped sesiu. She came closer. and.
stretching up her arms, pulled oos gently
down and laid her soft cheek egsiost the
spovy petals.
For . moment the baby lip quivered.
Man Daddy loved you the bestest Of oil.
Q aeen OF the Garden that's what be
called you, you know.
Then . CRY went up 10 the warm, sweet
air. want Men Daddy -oh, want him
90 bsdl
The little hands were unclssped only 10
be locked together tighter still. For I'm
mott grown up, you see, whispered Baby
Joan 10 the tsll white lily, snd growl.ups
don. cry. you know.
She left tue lilies. and walked on 10
deep thousht. At the end Of the path her
wee red sunshsds was lied With string 10
nail 10 the wall. Huoh . long lime II
had taken to Hx tbst sunshsde "propelly."
bat Josn eyed il proudly now.
Are you ker-wite hsppyi she ssid. peep
ine round st the olsmbering white and
pink couvolvulus behiod the little para
sol. Poor muslin ladies. didnt the wind
blow you drtffoli
Then she watched little blue butterfly
as she Aa.tered about from flower to dow
er. and finslly called over the wall
III was butterfly, she said to The con
volvolus. 1 would soon 6nd Man Daddy.
She sighed, so that her smsll muslin pine
fore bosom caves big hesve. Bot then.
with another thought. I'd have to leave
mother.
She sighed again. Mother says, Don't
worry. Joan. when l ssk when Man Dsd
dy's coming home. and then she kisses me
ever 90, TO make up.
Sac tros.ed on sssip, With hands behind
her bsck.
A woman looking from 9 window turned
. wy 10 snsuish from the small feminine
imitation Of Man Daddy.
Boddeniy the chubby legs twiuklcd 10
Wild haste up the garden. ACROSS the vel
vet Lawn. out Of the open gate into the
road.
can 40 most ss fast ss . butteihy, said
Joan. sud III fnd Man Daddy .! the nice
place where Fi!o vss took when be Wa
lost, where there we're such . heaps and
heaps OF dogs. koow M4n Dsddyll be
there, with eleefol ehuckle tbst brought
.he din Piles laughing TO her cheeks. Moth
sr never thought OF that l b'lieve IL wss
The Lilies what put The therink 10 my 10
siie.
Along the hot, dusty ro.d. meeting no
ore in the pesceful dinner hour. che hott
I'd. ber sunbonnet dragging behind and
her yellow hair iivsIling the elo sips corr
.lds on either side.
10 her desire 10 emnls,e the butterfly
.bc got over the ground u surprising
pace. She pnt oil her hesrs end soul into
ner endesvor, % she slssys did 10 every
hing she undertook. Lie TO Joan YES
deep snd an esiness ihiog. She hardly
trev that ber thort lss we're selling. or
ihs. her curls we're sticking TO her damp
lille brow. BY the time the village din
,ss hour VI. over lhe village wa leit fsr
beLind BY Jysn's detern ined legs. Bhe
,essp 10 meet people, snd lev ssked her
shfrs che vss gong. Josn's besuine.
nois. emile and ber suswer. Mar D.cdy
as, there, With srimy srimy fore6u uger
pointing sppsreutly 10 the cod Of the road
q lane. tssisaed then. Bot presently
Josn stopped TO t.lt sith great sntaos
q no3dibs i,s golden head 81 her tver the
siiins OF = lit.ls s,rden. II ss shen
'he osht ,isht Of i,s friendly face that
be knss hos Der legs schsd.
Ton see. che ssii. sitsins down Ter one
nirute beneath the as6,ser and esEins
lp .. I, vis,iaiiy. I'u no, really batter
j. snd -Isss hor. li.us.
TIE surhoutr nodded encoorssiosly