The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1903-07-10


not come out into the garden much
these days Joan stopped before a tall
pink hollyhock, and spoke.
Il don't therink this is such a nice
summer as most" she said. Il used
to say fink" once-oh, years and
years ago, when l was ker-wite a
little baby, but say 'therink,' now,
cause I'm most grown up, you see"
Then she walked on again down the
little twisted gravel path, with her
hands ciasped behind her, and her
brows grave with thought. For so Man
Daddy used to walk when he was
having a big 'therink.'s
but it's whole days-'most years
since Man Daddy went away" she
said. stopping beside gray green
bush of lavender, land he said goodby
so hasty, he squeezed me so hard that
he hurt, and his eyes were angry, and
/ 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 fOXglOve. She
Nllltu bdNh utI NtilOW ntdQ anu SdNtQ
up at the white and red bells with
wide eyed gravity, her hands still
clasped behind her back
zone day" she said, "a lady came to
see mother. 1t vast was n long,
big time ago, afore you were horned,
pretty ladies what bow, and she tried
to kiss me when she was going, but
I 4
not kiss her. and l ran in to mother,
and mother was ill on the-I forgot
the bed without covers in the draw
jing-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 gravely to the polite fox
gloves, and trotted on.
Before a group Of tall, white lilies she
stopped again. She came closer, and,
stretching up her arms, pulled one
gently down and laid her soft cheek
against the snowy petals.
For moment the baby lip qulvered
"Man Daddy loved you the bestest
what he called you, you know"
Then a cry went up in the warm,
sweet air Il want Man Daddy-oh,
want him so badr
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, land grown-ups don't cry, you
know"
She left the lilies, and walked on in
deep thought At the end of the path
her wee red sunshade was tied with
a string to a nail in the wall. Such
long while 1t had taken to fix that
sunshade 'propelly," but Joan eyed it
proudly now.
Are you ker-wite happy?" she said.
peeping round at the clamberlng white
and pink convOlvulus behind the lit
tie parasOl. Poor muslin ladies, didn't
the wind blow you drefful?'
Then she watched little blue butter
fly as she fluttered about from flower
to flower and finally sailed over the
wall.
IF 1 was a butterfly" she said to
the convolvulus, q would soon find
Man Daddy" She sighed, so that her
small muslin-plnafOred bosom gave a
big heave. but then" with another
thought, I'D have to leave mother"
She sighed again. Mother says
Don't worry, joan when l ask wher
Man Daddys coming home, and ther
Oh. l. 70,
She trotted on again with hands be
hind her back.
A woman looking from a window
turned away In anguish from the small
feminine imitation of Man Daddy.
Suddenly the chubby legs twinkled il
wild haste up the garden across tn,
velvet lawn, out of the open gate int
the road.
Il can go most as fast as butter
fly" said Joan, land I'll find MAJ
Daddy at the nice place where Fid
was took when he was lost, wher
there were such heaps and heaps o
dogs. l know Man Daddyll be there,
with a gleeful chuckle that brough
the dimples laughing to her cheek
Mother never thought of that,
b'lieve it was the lilies what put tn
therink in my inside"
Along the hot, dusty road, meeting n
one in this peaceful dinner hour. sh
trOtted, her sunbonnet dragging benin,
and her yellow hair rivaling the glow
ing cOrnfeld on either side.
In her desire to emulate the butterh
she got over the ground at a surprising
Che mt oil bo,. o,.t or,I cn,1