The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-29
JOAN. .


A great old sweet-smelling garden.
and one little maid among the flowers
and bees and butterflies. All alone she
was, for mother did not come out into
the garden much these days. Joan
stopped before tall pink hollyhock,
and spoke
II don't therink this is such a nice
summer as most" she said. 4 used to
say INK, once-oh, years and years
ago. when ] was ker-Wite little baby,
but I 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 clasped behind her, and her
br0ws grave with thought. For so Man
Daddy used to walk when he was hav-
ing big "therink."
But it's whole days-'most years
since Man Daddy went away" she said.
stopping beside 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 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 tail foNglove. She tilted
back her yellow head and gazed up at
the white and red bells with Wide-eyed
gravity, her hands still clasped behind
her back.
"One day" she said, "a lady came TO
see mother 1t vast was a long, big
time ago, afore you were borned, pretty
ladies what bow. and she tried to kiss
me when she was going, but 1 dion {
like her. you see and ] wouldn't kiss
her and / ran in to mother. and moth
er was in on the-I forgot-the bed
without covers in the drawing room,
you know. and the lady was smiling
ever so, and her dress was as long as q
new little babys and that was the day
Man Daddy went away
She bowed gravely to the polite fox
gloves. and trotted ON.
Before group of tall, white lilies she
stopped again She came closer and
stretching up her arms. pulled one gent
Is down and laid her soft cheek against
the snowy petals.
Fos moment the baby lip duivered.
Man Daddy loved you the bestest of
all. Queen of the Garden'-that's what
he called you, you know
Then a cry went up in the warm,
sweet air. II want Man Daddy-oh, 1
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 10 the tan White lily, and
grown-ups don't cry you know"
She left the lilies, and walked on in
deep thought At the end of her path
her wee red sunshade was tied with a
string to a nail in the wall. Such a
long while it had taken to fix that sum
shade properly" but Joan eyed it
proudly now.
Are you ker-wite happy2" She said,
peeping round at the clambering white
and pink convolvulus behind the little
parasol Poor muslin ladies. didn't the
wind blow you drehul?'
Then She watched little butterfly as
she huttered about from flower TO flow
or. and finally sailed over the wall
IF 7 was "a butterfly" she said to She
convolvuius. Z would soon find Nan
Daddy" She sighed so that her small
musiin-pinaf0red Bosom gave big
heave. "But then" with another thought
I'D 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-
hind her back
A women looking from window
turned away i'm anguish from the small
feminine imitation of Man Daddy.
Suddenly the chubby legs twinkied in
wild haste up the garden, across the