Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-05-30
JOAN"
Complete Story BY Margaret Westrup.

gazing up at it wistfully, I'm not real
~ butterfly; and-1ay legs hurt 4
little"
The sunflower nodded encourag-
ipgly.
a ITS long way" sad Joan. I've
run miles and miles. pretty gold lady
oh. miles and miles-.niles-'' her
voice trailed of into a drowsy muir
mur-'and miles." she said. with a
sudden jerk and sitting upright. She
I gaZed up at the sunfiower reprcachful-
ly. Il mustn't go to sleep" she said.
I've got 10 fad Man Daddy in the big
| place where they took Fido when he
was lost. It's just there" pointing
down the road. "Goodby. gold lady.
must be quick. cause Man Daddy will
be lonesome without me and mother.
you see. and mother will be lonesome.
too"
She started at run. then looked
back over her shoulder ut the SIM
flower with a troubled little laugh
MY legs won't work prope:ly." she
said. and struggled on. The sun had
1 ..
but Joan took no heed. All her mind
was centred cn getting on. She took
no more rest till she came suddenly
upon a group of peoples growing in
the grass at the wayside: by them her
| legs stumbled and gave way. and she
sank down on to the grass. She whis-
/ pered to them in little voice that was
breathless and full of tears: Il want
mother and Man Daddy" she said.
and then she lay still aad set all her
teeth together to keep the sobs back.
Bat presently she sat up. "Dey's COM
ing" she gasped, her grammar grow
! ing weak in her extremity. \ sudden
CLEAN lit her face
Grown up angels cry to give the
/ flowers water" she said. as a great
tear rolled down her cheek. and, kneel-
| ing. she bent over the peoples and
sobbed her heart out. while the teas
splashed on to the flowers. But other
drops from dark clouds overhead
drops that beat the peoples shudder-
ing to the earth. 1.-The angels are
crying. too" murmured Joan, sleepily,
and rolled over and lay STILL
The angels crying was long and We
hement. It woke Joan several times,
but she was dazed with WEAKNESS.
Once she murmured with smile: It's
most a cold bath stead of a teppy to-
day. mother" and went to sleep again.
In the dimly lit room on the little
bed Joan tossed YEARLY from side to
side. You see. little blue ladies. it
hurts bad in you stummick-jus' here. "
laying one hot little hand on her
chest: but I'm net crying. you know"
NO. my brave little darling" mur-
INJURED the woman. bending over her.
But you is, mother!" in an access
/ OF utter surprise IL feel it on my
head. firked-therinked- ups
never-Oh. it hurts. mother" her fin
gers clinging around her mothers; ''it
hurts. you see," drawing a long, sob
1 bling breath.
Presently she began. anxiously:
THAT did sound like crying bit. but. "
with tremulous little laugh. 1T
wasn't-it wasn't, really"
NO. no. dear-I know-try to go to
sleep" and she began to sing lullaby.
You sing very nice. all of you"
babbled the restless voice. II do like
flower singing-you can hear the wind
shaking their voices-bat Man Daddy
won't come. One day. it was years
and years ago. little pink ladies. ran
and ran-you see, I'm not really but
tlefly. but. then, when buttlefiies use
their legs they so quite slow. and /
haven't any wings. you see"
A frock coated figure bent over the
bed now. and the woman's eyes never
left his face.
Fever high-she must be soothed."
Il want Man Daddy-you're not Man
Daddy-do you know. one day. when l
was ker-wite little-I cut mine finger
Il cried-wasn't it funny? But Man
Daddy tied it up and laughed. cause
he said 1t was a dolly. Would he tie
my stNmmick up IL he was here? II
hurts, you see-oh. 1t hurtsl"
Anguished and broken came the wo
mans voice: Il do not know where
he is
4 ne uOCtOT looAeu grave, dHu pres
emily he went.
Darling. you are so brave and good
will you try TO go to sleep. toto be
we'll when Daddy comes back?"
rs he coming back. mother? Oh. II
hurts" with a sob. 1T hurts SO
mother"
IF You go to sleep. dear-oh. do try
jean. do try"
Il will shut mine eyes-tight. moth
er. So"
The restless little body lay rigidly
still.
Think of the sheep. dear" said the
mother. using a recipe she had found
successful with Joan in former child
ish illness. Count them as they come
up TO the gate and jump over it. See
there they go-one. two. three"
Presently the great eyes opened with
4 piteously worried look.
Mother. they stick, They won
jump over the gate at ALL"
All the woman's pride had gone.
She racked her brain for some clev
to her husbands whereabouts A
last she thought she had one. faint
and elusive. but she would try-sh,
| II Il.