Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-07-01

really butterfly, and-my legs hurI
little"
The sunfower nodded encouragingly.
cts a long way" said Joan. I've
run miles and miles, pretty good lady
oh, miles and miles-miles
voice trailed off into a drowsy murmur
-"miles!" she said, with a sudden
jerk and sitting upright. She gazed
up at the sunflower reproachfully.
II mustn't so to Sleep" she said. GIVE
got to find Man Daddy in the big
place where they took Fido when he
was lost. It's JUS there" pointing
down the road. "Goodby, gold lady.
I must be quick, cause Man DADDY
will be lonesome without me and moth
err, you see, and mother will be lone
some, too"
She started at a run, then looked
back over her shoulder at the sum
flower with a troubled little laugh.
''My legs won't work propelly," she
said, and struggled on. The sun had
gone behind great threatening clouds,
but Joan took no heed. All her mind
was conferred on getting on. She took
no more rest till she came suddenly
upon a group Of poppies 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 and set all her teeth
together to keep the sobs back. But
presently she sat up. "Dey's coming"
she gasped, her grammar growing
weak in her extremity. A sudden
CLEAN lit her face.
"Grown-up angels cry to give the
flowers water" she said, as great
tear rolled down her cheek, and kneel-
ing, she bent over the peoples and Sob
bed her heart out, while the tears
splashed on to the flowers. But other
drops came and mingled with hers
great angry drops from dark clouds
overhead-drops that beat the poppies
shuddering to the earth 1.-THE angels
are crying, too," murmured Joan, sleep
lily, 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:
cts most a cold bath stead Of a
teppy to-day, mother" and went to
sleep again.
+. In the dimly lit room on the white
little bed Joan tossed YEARLY from
side to SIDE 'You see, little blue
ladies, it hurts bad in your stummick
JUS here" laying one hot little hand
on her chest, "but I'm not crying, you
know
''No, my brave little darling" MUIR
INJURED the woman, bending over her.
'But you is, motherv' in an access
head. I finked-therinked -grown-ups
never-Oh, it--hurts, motherr' her
fingers clinging around her mothers;
sit hurts, you see," drawing a long,
sobbing breath.
Presently she began anxiously:
''That did sound like crying bit, but"
with tremulous little laugh, sit
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. 81 do like
flower singing-you can hear the wind
shaking their voices-but Man Daddy
won't come! One day, it was years
and years ago, little pink ladies, L ran
and ran-you see, I'm not really
butterfly, but, then, when butterflies
use their legs they go quite slow, and
I haven't any wings, you see"
A frock-coated figure bent over the
bed now, and the woman's eyes never
left his face
II want Man Daddy-you're not Man
Daddy-do you know, one day, when 1
was ker-wite little-I cut mine finger
Il cried-wasn't it funny? But Man
Daddy tied it up and 1 laughed, cause
he said it was dolly. Would he tie
my stummick up if he was here? 1t
hurts, you see-oh, 1t hurts!'
Anguished and broken came the wo-
mans voice: II do not know where
he is"
The doctor looked grave, and 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?"
SIS he coming back, mother? Oh
it hurts" with a sob. cit hurts so,
mother"
eff you go to sleep, dear-oh, do
try, Joan, do tryw
II will shut mine eyes-tight, mother,
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