The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-07-31
JOAN"
A Complete Story BY Margaret Westrqp.


J
behind and her yellow hair rivalling
the glowing cornfelds on either side
In her desire to emulate the butter
ny she got over the ground at sur
prising pace She put all her heart
and soul into her endeavor, as she al
ways did into everything she under.
took. Life to Joan was a deep and an
earnest thing. She hardly knew that
her short legs were aching, nr that
her curls were sticking to n damp
little brow BY the time the village
dinner hour was over the village was
left far behind by Joan's determined
legs. She began to meet people, and
few asked her where she was going.
Joans beaming, moist smile and her
answer, Man Daddy-jus' there" with
a grimy forefnger pointing apparent
ly to the end of the road or lane, sat
isfed them. But presently Joan
stopped to talk to a great sunfower
nodding its golden head at her over
the railing of little garden. It was
when she caught sight of it's friendly
face that she knew how her legs
ached.
you see" she said, sitting down for
one minute beneath the sunfower and
gazing up at it wistfully, I'm not real
ly butterfly; and-my legs hurt a
little"
The sunhower nodded encourag-
ingly
IT'S a long way" said Joan. "I've
run miles and miles, pretty gold lady
oh, miles and miles-miles-" her
voice trailed off into a drowsy muir
mur-"and miles," she said, with a
sudden jerk and sitting upright. She
gazed up at the sunfower reproachfuI-
ly Il mustn't go to Sleep" she said.
I've got to find 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 a run, then looked
back over her shoulder at the sun
! 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 centred on 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 and set all her
teeth together to keep the sobs back
But presently she sat up. "Dey's COM
ing, she gasped her grammar grow
ing weak in her extremity. A 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
! onf
but she was dazed with WEAKNESS.
Once she murmured with a smile: Its
most cold bath stead of teppy to-
day mother" and went 20 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 not crying, you know.
NO my brave little darling" muir
INJURED the woman, bending over her.
But you is, mother" in an access
of utter surprise Il feel it on my
head. I Observation-Disclosures ups
never-Oh, it hurts, mother!" her fin
gers clinging around her mothers; ut
hurts, you see" drawing a long, sob.
bling breath.
Presently she began, anxiously:
THAT did sound like crying a bit, but,
with a tremulous little laugh, Ell
wasnT-it wasn't, really"
mo, no, dear--I know-try to go tc
sleep" and she began to sing a lullaby
"You sing very nice, all of YOU
babbled The restless voice. Il do like