The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1903-04-10

Come along, Annermiria, let's go fer
a walk in the park. Wen ave a good
ole time, won't WEI"
yer won't get bit fer yer dinner
il yer do. But don't upset yerselves;
there'll be more for Albert an Maudie,
'Arriet and mev'
Yah! bury yerselfv was the polite
retOrt, as the young ladies disappeared
round the corner But Joe did not
really feel uneasy. as he was con-
vinced they had no real intention Of
! stopping away from school.
Il won't let ma beat you I'll bite
'er legs if she dov' little voice said
by his side. He looked down CRATE
| fully. 1t was Mauule Harriet
yer allus was good little un,"
he said; then added, with precocious
knowledge, but, then. they centrally
is good when they's Riddles. It's when
mind Minnikite and Annermra Jest
like lambs"
Like me?" asked Albert, looking up
from his mud pies.
Now, you're jest fat puddin' cad.
Put yer cap on at once or I'll soon
mike yer mindr'
The baby began to whimper and he
folded her close in his arms and kissed
the little shriveled face. "Shoo, go ter
sleep, Sairey Ellen" he whispered
softly, its a long time fore you'll
grow up and git rough and saucy."
Some hours later and the children
sat shivering at the top of the drafty
stairs for their mother to come home
and unlock the door
shes lite tonight" Anna Maria
said, leaning over the broken down
rail. But even as she spoke a heavy
step came up the stairs. The children
listened anxiously and Joe at last OBJ
served:
"She 'asn't ed much. Guess Wen
be 'er orphans tonight"
In few moments a woman's heavy,
bloated face appeared, followed by an
unwie44y body.
Lite ter-night." she said, rather
thickly feeling for her key. 80, well,
turn over moo leaf ter-morrer"
When she had lit lamp on the ia
bic, she sat down on the one sound
chair and began to cry.
Gimme me biby," she said at last;
me little orphan biby-me Jimmy's
chile"
She fell to kissing it, and it woke
with a feeble, peevish cry.
With an oath she pushed it from
her, and Joe just caught it as it al
most fell from her lap.
Take it," she said, "there'l be bet
ter company ter-mOrrer."
He walked up and down until the
child slept again with its tiny head
against his neck, while the woman
snored heavily in her chair. The early
winter light was just filtering through
the unshuttered window when Joe
awoke and sat up. His mother had
! not slept in the bed. He blinked his
eyes and looked towards the chair. but
it was empty. With Il little cry he
sprang out of bed and rushed towards
the door, but She had outwitted him
this time, and it was locked.
That morning went slowly by, while
the children fought and wrangled and
the baby walled and would not be
comforted. Towards evening Joe was
leaning out Of the window showing
the baby some sparrOws fighting on
an opposite roof, when there was a
shrill scream behind him. He turned.
and, to his horror. saw Albert stand
ing shrieking, with a lighted newspa-
per in his hand
Let go. yer foolr' he shouted. The
child let 90 his hold. and the lighted
paper huttered against some rotten
clothing hanging against the wall. and
the next moment the whole room
seemed full of smoke and flames. Joe
sprang to the door and kicked with all
$ might, but it would not yield to
his puny efforts, and the smoke stifed
him. There was no water in the
/ room, and the woodwork had already
caught and begun to craclkle He ran
to the window and gazed out. BY the
side of the window on one side there
was about four feet of broken stone
ledge about foot and half wide
on the other side it had crumbled
away.
Git out of the winder on, to thisv'
he shouted to Minnikite. She climbed
on to the stone work as best she could
and chung TO the side like a little rat.
Anna Maria followed, and Albert hold
ing Maudie between them. There was
no room for more.
A crowd had gathered below. and q
man was trying frantically to kick