The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-22

| for that age, and sne seldom smiled. One
| day Miss Frost, coming to the play
ground, found Lizzie nthe street in
| front OF her mothers house with the baby
| seated in large wicker baby carriage.
Miss Frost took the handle of the cart,
and begged to be allowed to roll the baby
over 10 the grounds.
Lizzies mother. after careful warning
that the front spring was broken, looke1
smilingly on az MISS Frost trundled the
shaking carriage and heavy baby over to
| the playground Lizzie ran aiongs de,
once within the enclosure. Miss Frost.
elated with her success at the partial
| separation of Lizzie and the baby, grew
| crafty, and made daring determination
| that Lizzie should play. It was broll-
| ing August day, Miss Frost was hastily
wiping her damp face while Lizzie was
| waiting. serenely calm. with her tiny body
covered with heavy wooden jacket, when
suddenly Miss Frost pounced down upon
| an unoffending child who did nothing but
| play and was at that moment preparing
| for her fourteenth time in the swing,
murmured a few honeyed words to her.
put her out and Lizzie in. all in the
|
| over Lizzie's face, the D.g brown eyes
| shone, she could smile after all; but in
stantly a shadow fell, and she cried. The
baby.' But 1 VIII take care of the ba-
| by" cried Miss Frost. Swing, swing,'
| Somebody gave the swing a toss, and
Lizzie went flying into the air. as happy
| as any bird on the wing. Miss Frost
went to the baby. who by this time was
getting some more teeth, and after sooth-
! ing him. not having her sense of respon-
sibiIity so well developed as Lizzie's. de-
| serted her post and ran 10 take a look at
Lizzie changed and excited face. But
Lizzie at play was more than human na-
ture could stand. and the children began
| to gather around the baby with cries of
Lizzie White, Lizzie White, come take
| keer o this baby" who's takin keer
| O. this baby?" Miss Frost flew.
Il am" she cried almost iercely. Hes
my baby; let him alone, and let Lizzie
alone"
| She kept by the baby so we'll after that
that ii went fast asleep. But that was a
! bad move, for Lizzie saw it, and swiftly
got out OF the swing when it swept near
| the ground, and CANT running to Miss
Frost, saying: Shall l get mothers skeet-
er metz"
Miss Frost gave up the baby to Lizzie's
care with the feeling that nothing could
| break UP the child habit of motherhood,
and went TO start" a straw basket for a
| big boy at the other end OF the yard Some
| time later, passing this way again. she
! found the baby peacefully sleeping. with
| It's head protected from the flies by Liz
| zie's wooden jacket in lieu of the ''skeet-
err" net After that Miss Frost got in the
way of stopping for chat with Lizzie s
mother, and the conversation usually
| drifted to Lizzie, with the child herself
standing by, a grave, but not very at
| tentive listener.
She's awful hateful Mrs. White
would say: she won't take keer O. the
baby" Why. the other day I got her a
pound O cakes. a dozen bananas. and
two cents worth O. taffy, and then size
warnt satisfied Oh. she's awful hate
full Don't let that child sit on the pave
mont, Lizzie. I'll beat your brains OUT.
Miss Frost found herself drawing up in
mental line of battle, with the baby on
one side and herself on the other, and
Lizzie for the prize. She must rescue
Lizzief rom the baby for few hours. at
least but how?
The playground children though Miss
Frost said funny things sometimes. for
instance when they were all making ham
mocks together. except Lizzie. who stood
by with the baby. and she asked them if
they could tell her why the baby didn't
carry Lizzie sometimes, instead of Lizzie
always carrying the baby. The children
laughed that time. but none of them
answered her-they didn't know what to
say.
Miss Frosts plan Of rescue was helped
by the director Of the playground declar-
ing that on a certain day, If the weather
were fine. she would take the children to
the park Miss Frost drew her breath
quickly. and said very softly one word;
Lizzie
She made visit to Mrs. White that day.
and after some conversation for and
against, it was finally decided that Lizzie
should go. III take care Of her" said
Miss Frost, but it's 50 far don't you
think we'd better not take the baby
The day came bright and beau iful;
Miss Frost hurried TO the playsrOu d.
and teachers and children gathered for
the picnic Lizzie was there very clean as
70 face and hands. looking a little scared
and crowding up close TO Miss Frost.
First there was the long ride on the
street car. when the children sang Tn
der the Bamboo Tree Hang the Con
ductor on a Sour Apple Tree and other
songs OF their own selecting. Lizzie did
not join them. and only once did she
A9--t+ ., .,-o
ride?"
But the park was the great thing. There
the children went wild. They stood on the
curb and watched the SEA Hons. threw
peanuts to the monkeys. ran races to
see the deer. and stood IN awe before the
bears Lizzie had never been 10 the pa
before. and she looked on everything, in
silent wonder. but without emotion. once
she wandered ahead Of the others VII n
suddenly she came flying back to Miss
Frost the great light shining or her face.
and her pretty mouth one big smile as she
cried gladly. "Oh. Miss Frost ducks"
Ard just then Miss Fr1st came in sight
OF a pond with the dear. familiar ducks
swimming peacefully thereon
Miss Frost wandered a little, but she
stin kept on hopefully, ,ryfng TO make
Lizzie happy away from the sights and
sounds az home. When II came time 70
return. Miss Frost noticed that Lizzie had
a soiled pocket Handkerchief wrapped
around some object which she carried
with great care. She did rot question
her but waited
Arrived at the playground al separated.
but Miss Frost took hold OF one q Liz
zie's hands 70 take her to he mothers
door. The othe- hand clutchei the sol 81