Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-07-06

ran briskly on in her chatter to the child
| Now she began on a new subject.
| shouldn't wonder if the baby slept
| pretty near all the morning-lle's taking
| longer maps every day. You better keep
| it kind Of dark and cool, Grandma and I
wouldn't let him cat except at his meal
TINS TINS n AnG don't forgGt 70 p%t the mos
| away, but came back as another thought
struck her. "Oh, / forgot to say l told
Marietta Dow to bring Chubby over.
| told her ! knew You wouldn't mind: it
was as easy to see to three children as
| two, while you We're about it, And Su-
mic II be q zeal help amusing him, wont
| You, Sunie? Now I've got to 60 ana press
| out ClemmyS dress and finish putting the
| lunch up. Seems TO mo I shall tly.'
Left alone with the child, Grandmother
| Hiram dropped into 4 chair heavily 81
don't see Row I'm going to tell father
she sighed. 1T win be a good deal worse
| for him.-father'l be dreadful disap-
pointed. Ard I've got him all spanslcd
| up so nicc--poor father
1t had not occurred to their simple
minds that they We're to be left out Of the
| good timc,-hadn't Johnnie said every
SINGLE Hadn't they, got all ready?
lied that childish Old Grandfather could
not bear disappointment very Wen now.
and a wave of gentle indignation surgcd
over her.
II can't tell him-I can't" she moanod:
Il can't 90 up to him ana say, Take your
coat off, father, We ain going. They're
goinG to leave US at home | cant say
that to father; it amt right to make me-
Somebody else ought to-no no, no|,ody'd
| ought to! They ought to let fathcr go.
oh; it amt ,ight-falher's got 10 cor
The day wore on-hotly, drstily, noisily.
The Center was alive with merrymakers
and hilarious with mcrrymaking Old
men, young mon and little children
everybody was celebrating Fourth OF
they matter? What did il matter that
crowds jostled and trumpet-blar and
canronadinG deafened? 1t was Fourth OF
July-hurrahi
1t was almost noon when Johns wife
pointed out curious little group to Hora-
tios wife Look there, will you?" she
said, over there where the balloon-man's
standing. Look at those old folks ana
little chill" She caught herself up sud
denly with Il sharp exclamation. One of
the little Children was tapping patiently
along ON crutches The old woman was
carrying q baby; the old man dragged
along a chubby boy while beside them
tapped tho little child on crutches. 1t was
a strangely assorted group The face of
Of utter WEAKNESS; still she toiled on be
side the others, through the thick white
dust.
Horatio's wife, her attention upon other
things, failed to notice her COMPANION s.
sudden excitement: She caught only at
the words odd folks and little children"
She did not even turn her head to look;
lioratiO's wife was tired
They ought to be at home" she snap
ped This is no place for old. folks and
little children Its pity their friends
can't keep them"
- Don't Don't Don't shy another word, Celia
Grandfather Hiram and grandmother.
They're our old folks ana little children!
It's my baby and he's crying, and Grand
mother Hiram is most dead. And your
Sunie'S thcrc-can't yOu see her? Can't
You see what scllish-sinners we've been,
Celia Pitcher? I'm going right over there
and undo a little mite of the wrong any
way; It's never too late-it shan't be too
She started away toward the forlorn lit
" group; and in daze Horatio's wife
followed her
I'm afraid you're getting tired out.
Mother.-we hadn't ought to come"
painted Grandfather Hiram tugging at
the slippery little fingers in his
NE? Tired laughed the brave little
think I'm growing old, father Not for
the world would she have him know how
tired she was. Hadn't she come for IA
sight Of the disappointment? She had
hurried her little charges into their things
ana come away on one of the extra trains
%n t3g dnarr1Wg2ng e. rralwaN She had
Don't the band sound beautiful" she
auavered with a splendid effort 1T
sounds the way the band sounded that
ume; father. don't you remember"
at cheeriness. Not for worlds would he
haYe mother know what failure it all
was. They had made a mistake, but he
must make the best of it-for mother
suddenly some one lifted the fretting
baby out of Grandmother lIiram's sagging
on arms; some one else gently loosened
Grandfather Hirams clasp of the small.
moist fingers The little child on crutches
uttered Shrill little cry of relief.
There, he's all right! Now. don't you
thnk of baby again. Grandmother. He's
IN his mothers arms where he belongs"
And I've got Sunie and Chubby
they're all right. You needn't think of
We're going to find nice shady place
Iof You to sit down in"
There, Grandma, you lean on me.
You're tired to death. You don't suppose
we d have let you come to the celebration
TINS way do you, if we'd thought? We've
all been dreadful thoughtess. We-we've
never been old; we didn't know how it
ielt" Johns wife ran on hurriedly as
II to stop would liberate the sob in her
throat. On her steady shoulder the baby
mead mead lay quiet; the baby had gone to
Lean harder-you amt leaning at all.
Pretty soon you can rest. I'm going to