Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-07-29
ALL ON A
SUMMER DAY

that the next mornings papers
would send 1t down into history as the
hottest day in years he would have
remained in the comparatively cool
solitude of his mothers dlning-room
for the sake of his reputa ton. AS 1t
was he found the uptown streets in
a state of desertion which made him
wonder irritably if the city had retired
for a sieSta.
Burnham thought regretfully Of q
certain dusky corner under a Persian
canopy where there were many pill
lows and much lemonade, and, incl
dentally, girls face, cool and sweet
above the fan she held. Yesterday
the face had been so temptingly near
too near. And to-day it was so
hopelcssly remote.
He acknowledged to himself the
shameful motive Of his pilgrimage.
He had come he had seen the house
which had been open to him yesterday
to-day closed to him forever. And the
face in the dusky corner-suppose she
were looking at him now from behind
the heavy curtains. The wonderful
eyes, hiding their merciless laughter
under their dropping lashes! Burn
ham lifted his gloomy young face
'haughtily and looked severely at the
house across the way.
But he did not pass on. Instead,
me stopped with whistle Of surprise
as what he might have taken for
broken parcel of laundry on the stone
steps resolved itself into little lady
with penwiper skirts and exceedingly
long black legs, who shot up from
her coil and shook a mop Of moist
and dlsheveled hair away from a
tear disfigured face.
"Why, Topsy" exclaimed Bum
ham amazedly. 1t was impossible to
go on and leave Topsy crying on the
hot steps. He dropped on one knee
beside her and tilted up the little face.
"WIhy, what's the matter, dear?"
"Well"-the tears came flooding
back into the blue eyes-"Aunt Dale
wouldn't take me to the park, and I
wanted to see the new polar bear.
They say he just sits round on ice all
the time-and then they're scared
hell die"
Topsy's curls whipped into Burn
fham's eyes smartly as she buried her
sgltated countenance in his freshly
searched bosom and walled.
ooh, hush, Topsy, dear! Do, for
heavens sake hush!' Burnham
ooked anxiously toward the house,
whence at any moment Topsy's bowls
of newly stirred injury might fetch
Topsy's mamma, who would invite
MIN in, or-Topsys aunt, who
wouldn't look at him.
"See here! Stop crying! Listen!
rs that your sunbonnet on the walk?
Well'-desperately-'put it on quick,
and We'll go to see the polar bearw
Topsy's piercing shout Of rapture
was more dangerous than her weep
3ng, and Burnham hurried her off
down the street, comforting himself
with the reflection that all children
were more or less salamanders, and
chat they would take the first carriage
khey found stirring.
"Don't you think Aunt Dale's hor-
xidT demanded Topsy, revengefuIly,
as she clasped Burnhams hand
MOSTLY and affectlonately, and trot-
"Oh, I don't know" he answered
hesitatingly. "It's a pretty strong
word-but 1 guess it's satisfactory"
ne added ungallantly.
did she promise to take you to the
EOoT"
well, no-o," said Topsy, honestly.
mot exactly. But l thought she
would, and when l went to her to-
Slay-and It's such a nice, sunshiny
day" (as If the previous twenty eight
days of August had passed in Arctic
gloom) "she-she told me to go away
and not bother her. And-and next
time I asked her to come she shook
mep'
Don't cry now, young 'un," Burn
ham implored. II didn't cry when she
shook me-"
Topsy stared at him with very round
bonnet when did she ever shake
your" she asked, whisperingly, sur
veying her slalwart friend with awe.
Yesterday" said Burnham, gloom
Sly.
did 1t make you feel bad" The
clear child eyes had seen the pain
nnder the smile.
Eyes, I'm afraid 1t did,
Topsy slipped her other hand into
Burnham's, hopping along beside him
hike a comforting little bird.
I'm awful sorry" she said, ear
aestly; and then, after a pause: WAS
Aunt Dale crying yesterday when she
was mean to you"
NO." said Burnham, grimly; "she
wasn't. 1 think she laughed"
THAT'S funny. To-day she was
crying. She said it was SO hot 1t
made her head ache. But think she
was just crying because there was
~ lx1 H.