Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1904-02-13
"BOBBY"
~ OBBY!"

1o) O'oDI!
J0 Miss Dexter looked up from
the big trunk she was unpack-
ng and glanced out of the window as
the sound reached her. She saw a red
haired, freckled-faced boy about 10
,elIs Old, going out the gate. He turn
ed, waved his hand toward the back
door aud started running over the
rough road as fast as his bare feet
would allow.
So that was Bobbyl Miss Dexter
sighed. Mrs. Morton had already tod
her about her nephew, Bobby, and
what a dear boy he was. No doubt he
would be there half the time, and she
lated boys. With her mind made up
To go home If he annoyed her, she re-
Sumed unpacking. She had come from
the city to board with, Mrs. Morton
because 1t was quiet and afforded Il
chance to live out Of doors.
Il could not get Bobby to stay to
tea," Mrs. Morton remarked as they
sat at the table. Miss Dexter said
nothing, but felt grateful. "Bobby's
u 6OOo bOJ NOhbAhuCO 01lb. n1Oll Ons
that's his picture up In your room,
Miss Dexter"
What that pretty boy with the
curls?' She looked incredulous, think
ing Of the boy she saw that afternoon.
Eyes, indeed, 1t Is, and he is a sight
better looking than that now"
Miss Dexter smiled
Several days passed, and Miss Dex-
ter meandered at will through the
woods and down to the pond, where
she would read for hours, undlsturbed
by anyone, still when she reached
home Mrs. Morton would speak OF
Bobby having been there and how nice
be was, but that she could not get him
to stay until she got back.
AS she was starting out with her
book one morning Mrs. Morton said in
a suggestive tone that Bobby had start
ed to go fishing on the pond and had
forg tten the box of lunch she had pre-
pared for him. HE only just started"
she aided. Miss Dexter smiled at the
Uroad hint and offered to take it to him
as she was going to the pond.
When she reached the woods she call
ed Bobby" several times, but there
was NO answer. 1t was well known
rath through thick wods, where many
wild flowers grew. She took Off her
hat and commenced filling it with
them, pausing to tuck some scarlet
blossoms in her belt and in her dark
lair. Soon she commenced to sing lit
lie bits of different songs. She re-
membered Bobby and sang:
Bobby Shaftoe's gone to sea,
He'll come back and marry me,
Pretty Bobby Shaftoe.
The n ties rang loud and clear, with
a slight teasing sound. AS she reach
ed the end Of the path she called again:
"Bobby!' and heard an answer just
beyond. Then she heard a step, and
| joking up saw Robert Maitland War
rem, whom she had met in Boston sew
raj tines the winter before.
why, it's Miss Dexter. 1 met at
Cousin Mans last winter" He lifted
his hat and clasped her hand. "Was
hat you calling?" he asked In a few
minutes.
Yes, l I'M in search Of a small boy
named Bobby, who forgot his lunch"
Guess it be'ongs to me. l am Bobby
md forgot my lunch" and he held out
his hand for the box.
She shook her head. mo, he's red
headed and freckle-faced."
"What makes you think SOP" and he
looked with laughing eyes into hers.
'Auntie always talks as If 1 were
about 10 years old, but l didn't know
she gave the impression l was red
h'aded, - and then he laughed such a
delightful. laugh that she had to join
in.
He proposed that they go boating
and take the lunch together. This was
the beginning of many a boating trip,
she having decided that Bobby was not
the least mite of a bother.
She wondered many times II he had
heard her singing Bobby Shaftoe."
but did not dare to ask. One evening
when they were walking home In the
moonlight he asked her to sing.