Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-10-26
DDLLrS HOUSE-HuN1|NG
GDHEY'LL have to go house-hunt-
ing. now, and that's all there Is

,G9HEY'LL have to so house-hmt,
ing. now. and that's all there Is
J to It," said Mrs. Flynn, decided
~, as she opened the new dodgers
door, and prepared to sweep the room
The new ledger, a worn young Won
an. had passed away four days ago
and had left n baby girl of four years
but, unhnppily. TO money with which
to care for It, 1t was this fact that
called forth remark quoted above from
tall, stern Mrs. Flynn.
y Dolly, the lodger's little girl, was
kneeiing on broken chair gazing wlst-
fully out Of the dusty window. Spot.
her dog. and only companion, was
curled up on the floor asleep.
Yes. they'll have to so housc-hunt-
ing for sure" repeated Mrs. Flynn. 81
haven't nothin'. to keep the dog on,
much less the child" Dolly looked up,
hearing the words. Come, run out
with your dog while sweep" said the
'landlady, speaking to the child, who
slipped to the hoor.sNIap can't so into
the kitchen cause Mary's washin' and
she'll bite your head off. like as not,
and you can't go into the pnrlor with
that there dog. Sit yourself down on
the stairs till I'm through. Run,
now.~
Dolly trudged patiently down the
narrow winding stairs, and Spot pat
tered beside her.
Look out for tie torn place.in the
carpet, Dolly" she murmured to her
self, repeating the phrase SO often oil
mothers lips.
Az she paused on the second land
ing long mirror caught her eyes
through the half-open door, and, en-
tering the room, she went close 10 the
glass.
-You s'pose we look good 'nough to
go house-huntln', Spot?' she asked, af-
ter surveying the chubby little figure
for few moments. You s'pose we
do? Mamma dressed me up when we
canned here. Spot, but can't dress you
up cause you're only dog. But we'll
70 house-huntin' just the same"
The two little friends continued their
slow journey down stairs, and to Dol
ly's great delight the front door was
open. Mary stood on the steps with
her sleeves rolled up. talking to the
postmnn.
"P'r'aps she won't see u.s." lnur-
INJURED the little girl, doubtfully.
"'Cause I've got to CO."
Nary did not pay any attention to
the child and dog as they slipped past
her down to the sidewalk, but us they
were about to turn up the street, the
postman put out long arm and caught
Dolly.
where are you goin, miss?" lie
asked, laughing, US she struggled to
free herself You're too little to go
uptown alone"
y Dolly Madison, just you take that
dog and trot into the house, where you
belong" cried the cSnsperated servant.
"If you don't move quick. now." she
added threatening, MS the postman set
the child on the lower step.
But the mail carrier showed signs of
continuing the conversation, and when
Dolly pleaded eagerly to be allowed to
30 into the street, and Mary caught
the name OF her mistress, she relented,
saying carelessly:
"Oh! Mrs. Flynn said you could?
Then go along, for goodness sakeg
Dolly darted eagerly to the sidewalk
again. followed by Spot, and together
they hurried up the short street into a
more respectable, peopled one. AS they
turned into the crowd. Dolly breathed
more freely. She was half afraid that
Mary would change her mind about
granting this unusual freedom. and
send that awful postlnan after her.
On and on they went, past great
doors where throngs of people were
entering and leaving, and past store
windows full of toys which, another
day, would have delighted her. No one
noticed the little runaway, or, IL they
did, It was only to smile, and remark
how bright and earnest the brown eyes
were, or how the low white socks had
slipped down so as to be almost in
visible for Mrs. Madison dressed her
baby as well rs she could afford, even
peglectdng her own dress to do SO.
T. -