The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-11-25
In a Minute.

AnHaDSlle May anu GndTlSS 16uTy
sat on the back porch steps in the
sunshine. 1t was a very, very warm
afternoon. The hot sun beat down so
fercely that it made the sticky pitch
ooze from knot in the steps. But
Annabelle May and Charles Henry
didn't mind the sun because they were
only two rag dolls with painted faces.
Very large dolls, it is true, almost as
tall as their little mother Elizabeth.
Charles Henry had bright red cheeks
and blue eyes. Annabelle Mays
cheeks were also red, but her eyes
were brown. She was dressed in
pretty white dress, while Charles
Henry wore his lovely white sailor
suit and hat.
Elizabeth had placed pillow for
them to sit on so the steps would not
get their white clothes dirty.
"Now, Charles Henry" she said, as
she placed his arm around Annabelle,
you take good care Of your little
sister until l get back, and don't go
away somewhere to play, and forget
all about her. I'm going to water
the flowers in the front yard, and if
you're real, real good I'll bring you
some"
Then Elizabeth took her watering
can and went around to the front of
the house. In few minutes Mamma
came to the front window to see where
her little girl was.
Elizabeth" said Mamma, come in
now, and bring your dollies, and we
will walk down to Aunt Julia's."
''All right, Mamma" said Elizabeth,
lin minute.
But Elizabeths minute was a very
long one. so Mamma came to the win
dow again and said
Come, Elizabeth, bring in the dolls,
and we will be off"
"All right, / WILL in minute, just
as soon as get my hat" replied Eliza
BETH and away she raced to get her
hat that she thought she had left in
the dining room. But the hat wasn't
there. Oh, yes, it was up in the attic.
She remembered now that she had
taken it off while up there the after
noon before. She hurried up the long
flights of stairs, and by the time she
got back Mamma was waiting at the
front gate for her.
Aunt Julia lived in a quaint little
green house at the other end of the
village. She was very glad to see
Elizabeth and her mother.
81 was afraid it would rain before
you got here, the clouds are gather
ing very fast over in the southeast"
she said.
Meanwhile Annabelle May and
Charles Henry sat on the back steps.
If they had had really truly eyes, in
stead of painted ones, they would have
seen the big black clouds roll up until
they shut out the sunlight. Then the
big drops of water began to fall Fast
er and faster they came until the rain
poured down in torrents. 1t was a
regular summer thunderstorm, and
poor Annabelle May and Charles Hen
ry had to sit there on the porch dur
ing it all because there was no little
Mamma Elizabeth around to take them
inside where it was dry.
In the evening when the storm
clouds had cleared away and the sun
had dried the walks Elizabeth and
Mamma returned home.
why, Elizabeth" said Mamma, as
they came through the gate, you left
your watering can under the rose
bush. Take it around to the back
porch and hang it up
When Elizabeth reached the back
porch with her can such sorry sight
met her eyes. Annabelle May and
Charles Henry still sat there but what
a change had come over them. Could
you have seen them you surely would
have thought they had cried their eyes
out for there were blue and brown
streaks all down their faces, the red
from their cheeks had run down onto
the pretty white clothes, and the curl
was all out of their hair.
When Mamma 0nnnnd tho 1rifof1ar