The Washington times., 1907-08-11

berry-picking Behind Akoullna trotted
on his big, handy legs, a very little
boy with a big belly. who was bare
headed and whose only garment was
a shirt He IS always clinging 10
my heels" said Akoulina 70 She little
girls. taking the youngster n her
arms. Il have nobody 70 mind him
we were frightened Just now by a
hare-a big one. he ran away You
ought 10 have seen him"
"Ahi ah"' said Akoulina- Then she
put the child down on the ground
again.
Soon the little girls left Akoulina and
resumed their picking
Now we will rest a little Bit" said
Olga sitting down IN the thick shade
OF a walnut tree. oh, how tired I am.
why didn't we bring some bread?
would be glad enough TO eat sOms
now
$50 would 7" said Groushka-
why is Aunt AkOUIina calling 30
loud7 Do you hear herr
"Aou! Aunt Akoulinar'
'Aour answered the aunt
What Is Il 20
Isn't the little boy with your" call
ed Aunt Akoulina from the direction
OF the ravine.
No"
Immediately after the branches part
ed noisly for tho passage OF Aunt
Akoulina herself. her skirt tucked u1
behind her knees and her basket in
her hand.
You haven't seen the little boy?"
mo"
But this Is terrible! MiehkAr'
''Mi-i-i-ieh-ka."
No answer.
"Oh! what a shame! He has gone
astrayi He will be Lost IN the big
woodi''
Olga jumps UP quickly and runs on
with Groushka TO look for the child
on one side OF the wood. AkOulina
takes the opposite direction Inces-
sanity she called "Miehka!' IN SON
orous tones, but no one answered
Il am tired" said Groushka, tagging
behind.
But Olga ran, witout stopping. now
to the right, now 10 the left, looking
everywhere
The voice Of AzOulina, became faint
er and fainter as she went farther and
farther away. Olga had already given
up the hunt and was returning TO her
starting point, when. IN a clump OF
bushes near the trunk Of 4 young lin
den. she heard the persistent and des-
pairing cry Of bird and OF her troubled
brood. Evidently the bird was afraid
OF something. Olga peered into the
thicket, which was surrounded by
high, thick, white-fiowered grass and
discovered there something resembling
q forest knoll. She approached and
examined it closely. 1t was Miehka-
It was of Miehka the bird was afraid
and against Miehka that II was crying
out. Miehka was lying upon his fat
belly, with his hands under his head
and his handy legs stretched out; he
was asleep.
Olga woke him. gave him some
strawberries, and called his mother
And for a long time thereafter Olga
recounted 10 her parents and relatives
and 70 all the people she met how she
had searched for and found the child
of Akoulina.
The sun beat down straight upon the
forest and heated with its rays the
earth and everything upon IT.
Olga: let's go and take bath.
said sor.le little girls who came run
ming up
All together they went singing 70
the river They were so busy pushing
and pulling one another, 50 ousy
shouting and beating the water with
their legs that they did not see the
black clouds which mounted the
heavens from the west; they did not
remark that the sun hid itself from
instant TO instant, that the perfume
OF the flowers and OF the birch leaves
became more penetrating; they did not
hear the light claps OF thunder. But
before they had the time TO dress the
rain fell The little girls, with their