The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-02

1t was twilight. and the shades were
drawn in the room where Deedee's cot
stood like white, iron-barred cake.
Every sign told that Deedee was going
TO sleep. The most pronounced indica-
ton was Deedee herself, who stood in
her crib, rampant, regardant and wide
awake. She chung to the side of the
crib and trOd the sheets into a tangled
mass of white. Like the death Of an
alligator, the going to sleep of Deedee
was long and strenuous affair
Mrs. Rawson stood looking at her
daughter with reproachful eyes. 1t was
family tradition that Deedee must
go 10 sleep quietly, quickly and without
any nonsense. Every evening when
Mrs. Rawson put the little white figure
in the crib she had renewed hopes that
the tradition would prove a verify;
every evening Deedee shattered that
tradition to little bits. The go-to-sleep
hour was her glorious hour of rebellion.
For weeks she had trampled under her
pink feet the bed-going rules. triumph
antly regardless of law and order. She
did not see, looming larger and larger,
and approaching nearer and nearer
each day, the stern and horrid form of
Spank.
1t had been decided in family con-
clave that Deedee was old enough TO
be punished by the laying on of hands.
II was decided at a time when Deedee
as not in the room. and every one had
been stern about it. People can be
stern about Deedee when she was not
there. When she appeared they had
TO stop being stern. and kiss her
Deedee was % months old, and IS per
cent pure sweetness. Envious neighbor
mothers said her short, curly hair was
tow-colored, which was not true. Ev-
cry one admitted that her eyes were
like round bits of blue sky. 1t was
clear that she had inherited the sweet
ness from her mother; equally clear
that the per cent of unadulterated
stubbOrnness cane from her father.
He said so himself. But he did not be-
lieve ii.
Deedee was beginning to be a person.
She could say what she wanted, and
sometimes people could understand her.
III was quite time, every one agreed. |
that her education should begin. If
she was to grow up into a noble. sim
cere womanhOod she must be properly
started. Only the night before the
day of the spank Mrs. RaWson had be- /
gun her religious education. Standing
at her mothers knee-for Deedee wouIG |
not kneel to God or man-she had re- |
peated:
-NOhNo- ldiIl-UoNnee-SeeD,
Padee-o-so-tee"
Which the most dense person would |
recognize as
Now 1 lay me down to sleep.
i pray the Lord my soul to keen.
AS a first attempt, il was grand |
success, except that she did not. as she
had stated, LAY me down TO sleep"
On the contrary. she stood upright in
her crib for an hour. calling for
ATar 10 Fsa
that she wished to be rocked. and to
have Mary Had a Little Lamb" sung
10 her.
Tho DAY of the spank had opened in
When Deedee awoI<e. at
3 o'clock in the morning, the rain was
falling in torrents which presaged a
day indoors, and to begin with she
stood in her crib and called for Lain"
Mrs. Rawson awakened SLOWLY tn
consciousness that Deedee was SLOWLY
but regularly repeating that word, and
she sat up in bed and thought. Lain"
was new word of unknown meaning
but, whatever ii was. Deedee wanted
IL. She insisted on having it, 1t was
evident that nothing but lain" would
satisfy her
Mrs. Rawson studied the word deep
~. IT did not Suggest anything to eat
Or Drink. 1t had no apparent relation
to any toy, game, song, person or
thing. She awakened Mr. Rawson.
who sat up in bed with a sigh. Deedee
him expectantly.
Lain. Deedee?" he asked, and she
smiled brilliantly
Papa. laim!' she repeated.
LaimF he said thoughtfuliy. ,
Laimr'
He looked about the room and at tho
'eiing; he wrinkled his brow, and
sTaned his neck fo look into tha -. p,
-oom.
II give il up" he said. Perhaps her :
grandfather would know Maybe if is !
he taught her"
They lifted Deedee from her crib. and y
et her on the floor, and she battered I
'ut OF the room and down the hall q
they could hear her demanding lain"
# her grandfather, and his puzzled re-
lies.
Lain. birdy? What is it? Say it
gain, Deedee. Laim2 Daddy doesn't I
now what you want. Deedee." o
Neither did Uncle Ed Nobody knew +
ut Deedee. and she wanted it so very
ably. She came back and stood by K
er mothers bed and pleaded for 1t, +
1t was a hard day for Mrs. RawsoD. q
Ionday and wash day, so Deedee could
OF bother Katie in the kitchen. and L
aiming. Deedee wandered through the II
Doms disconsoiately only to return TO 9;
er mothers knee and ask for 'Iaim." G,
he refused her toys, she would not Y
ew with pin, she would not sit an Il
ne desk and write, she would not look
{ the photograph book Worse than g
II, she would not keep still a-I1inute. n
y noon Mrs. Rawson had a headache.
y twilight she had nerves." and now 81