The Cairo bulletin., 1907-09-27
MARYS UMBRELLA


around and reproach her for her I'M
timely appearance In the schoolroom.
| Why. Mary, II put yours In here
] should have to put them all In
here" objected Miss Lucy is it
your mothers best one?"
| Nom" said Mary. bringing 1t,
| handleless. fluttering, broken-ribbed,
prominently into view. She keeps
her best one at Mrs Green's, next
door. This one Is us children's. and
George says 1t is his turn to take II
and 1t isn't. and this morning when
Hazel and Florence and me were
coming through the prairie he tried
to take 1t away from us, and he hurt
Hazers finger something awful where
she was holding this here piece up
against the roof; and Florence fell
down In the mud, and that left me
all alone, and IL | hadn't bit his
finger he'd had 1t sure, you bet your
life."
II should think your mother would
punish George for treating his little
sisters So said Miss Lucy, indig-
nantly. Did he pull the handle
off,"
Not to-day he didn't He did it
the other day when 1t wasn't rain
Ing and he wanted to make a pipe"
"A pipe!' exclaimed Miss Lucy.
"Yesm. Not pipe to smoke he
| smokes stubs-but pipe to play on,
like the one you told us about the
| other day. The one the great god
Pan made. you know. George tried
to take out the pith like the heart of
| a man, but he couldn't and he didn't
do thing but bust the handle. SO
now IT isn't as good as no umbrella.
because we can't see thing In front
of us. | have to hold 1t because I'm
the biggest, and is sits right on top
of my hat, and | got lake on my
hat the other day and nearly had a
cold and had to stay home from
school.
II should think your mother
would do something about it." said
Miss Lucy.
We'll, you know, there's eight of
us children and she says il she pun
ished George for everything he did
she wouldn't have time to do any
thing else--get our dinner or any
thing But she's got slate on the
kitchen door with the things on 1t
that he's going to get licked for
when pa gets back; he's In the west
now. The other day 1t was all full
of things, and then 1t was cleaned off |
as nice as anything. Major did 1t.
Majors Georges dog.
Ma said she thinks it's shame
that she has to take care Of eight !
children and dog besides. But IL
you even look at Major or take him
into the store or anything, George
will do something to you, sure--tear
up your homework paper when It
looks the incest 1t ever did, or hide
your book that you have to take bach
to the library and you have to pay
a fine out of your Sunday s cents, or
hide your shoe so you'll have to wear [
one Sunday shoe and one everyday !
shoe and be late and get a scoldng |
and then have the kids laugh at
you"
Miss Lucy with difficulty depressed
a smile at the tale of Mary's woes.
Ma was sure going to whip Ma
jor for licking the slate, but George
said that II she had to whip any one
she could whip him. Then ma
wouldn't do that, because she isn't
strong enough to hurt him. So he
said II she would let Major off he
would write all his sins himself; and
ne did, too, and ma thinks he put
The didn't remember that he broke
! window. He wanted to rub that
nut, but ma wouldn't let him and
he was afraid to do 1t himself for
ear that ma would whip Major.
les just crazy about that old dog"
We'll, you may put the umbrella
n my closet this one time, Mary,
nd I'll give George a good talking
o for the way he behaves to you"
aid Miss Lucy.
"Oh, please, don't tell him."
beaded Mary. Il am going TO a
arty next Saturday. and I've got
ONE lovely blue ribbons, and every
ime he gets mad at me he goes and
nds them, no matter where | put
hem--in the old sugar bowl and
nder the carpet and everywhere"
well, l won't tell, but / do think
e ought to be punished" said Miss
lucy, with conviction.
The seat George sat in was in a
irect line with Miss Lucy's closet,
nd 1t seemed to her that she never
efore wanted so many things from
t. Every time she approached 1t
Iarys eyes opened wide and Miss
lucy, mindful of the blue ribbons,
ried to keep her slender bulk be-
ween the room and what she had
egun to call her skeleton in the
loset"
Dismissal time came bright and ]
lear.
Miss Lucy" said Mary's insistent
title voice at her elbow, will you
lease ask George to take the UNI