Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1907-05-03
PoMPEY AND THE HAY CART.


Mamma didn't say we couldn't go
II we wanted to; she just said we'd
be better off in the house cause it is
so hot" Teddy paused and looked
at his sister Shirley.
Eyes, but l know she 'spects we
are going to stay wiz grandmuver till
she comes back" Shirley insisted,
looking towards Grandmother Leslie
at the window.
Suddenly the little girl tiptoed over
to her brother and whispered softly
in his ear: "Grandmuver is asleep;
see her head bob
S'pose we'd have time to go lit
tie teenty while?" urged Teddy, TAX
ing hold of Shirley's reluctant hand
and pulling her towards the door.
Shirley's keen eyes watched her
grandmother head bob twice, before
she finally consented to go with Ted
dy out into the yard.
Rover was lying on the mat in the
hall, and as the children passed he
watched them closely. Then, scent
ing mischief, he sprang to his feet
and rushed after them.
Teddy's rocking horse stood out
on the piazza. Lets hitch Pompey
into the hay cart and have a ride!"
he said, Selling the rocking horse
and dragging it along.
"It may vain. Des I'll borrow
mammals umbwella," Shirley an
nounced as she passed the hat rack.
Pompey made very steady look
ing horse after Teddy had hitched
him between the shafts of the hay
cart with some reins he had found
In the barn. Then he helped Shirley
up into the cart, and Rover helped
himself up and they were ready for
a ride.
The sun was hot, so Shirley opened
the umbrella. Neither of the chill
dren gave a thought to Grandmother
Leslie no6ding over her work beside
the nursery window, or of the big,
black cloud gathering in the sky be-
hind them.
But when a sudden sharp clap of
thunder finally aroused grandmother
from her nap she gave a glance
around the room for Teddy and Shir-
ley. Then she began to call them,
and receiving no answer hurried
from room to room, searching for
them.
A sudden flash of lightning, fol-
lowed almost instantly by another
loud report, caused her to hasten to
the window.
Mercy sakes alive! if those chill
dren aren't out there in the hay cart
in this pouring raini" grandmother
exclaimed
There they sat-three woebegone
little figures huddled together under
the umbrella, for both Teddy and
Shirley had declared that Rover must
have his share of it.
Shirley was crying and Teddy
wanted to, while good faithful Rover
kept up a continued barking, but did
not offer to desert them.
II w-W-wish we'd stayed wiz
grandmother" sobbed Shirley.
"P'r'aps mamma knew it was g-g-
going to vain when she told us to-
IT most guess she didn't know
how hard it was going to rain, else
she would have stayed at home with
us" was Teddy's wise answer.
Just at that moment the little
group under the umbrella heard a
voice calling out: Teddy! Shirley!
are you very wet, dears?"
mot very. Don't worry, grand
mother. I'm taking care of Shirley,
and Rover is taking care of both of
u.s." Teddy answered in as brave a
voice as he could muster.
BY this time the sun was almost
out, although the rain continued to
fall
Soon three very wet little people
were drying themselves beside the
kitchen fire, and when their mother
came home, half an hour later, she
found them there.
why, what's the meaning of all
this?" she asked.
Teddy and Shirley hung their
heads, while grandmother had to ex-
plain that two sorry little children
had disobeyed their mother.
'You would have been much bet
ter off in the nursery with grand
mother, wouldn't you, dears?" Nam
mas voice was sorry, but forgiving.
EYES," confessed two repentant lit
tie voices.
And Rover's tail wagged: "And so
would I!"-Helen M. Richardson, in
the Ladies World.