The Washington times., 1907-08-11

toes plainly imprinted). the red and
white spots OF the clothes OF the little
girls standing out against the fresh
verdure OF the wood, were already 20
be seen IN the distance. CThe night be-
fore. each had made ready q little
basket and 4 Jar. and without vast
ing any time. without even stopping
10 take bread. after making two signs
Of the cross. they had set out.
Tareske Joined them in the great
wood soon after they had left the road
Everything was covered with dew-the
grass. the bushes, and the lowest
branches OF the trees. The bare legs
OF the little girls. drenched and chilled
by the dew, were soon warmed by
their walking. now on the humid grass.
and now on the dry soil The straw
berries were especially abundant in the
coppices. Here. where the grass. not
very high, mingled with the young
shoots. the strawberries lay hidden
whtish, pinkish. and. in spots. COM
pletely red. Squatting on the ground.
the little girls picked berry after berry.
and with their tiny brown fingers t1ey
put the least perfect ones into their
mouths and the rest into the baskets.
Olga, here are heaps Of them, You
wouldn't believe itt'
No. no! You're wronE,"
"Aou." cried from time 10 time ths
children. hidden from each other nv
the thickets.
Iaraska went on by himself TO z
coppice on the farther side Of n "a
vine consisting Of young walnuts and
planes. which were already as tall a.
a man. The grass there was ranker
and thicker, and the berries there vera
bigger and juicer than elsewhere.
"GroushkaT'
'Aou!"
And the vyolfr'
What wolf! Why do YOU fr,vbts,
me? But I'm not afraidl" answered
Groushka, and. troubled by the tbourbt
or the wolf. she ate berry after berry
and the best
Taraska has gone into the ravine
Taraskai Aouw
Aou" answered Taraska, from tia
ravine. Come herer"
We are coming. Over there. thers
are more?"
Anc the little girls went dow, IN.
oank OF the ravine, holding on bv rba
sapEng twigS. On the other side +b.,,
round clearing studded with straw
berries. Quickly they became silent
so as TO work better with their hands
and mouths Suddenly they heard q
rustling. which appeared something
terrible to them IN the midst os +bIs
silence, and they saw the grass and
the twigs tremble- Groushka ya. v-iId
with fright, and spilled half OF the her
ries she had picked
Mamma" she shrieked, BEGINNING
to weep.
1T is a harei A hare, Taraskal A
mare! There it isl'' cried little OLGA.
pointing to brown back and a pair
Of ears half hiden by the grass. What
Is the matter with your she demand
ed OF GrouShka. when the hare had
disappeared.
i thought it was the wolf" an
swered Groushka, passing quickly,
from fright and tears 10 a iovous
laugh.
The wolf! You are stupidr"
1 had a blue fright" said Grousb-
ka' bursting into a laugh. sonorous
as a bell.
They picked all the berries there
and moved on. The sun was aIresl,,
up; 1t covered the verdure with hrfI-
hant spots or with shade. and mado
the dew, with which the little girls
were now drenched to the vsist
Snsten They were near the further
edge of the forest, but they kept NOV
ing on in a hope OF finding more
strawberries. All of a sudden, from
several directions at once, came the
Aou! Of a band Of women and girls
who had come out from the village
later than they IN search OF berries.
At the lunch hour the baskets and the
Jars were already half full.
The little girls met there Akoulina.
their aunt, who was also out straw