The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1908-12-04

it has twisted it crooked?"
My six-year-old niece gravely put
forth her tongue, and l as grayaly
pronounced it sound and straight
But want to know, Uncle
Harry" she persisted.
So l took her on my lap, and en-
planned, as we'll as 1 could. the mvs.
teries of the parachute; and the beam
tiful brown eyes grew bright with
wonder at the new ideas thus pre-
sented to her inquiring mind.
My story finished, Miss Dollie sat
awhile on my knee in deep thought:
and then she got down and trotted
off with preoccupied, business-like
air.
/ loved good cigar in those DAYS
i do now for the matter of that
and sitting smoking on the portico
with the sweet summer breezes dane.
ing around me, and the woodland
songsters filling the air with music
forgot Dollie-though l had PROM
ised to keep an eye on her-until sud.
denly startled by series of screams
and outcries proceeding from the. gar
den, sure indication that she had
got into some sort of trouble. as rs
ually happened on an average twice
day, at least.
| threw away my beloved cigar.
and rushed out to the scene of the
turmoil, my sister closely following.
but neither of us were prepared for
the sight that met our view.
There was tall grape-arbor In
the garden, composed of several IN
right posts connected by long Stats Z
nailed longitudinally, and projecting
a foot or more beyond the uprights
at either end. There were fifteen
OF these Stats, a foot apart. and on
the end of one of the uppermost ones
hung Miss Dollie.
she was suspended somewhat In
the manner of a pocketknife with the
blade partly open and the point
turned downward; and as she swung
to and fro, filling the air with
lamentations, her poor little nose re-
ceived many a blow from the franctic
plunges of her knees and feet.
Keep still, Dollie!" l cried out.
my voice full of laughter.
And then. i clambered rapidly nm
the arbor, and plucked the terrified
child from her impromptu, elevated
swing, landing her safely on the
ground
"Dollie," said her mother, severely.
haven't forbidden"
Its all Uncle Harry's fault. so it
Isl" sobbed Dollie, in doleful accents.
He said a person could jump off
high place, and come down easy, If
they had parachute, so | thought
I'd try, and got his"
"Mine!" | cried out; 81 have none.
you little goose!"
You has, Uncle Harry; you take. it
out to keep the sun off when you go
to draw pictures and to paint,
oh" said l, Il see; you mean nv
artists umbrella! That is not para
chute"
Its not an umbrella." cried Dol
lie, Indignantly. Its big, and
strong, and heavy, and you put it in
pipe and stick it in the ground. II
got it, and first / got on the fence
and jumped down, and | bumped so
hard 1t most took the breff out of me.
Then | 'membered Uncle Harry said
the air must get under it; and so I
climped up the arbor and jumped of.
and didn't go at all. Just look at
my skirt, mamma-it's all Uncle
Harry's fault-just look!"
Mamma did look, SO did the much
abused uncle, and both fell into fresh
commissions of laughter.
1t was the fashion in those days
for the little feminines, as we'll as the
big ones, to wear stiff, rattan hoop
skirts. Dollie had been very proud
OF hers-the first of it's kind to her
and now, alas. having served as
hook to suspend its owner in mid
air, it presented a woe-begone ap-
pearance rattans twisted and
broken, and trailing behind in de-
cided peak
Altogether it was too much for my
gravity, and lay down OH the grass
to laugh at my ease, while my sister
carried off much-offended Dollie to
restore order to her dilapidated cloth
ing.
1t was some time before l recov-
cred sufficiently to go to the rescue
OF my impromptu parachute, which,
meanwhile, was reposing quietly in
blackberry bush.
The next day was like many of its
predecessors-warm and beautiful
almost too beautiful, in fact, for we
We're getting tired of the hot sun and
cloudless sky, and felt that we could
heartily join in the cry of the droop-
Ing plants for clouds and rain.
We had had three weeks of op-
pressively hot, dry weather, but to-
day was considerably cooler; there,
was brisk breeze, and few floating,
fieecy clouds gave some hope that a
change of weather was at last APP
preaching.
LOU" said I, to my sister, as we
stood ON the porch together sitter
breakfast, lit really looks as if it
might rain some time, and perhaps /
had better not postpone my sketch
any longer. I'll go now, and while
saddle Fleet, and get my portfolio
and Dollie's parachute ready, do you
put me up some lunch, like the dear,
good sister you are. / shall not be
BACK bnf0ra NIGHT -