The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1908-04-22
The
Kidnapping
of Lucy.
By H. J, Wright.

AUNT Lucy, as nef SIX nJtle uepneWS
and nieces stood before her in a row,
arranged according 30 age, the baby
steadied by mammals hand. 1--WE gone
up the stairs correctlyj now let's see
If | can go down again: Robbie is
eleven, Bennie is nine, Ellen is seven"
"No, she's eight! she's eight" Chin
ed several eager voices.
Il had a birthday yesterday" Ellen
announced proudly.
""Oh, knew there was break in the
series somewhere!" said Aunt Lucy,
with a comical pretence of veXaion
''And I'm half past nine," objected
Bennie.
81 can't possibly undertake fractions
the first day, Bennie Now let me be-
gin again: Rob is eleven, Bennie is
nine, Ellen is eight, not seven, Mary
Is five, Lucy is three, and BERTHE is one.
There!" Aunt Lucy clapped her hands
In triumph, and the children all Joined
in the applause: Baby BERTHE shouted
"Pat-pat-pat,' evidently thinking this
was pat .cal-o'' on a large scale.
'Now I'm sGce I'll not make a mis-
take agaia d Aunt Lucy. Sitting
down in Bio armchair, she coaxed
little Lucy ard he baby both into her
lap, and ed the other children
about her
Aunt L--y was a kindergarten teach
er in distant city. She had just come
back, a'tav five years absence, to spend
summer at the old farm with her
sister, the mother Of the six little chill
dren. She was tifed from her long
journey, and mamma urged her TO
send the children away; but she could
not be persuaded TO let one of them
go.
She asked about their books and
toys, their work and their play. She
told them stories of her kindergarten
children in the big city. She knew
funny little rhymes to say on the ba
by's fingers, and she had to repeat
them times innumerable.
At last mamma said positively that
Aunt Lucy must go and rest for an
hour before supper, so she regretfully
upstairs with mamma to the spare
room.
After supper papa built big fire in
The sitting-room fireplace; for one of
those "cold SPELLS" which often follow
the first warm days of June, had come
suddenly upon them, and everyone was
phivering.
They gathered around the bright
Hre after the evening work was done,
and baby BERTHE had been tucked away
In mammals bedroom, just back of the
sitting-room. Aunt Lucy and mamma
visited" and papa occasionally read
aloud an interesting bit of news from
his paper brought over the rural route
that day. One item was a startling
account of the kidnapping of a child
In st. Louis. The child had been lured
from his home three days before, and
tarried away Not trace of the kid
happers had been found, though
threatening letters were received from
Ihem through the mails. The poor
parents were frantic.
AS he read the children drew un-
EASILY nearer their mother and father.
Little Ellen, with an anxious look on
her childish face, said, 81 hope the
kdnappers won't get any Of our chill
iren." They all laughed at her moth
krly tone.
"They won't etome away out here,
Ellen" papa assured her.
"And if that little boy had stayed
In the house and gone to bed, he'd
have been all right now" said mamma
with meaning emphasis, taking lamp
and starting upstairs.
'"That means bye-bye' for you chill
Aren, without a doubt" laughed Aunt
Lucy, sliding little Lucy, from her lap.
With hug and a kiss she bade each
Dne goodnight and watched them up
the stalrs,-Rob and Bennie ahead,
Then Ellen leading her two little sisters
by the hand.
When mamma came back, she and
Aunt Lacy had long, quiet talk to-
gether. 1t was quite late when Aunt
Lucy finally went upstairs She paus-
ed moment at the first door and peeped
In at Rob and Bennie, rosy and smiling
In their slumber. At the next door she
went in and looked at the little girls,
all three fast asleep in one bed, with
Lucy in the middle. They looked
rather crowded, Aunt Lucy. thought,
and she decided to take little Lucy in
bed with her
She went into the spare room, put
the lamp on the bureau, and opened
the bed. Then she went softly back,
very gently drew Lucy out from under
the covers, and carried her into the
pther room without waking either Ell
len or Mary.
Lucy half opened her eyes as she
Dank into the cold bed. But when Aunt
Lucy whispered. Don't you want to