The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-05
4 Very Little Girls Walk.

a
There was a little girl ana she said
to her mother, Il want to go and take
q walk"
And the mother said. Why don't
you go? You may
Then the little girl said, II want to
go far--far."
How far" asked her mother,
"A long way down the road where
you can't see me--a long way
"All by yourseif, Mary"
Yes" Mary said Far away down
the road, behind the big trees
We'll. you may CO. said mother.
You may go down the road behind
the big trees where j can't see YOU
'Ill go far" said Mary.
We'll. you may go far: goodbye.
Il shall be glad to see YOU when you
come back.
I'm going" said Mary. "Far--far."
Good bye" her mother said.
And Mary said, Good bye--hsve to
kiss you--good-b Then she kissed
her mother: and then she walked
away. down the steps, and along the
path and into the road. 1t was all
sunny. Goldenrod was in the grass
at both sides of the road. Mary pick
ed piece with nice long stem
and took II back to her mother. be
cause she thought her mother would
like to have 1t. And she said to her
mother. y brought you piece Of
goidenrod with a long stem
''oh, that is a beautiful piece" her
mother said; II Will put 1t here with
my other goidenrod. I'm SO glad To
see you back. Did You have a nice
walk
ooh, no." said Mary. II haven't
taken nv walk yet. I'm going far.
20 efD hive
Good bye" said her mother.
So Mary started again. She went
down the path and into the road. She
would not pick any gotdenrod because
she wanted to take such a long walk
And she couldn't pick any asters this
time, either, because she had SO far
to GO. It would take very long
time.
She looked back and saw her moth
er sitting on the piazza. Then she
went a little farther, and looked back
again, her mother was right there
The next time she looked. she could
not see her mother. That made her
feel sorry. She walked backward
two steps. and then she could see her
mother. II was only bush that had
been in her way. SO then she start
ed on again. 1t seemed pretty long
By this time. So she looked back
and saw her mother sitting right there
on the piazza. Just as she started
to go on. she stumbled on stone
and down she tumhled. But she didn't
cry at all Her hands We're SCRATCH
ed and dusty. though. she felt lit
tie lonely because her mother was
not there with her.
So. then. she went on. all alone.
And 1t was so far away now that she
was behind the big trees. When she
looked back TO her mothers house. she
couldn't see it She could not see the
house and she could not see her mo-
Their on the piazza at all. And she
did not GO one bit farther, not n step.
She did not stop 10 look for any flow
ers, or anything. down there behind
the big trees, where she couldn't see
her mother al all. Che lust began to
hurry back mp that stony hill and
over that road. She went az T. st as
ever she could. 1t was so far and
SO stony that she couldn't seem TO
go bit quick.
But she hurried on: and. when she
was near the house. she WAS so glad!
Her mother rat right there in her
white dress. And, when Mary was
almost up to the piazza steps, oh
how glad she was. She was pretty
tired, but she ran like everything and
hurried up those steps to the top. And
then she ran--she didn't stop min
ute, hut she ran over to her mother
and right close up to her.
H m I'm all tired I'm all home
again" she said.
TIN 80 glad to sec You back" said
her mother. ibid you have lovely
walk a'N
Yes" said Mary. "hut 1t was too
long. l don't like walks 40 long as
I he ",
when you get back. ] think. "-Susan
Perry peckham