The Washington herald., 1911-08-06
The Little Culprit

As rule, he had a beloved com.
panion O nights. A friend. closer than a
brother. Not handsome, but completely salts
fying-a rag doll. 1t was SO soft that if in
sleep it got under him and he laid upon it,
neither he nor the doll suffered. It was so
supple that it could be doubled up until it's
toes touched its chin or, if preferred until
its heels touched the back of its head, and
then, safely garnered in between both hands,
no evil could touch Dolly. 1t was so quiet
that it could be put to rest inside the open.
ing OF its owners mighty, with only its head
when pulled out and tweaked and shaken to
see If it was alive and quite well. But to,
night this beloved companion had been denied
him.
whelming, that sheer astonishment prevented
tears. He lay in stunned silence. Nurse,
who had expected weeping, never heard q
whimper. She heaped Goals on the fire, and
felt she had maintained the discipline Of the
DSs tSI aSdmirsb Then singing SitheE
could hear the rustic of her white skirt as
she descended, and the tap-tap Of her heels.
Then these familiar sounds died away. 81.
lence. Nurse had left him alone. She had
When she was undressing him she had
said: No one will love you OF take care
Of you if you are a naughty little, boy"
He really hadn't known at the time he was
thing to cut with, and having obtained one
surreptiously, he cut. 1t had been SO very
absorbing and enjoyable. Everything he
tried the knife on cut beautifully. He was
ly interesting ng-when Nurse looked round,
and with bound changed his world from
rose to gray. And now she had gone-down-
stairs.
had been a nice red glowing fire before
Nurse heaped Goals on. Now there was a
black, depressing crate which shed no light
upon the scene. 1t was raining. The drops
battered upon the window panes, sounding
very .,drearry. He tossed his arms about un:
happily: they were so. painfully empty of
coinfort; The pang of bereavement was ter
rible: Dolly was near, and yet so far-only
on the chest of drawers close by lying down
there, no one taking any care of it. Would
a chair! He raised himself and reconnoitred
No; he daren't get out of bed, it was so dark
There might be danger
At the circus, to which he had been taken
that afternoon, there had been bear
The bear had come into. the ring and
done wonderful things. 1t had been an
enthra]ling but fearsome spectacle. Sitting
Just been able to endure it-only Just. But
for the high railing between himself and the
bear the terror would have been overmaster-
'"ff: ff:he bear had come noi,e,ss.,v ont Of !,
dark opening, and with soft footballs and
huge Hopping body had padded round and
round the ring, its small wicked eyes shining,
ITS nose, working its head moving horribly
from side to side. Oh dear! The loneliness
and darkness in the nursery were terrible,
and Nurse immeasurably far away and Mum.
my out.
The bear, after dong wonderful things.
had padded noiselessly out again through the
dark opening Where it had gone he had
never thought of inquiring.
Where had that bear gone?
Had he a house or did he live in big
W. wool & or did did he eat grass in field, or did
in the roads? Was he running about IT. now aW'H, in
the roads? Was he running about in the
road this house was in? Was the front door
open! On, when was Mummy coming home
to shut the front door,, Oh, if Dolly were
share the fear!
The bear had made no noise as it padded
round and round the ring.
IL could come up the stairs quite silently
or know, 1t could come up, step by stem
and wouldn't want the "ballisters" to helm 4
quite quietly in the dark it could come nm m
ITS huge body Topping, its small wicked eyes YES
hmg na boTbv III nGse ram wGF1g s5e tS great head
Did the stairs creak Just them?
Inc bear had waited sometimes between the
dong OF the wonderful things. It looked
worst OF all when II waited IL watched
when it waited. When it watched it looked
as II it were thinking. Perhaps it tbongbt
it would like to get hold of naughty little
boys that no one would love or take care Of,
1t might be outside the nursery door nou, oa
after padding up the stairs silently NJ now nns
would know, 1t was very black by the the
open door of the nursery. A bear m;Sht
b" lurking there, biding its time to come come
H. ~, ana yet not be seen from this little bed in
little eyes. would see the bed Perhaps hcAGt Il
was watching it now. Waiting and watcbins
and thinking IN the dark. 0h, will % no one
dear. ''' o0yS' oh
The bear was waiting by the door,
There was no longer any doubt of it. It's
huge, Hopping body was beginning 70 coma