Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1911-11-29
Elizabeth
Peril

Elizabeth.
Elizabeth's mother, for whom the
sound, familiar though it was, has
never been robbed of its terrors, ran
out of her bedroom and half way
down the stairs to meet her waiting
offspring She sank down upon one
of the steps and instantly a pair of
frantic arms were locked about her
knees and a Dutch cropped head and
a huge pink hair ribbon were buried
in her lap.
Elizabeth's mother gathered into
her protecting arms the head, the
pink bows and as much as possible
of the plump, pathetically heaving
body.
Whats the matter with mothers
baby?" she asked tenderly.
Wow, WOW, wow!" answered
Elizabeth.
Elizabeth's mother clasped her lit
tie daughter closer to her. "Are you
hurt, darling?" she Queried, anxious
ly.
WOW, WOW, wow!" The pink bows
vibrated violently, but indefinitely.
trying to uncover the hidden face,
you must stop crying and tell me
what's the matter. Are you hurt?''
The head merely burrowed deeper
into the friendly lap. 'Tt's-it's my
TOOTH" gasped Elizabeth, finally.
your tooth, sweetheart" ex-
claimed her mother. Does it ache?"
mo, l don't guess So" The answer
came in tone that was something
between a below and a snifie.
"Then what's the matter?" Eliza
beth's mother was growing slightly
peevish under the strain. Elizabeth,
you've got to stop bowling and tell
me-" She raised the tear-stained face
and held it firmly between her two
hands.
''Now, tell me-" she said, authori-
tatively. IF your tooth doesn't ache,
what are you shrieking abOut?"
There was fresh outburst of tears,
but with the food came the words:
"Tt's-oh, it's coming out!"
Elizabeths mother gave a little sigh
of relief She kissed the top Of the
anguished head. That's nothing to
cry about, precious" she said, COM
fortingIy. You'll soon have nice
new one in its place"
ooh, 1 don't mind the TOOTH" wall
ed Elizabeth, "but Tom said-oh,
dear! Oh, dear me! We was all out
playin'-"
1--WE were out playing" corrected
Elizabeth's mother, gently.
"Yessum. We was all out playin'
and Tom he come along"
tom came along, baby" Elizabeth's
mother said, patiently.
"Yessum. And Tom he come along
and he said" The remainder of the
story was lost in another whoop Of
woe.
Elizabeth's mother rose and led her
small daughter to the bathroom and
bathed her face thoroughly.
After that she took the very woe
begone infant into the mothers own
room and sat down in the big rocking
chair with Elizabeth in her lap and
rocked her until the sobs had ceased.
When the much-to-be-desired result
had been gained she went to her
dresser and took out paper bag Of
soft moIasses candy. Elizabeth's eyes
glistened.
Now" said Elizabeth's mother, Eve
are going to have perfectly beautiful
treat, just us two"
Fairly radiating joy, Elizabeth bur-
led her more or less uncertain little
tooth in the piece of candy. Then
she removed the candy hastily, gave
1t one look and Immediately set up
shrek that made the plaster nearly
start from the walls.
Wow, WOW, wow!" She took up
the cry where she had dropped it a
short time before. Wow, WOW, WOW!
My tooth's gone. and Tom said"
The shrek ceased as suddenly as 1t
had begun. Two large tear drops were
arrested midway down her fat cheeks
and a smile, beginning in a very small
way, grew and grew until it threat
ened to bisect her face. She ran to
the mirror and regarded intently the
gap left by the departed tooth.
"Why, mother-Tom thaid, he thaid
that when my tooth came out-he
thaid that he knew girl who looked
just like me, with little poppy eyes
and pink hair ribbonth, and when her
tooth came-that when my tooth
came out-that when her tooth wath
gone-that I wouldn't know how to do
anything but just whithle! He thaid
that when that girls tooth that look
ed like me wath gone she couldn't
ever talk again. And, mother, it
walnut tho! 1t kind O. hitheth when
I do it, but 1 can talk! I can talk
jutht ath much ath ever!"
Elizabeth's mother fed hastily into
the next room and buried her head
in a thick bath robe which was hang
ing ia the corner of the closet.
"The eternal feminine!" she chok-