The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-09-07

mouse In the air.
Mercy. child" cried the wearer of
the blue skirt. "throw away that
nasty mouse"
"No-no." breathed Pee Wee, '1'm
going to bury it. You come help me-"
Bury 1t? Why. how disgusting"
the girl exclaimed. You're not nor.
NAL, child"
1t mattered not to Pee Wee that
she was unacquainted with her mega.
tive quality. She accepted its alb
sence Notwithstanding.
mo. but I'm lonesome" she walled.
please come. You needn't do any.
thing but watch me"
I'm lonesome, too" said the girl
with a catch In her voice, and lean.
Ing her head upon one hand she began
to tear at some foxtails with the other.
well. come on then" Pee Wee
urged with logical conviction. But
the girl shook her head and silently
bent lower.
The silence grated on Pee Wees
restless little nerves. She could not
choose between pleading and raging,
SO she decided on neither Hurt and
disappointed, she finally turned and
rushed blindly up the hill again, where
she flung herself down by the side of q
rock and shed few acrid tears. Att.
er more refused to come she lay kick.
Ing her heels in fierce meditation on
the whyness Of rocks and winds and
mice and mothers.
Whats the trouble, kiddie?" q
mans voice asked suddenly.
Pee Wee sat up, one curl in her
mouth.
I'm lonesome" she explained.
$50 am l." he announced gravely.
Il want some one to help me bury
this"-and the mouse was produced
"O.ho," he said, Il see. Well. will I
do"
Pee Wee rose at once and took him
trustfully by the hand. while a smile
fought it's way across her damp face
"Hm-hm. You be minister" she
said coyly.
"Well. But-er-what religion did
the mouse profess: before he passed
into the Great Beyond?"
She stared at him uncomprehend.
ingly.
Il mean. where has his soul gomez"
he calculated.
Pee Wee speculated. A great
orange butterfly lunged by, striving
against the wind. With inspiration
Pee Wee waved her fingers toward it.
THAT'S his soul. 1t hasn't gone any
place yet. He died just today, you
know" she beamed. 49,, y
Il see." he remarked seriously.
During this time Pee Wee was lead.
Ing him toward the girl in blue With
feminine barbarisn she wished to ex.
hibit her capture. Perhaps even the
girl in blue might be moved to Join
them and increase the pageantry OF
the occasion. Before the man had
seen the girl they we're upon her, and
Pee Wee asked patronizingly:
would you like to be at my, funer.
al now? I'll let you be chief mourne.
If you want"
The girl looked up. and the man
looked down. Her eyes were red
from crying. and his had weary cir.
cles under them.
"Oh." they both spoke at once, and
she stiffened. .,-7
Il thought mean, 1 have been
chief mourner," he said confusedly.
mo, you're minister" said Pes
Wee. "Come on with the funeral" y
IL don't think-I mean, it's too
late for funeral" said the girl, turn.
ing away listlessly sa
Suddenly the man dropped Pee
Wees hand and bent over the girl,
talking fast, and, to Pee Wee, unin'
telligib1y.
1T isn't-it isn't" he insisted. Then
they ignored Pee Wee entirely
Are you going to have a funeral OF
aren't you?" Pee Wee demanded
Grossly, after a period Of strain.
The man turned to her. -
mo, we're going to have a resur
rection;" and he helped the girl to
her feet.
Pee Wee was deeply cut at his
treachery. But somehow this time q
steely pride supported her. She SET
her chin and shook out her curls.
"All right" she said. "all right"
When she had put few steps be-
tween herself and them, she said
again: "All right. But you can't
have my mouse in your resurrection.
Then she dropped 1t into crevice
of two rocks and went back to the
: hotel to beg a cookie of the China
man, leaving the lovers to their resur'
rection and the foxtails to the wind.
Bits About the Baby.
Nervousness may not be cata1oguet
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