The Washington times., 1913-01-12
I, to the words which she haa fttsd, her
This was the tune
When she laid her doom
And deed for q heather laddte--
And deed Tor q heather laddie.

When she laid her doom
And deed for q heather. 1addfe-
|. And deed Tor q. heather laddie-
BY and by. as Mariposa grew olde.
and could talk. the little Waff would
find her way. to the farmhouse BY her
up when the voice Of the wee witch
would cry "Rorie!" The door would be
opened to wraith-chfld with bright. deep
eyes and black curls, dressed IN plaid.
She would run In, scramble Into chair.
and call for bannocks and honey with
she would stop eating and put up Q
finger with warning "S-s-s-hf
And when we obediently hushed, she
would creep down off the chair. tiptoe
ney. Then she would IN the kitchen
with peals Of laughter. But my father,
knowing where she had learned that
trick. would look sad and shake his
head.
As time went on Mariposa and be-
came almost inseparabIe. Indeed. 1 was
lonely and disappointed the dys she
did not come to the farm. But she was
seldom away, and each dawn saw the
Wild girl by my side as ! went for the
cows. She was barefooted most Of the
shine had deepened the delicate olive
tint Of her complexion.
In her hand she always carried .
switch on those trips, and her merry
voice mingled with mine In calling Goo!
Coo-o-o-o!" to. the cows. Quite obliv-
ious Of the differences OF sex and age,
she seemed to look upon me az her nat
ural brother-in-arms. She view with me
In climbing trees. and as i grew older
she could outstrip me In running.
woods. or playing in the burn. Our IA
vorite spot was the cave by the pool
There she would lead me when tired Of
pay, and, sittfng beside the two graves.
she would command me to tell her the
gan with Once upon q time for
never told her who .John-John" and
Mistress Mary really were. Black
Archibald was the ogre In the story.
ara. OF course. / was the brave little
boy. could not tell II, somehow, with
out getting myself mixed in IT,
We always put flowers on the graves:
and to make them real graves'' we
put chucky-stanes" around them. and
planted primrose and farm roots. When
the spring came again Mariposa clapped
her hands because the primrose blos-
somed and the ferns drooped green ana
glossy. They were real graves"
When the repetition OF the story be-
came tfresome to her and painful to me,
Mariposa must play It. was John
when she waded through the pool aud
solemnIy parted the brambles. to me-
lying as "John-John't on the Rround-
she was the imsge Of her bonny mother,
save for the mischieyous eyes and the
tangled black locks. It gives me an odd
chill Cow when think of our playing
that tragedy in fun, and think ought
to have known better, for was fifteen
then. BY and by Mariposa carried one
OF the milk pals to the castle. while I
crease our intimacy. for there was
hardly an hour Of daylight that did not
see US together.
Passing through the woods, we some-
times saw Black Archibald slowly pac-
ing among the trees, with his hands be-
Find his back. II curses can hurt a
man. 1 am sure Daft Leezie's hung
heavily on him. He seemed Possessed
OF phantom that made his eyes sunken
and his face white. He had grown
him. but not 50 heavy. He was IN
ciined to gauntress Of aspect. and he
had habit Of drawing his under LID
between his teeth and chewingrchewfhg
Mariposa had no Idea who the man
was Until one day. when We were re-
hearsing "John-John," It slipped from
NE that Black Archibald was really the
ogre. A few days later We saw him
among the trees. He was standing still,
blue-sray tower cf Ai fhs craig g Mare .ne
posa stepped from behind tree and
stood before him. The laird gave .
great start and bit his Hip savageiy.
"Ogre" the child cried II dinna love
ye. We kilt John-J ohnF'
He uttered horrible oath and dashed
at the elf with hands spread like talons
But Mariposa was gone Ike an. arrow.
the forest with a long peal
Of shrill laughter, Black Archibals
rushed after her. his face drawn with
rage and terror; but the little witch got
behind me and. holding me as shield.
Knocked the man. as children do with
taunts. At that Black
threw himself upon me and ]
beat me to the ground in conscience
rage
Bring that brat near the castle
again," he CRIED. and IN strange her
like a pulletv'
The castle got no milk that night. for
it was spilled In the fray. Ny father |