Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-22
Esmerelda

flaxen hair, cheeks like roses, and lips
to match. | know she was fond OF
me. Brother Tom wants to know how
I know it. But you cannot tell such
things You only feel them.
Our big dog Dump loved me, too.
He used to be jealous of Esmerelda at
first, but taught him to love her and
to watch her when had to go where
I could not take her. Mamma says
that doll cannot be taken to church,
though, cannot see why, if she had
her best things on and kept her eyes
open. On Sundays and such particu-
lar times l used to leave Esmerelda in
Dumps care. would say, Watch
her, Dump" And he would sit be-
side her crib and never allow one to
touch her
Once, when we had new servant,
he would not allow her to come into
the room where Esmerelda was; and
we found her crying outside the door
when We came home. She was a
stranger to Dump and he thought that
she wanted to steal my beautiful doll.
was never anxious about Esmerelda
when I went out, because Dump took
las good care Of her as I did.
We called him Dump because, when
he was a puppy, he used to be so
heavy, and, when he jumped, came
down with such noise. Dump of
lead" brother Tom called him at first;
but that was too long for every day.
At night he. used to be sent to his
house to sleep. His house was in the
garden. 1t was a very pretty house.
It was painted red, and had pointed
roof, and a mat for him to lie on.
This summer, when grandmamma
asked me to come to. the country to
see her, papa and mamma and Tom
went, too. Of course, I intended to
take Esmerelda; but Dump was to
stay at home, with Bridget, the cook,
and Nora, the upstairs girl, to take
care Of him.
I remember putting Emerelda's
travelling dress on, and her little hat,
and I thought l put her in the corner
of the carriage seat, with her travel
ling bag; but, when we had driven on
a little way, I put my hand down to
feel for her and take her on my lap
So that she could see the places that
we passed. but she was not there. We
all looked, but she was nowhere in
the carriage.
"You did not put" her In at all,
Kitty" mamma said. "You must have
left her on the bed, where you laid her
latter she was dressed"
ooh, brought her out" L said,
land then I went in again to get my
parasol." -'' f..t - =
"she may have been stolen then, }"
|said papa. "At all events, we cannot
drive back We should lose the train.
Nora will put dolly away safely"
81 will write home about 1t tomor-
row. said mamma. 49,
It seemed to me that they thought
very little of it: but, as for me, she
was my only child, and I could not
enjoy the journey. I cried so much
that mamma did not wait until next
day to write. but took postal card
from her bag in the station, and wrote
to Nora there, and paid boy to put 1t
in the box: and so the very next day
came an answer. twas this
Dear Madam-Me and Bridget is
awful sawry, but the doll is not in the
house. We looked careful. All is we'll,
but skeered by Dump We thought he
was mad, but Mr.. Butcher says no,
to his house, and we set vituls and
wafer outside. and run away. We
daysent go nj him.
Yours respectful,
Nora.
poor Dump" said father. "He
wanted to come and he is sulking over
it. Well, Kitty, the doll is lost; but
Won shall have another"
mo, said never! I could not love
another doll"
1t was splendid at grandma's, but
could not feel happy. I went to bed
early, and lay thinking about poor Els
meralda and all she might be suffering
when all of sudden an idea came into
my head and I clapped my hands. and
Jumped up and went downstairs and
into the sitting room.
ooh, my, my" cried mamma.-"to
come downstairs like that"
at was too important to wait
said. 81 wanted to relieve everybody's
mind. Esmeralda is safe. The reason
Dump acts like that is that he has
got her out there in his house, taking
care Of her. I saw him jump Into the
carriage, and he must have carried her
off then. for he went stralghC 10 MS
house. I'm quite happy about her now.
She's safer with him than with any
one else but me-"
81 believe you are right, Kitty" said
mamma.
81 know am" said, as I ran up
stairs.
I had a lovely time at grandma's and
the moment I got home I ran out to
the garden. Dump was in his house;
but he came out in hurry, and began
to caper for joy.
"Good dog!' said I, patting him.
"Now bring Esmeralda to me-"
And back he rushed and out he came
CARRYING my darling dolly by the waist
lust as a cat carries her kittens.-New
York LEDGER