The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1913-03-27

road. the child would start upon her
little journey. She was sure 10 see
a kind face watching for her from
grandmother's window. or perhaps
Aunt Edith would come 10 meet her.
Mary Ellen was the only grandehild.
and they all loved her very dearly.
1t was strange that a little girl
who had so many 10 love her should
not always be good. But, alas.
Mary Ellen sometimes had her
naughty days, and this was one of
them She was cross TO her mother,
and when reproved only pouted the
more She shook Rebecca, her much
loved doll. because her dress would
| not hook straight, and made herself
so generally disagreeable that her
| mother at last lifted her up TO her
| high chair. and babe her stay there
until she could be a good little girl.
Il want-to go to Grandmother
Bent's," whined Mary Ellen.
mo, indeed. No visit to grand
mothers to-day"
Mary Ellen made no answer. bu,
her face was full of ugly wrinkles
and she kicked the chair with her
naughty little feet. She did not look
bit like sweet little Mary Ellen, az
she was sometimes called.
Her naughty thoughts were busy
Never had she wanted so much to &c
| to Grandmother Bent's, and when
her mother went out to the back gar
| den with her watering pot she sud.
denly stopped crying. Usually she
would have followed her mother
chatting gaily all the while, but
now
I will go to Grandmother Bent's, -
she said to herself. 81 Wilt" And she
slid own from her high chair, walked
up to the telephone and called loudly
into it's black depths: Look out fol
Mary Ellen" Then she picked UT
| poor Rebecca from the floor where
! she had thrown her and started of
on the run
Her mother was busy at the other
side of the house, as the little CIR
we'll knew. No one saw her. 1t wa.
a lovely April morning, but the all
was cool. Mary Ellen shivered a lit
tie but she Rugged her dolly closer
and trudged on. Aunt Edith did mo-
come to meet her, and there was Nc
kind face at the window. Mary Ell
len felt aggrieved. She entered the
house with little stamp of displeas
ure.
| The only occupant of the kitchen
was her Uncle, Rob, a youth of six
teen.
"Hullo, Tot" he exclaimed
"Where'd you come FROM"
From my house."
"Why didn't you telephone?"
Il did," replied Mary Ellen, Will
dignity.
who did,"
;, 81 did"
!. ooh. How's your dolly?"
"She's cold"
4 II hope she isn't going to hav
pneumonia" said Rob, with grea
solicitude.
Mary Ellen Rugged her closer.
"Where's grandmother" she in
quired.
''She and Aunt Edith are out il
the barn. They'll be right i'm
"I'm going out there" said Mar
Ellen.
you'd better leave Rebecca here,
advised Rob, Its cold out there
Mary Ellen hesitated.
!, CPL tell you where to put her,
;, said Rob. Mothers left the ovel
door open Clap her in there. It.
nice and warm"
Mary Ellen held her little hand
> for second at the oven door. |
certainly. was lovely and warm i
there. Wrapping Rebecca in a piec
of old cloth, which Rob found TO
her, the little girl slid her dolly int
the oven as if she had been a pie
Then Mary Ellen ran out to the barn
while Rob sauntered off down tn
road.
: Grandmother Bent and Aunt Edit
were much surprised to see thei
| small relative, and by skillful ques
- tioning at length surmised the truth
T The errand to the barn was 500
y accomplished, and all went back t
the house; but before they reache
, the kitchen door grandmother ez
= claimed, with an expressive sniff
why, what's burning? Where
that smoke coming from?"
She rushed into the kitchen
/. What's this in the oven?" she CRIED
{ and she stopped and pulled Rebecc
from her perilous position.
, Poor Rebecca! She was certairl
I warm enough now. No one cou1
touch her. Her clothes fell of In Iii
? tie black pieces. Her cheeks, one
SO rosy. were burned and brown. TIL
lustre had gone from her eyes, an
her smiling lips were nothing bu
black lines Grandmother took he
up, very gingerly, and carried he
, out on plate to the shed to COO
Poor Rebeccai It was too much fo