The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-12-11
ant to cover your ears up7 What az

ITO hear you with. father" Patty
replied. with honey sweet voice and
eyes that blazed.
well. l hope they'll never hear any
thing worse" replied her father, fling.
ing a bucket Of water over the last of
the wagon wheels.
"They couldn'ty' These words were
never spoken aloud; but. oh. how Patty
longed to shout them with a clarion
voice as she walked away in perfect
silence. her majestic gait showing. she
hoped. how she resented the outcome Of
the interview.
"Tve stood up to father" she ex-
claimed trinmpbantly as she entered
the kitchen and set down her yellow
bowl of eggs on the table. Il stood
up to him and answered him back
three tines"
Waitstill was busy with her Satur-
day morning cooking. but she turned
in alarm.
Patty. what have you said and
done: Tell me quickly"
81 'argyficd.' but it didn't do any
good. He won't let me 60 to Ellen's
party"
WaitstilI wiped her floury hands and
put them on her sisters shoulders.
Hear what | say, Patty: You must
not argue with father. whatever he
says We don't love him and so there
isn't the right respect in our hearts.
but at least there can he respect in our
manners"
81 don't believe l can go on for years
holding in, Waitstill!" Patty whimp-
cred.
Yes, you can. | have"
You're different. WaitstiIl."
II wasn't so different at sixteen, but
that's five years ago. and I've got con
troll of my tongue and my temper since
then. Sometime. perhaps. when have
q grievance too great to be rightly
borne. sometime when you are away
from here in a home of your own, |
shall speak out to father: just empty
my heart of all the disappointment
and bitterness and rebellion. Some
body ought to tell him the truth and
perhaps it will be met"
Waitstill bent over the girl as she
flung herself down beside the table
and smoothed her shoulder gently.
There, there. dear! 1t isn't like my
gay little sister to cry. What is the
matter with you today. Patty"
81 suppose it's the spring." she said,
wiping her eyes with her apron and
cupilinr fhrorrh hnr foorc sDorb, ~
! need a dose Of sulphur and mOlasses."
Don't you feel well as commonY
We'll? | feel too well! l feel as If
| was a young colt shut up in an at
tic. | want to kick up my heels. bat
ter the dOOr down and get out into the
pasture. It's no use talking. Waity.
| can't 60 on living without a bit of
pleasure and | can't go on being pa
tent even for your sake. If it weren't
for you I'd run away as Job did. and
| never believed Moses slipped on the
logs. I'm Sure he threw himself into
! the river, and so should | If I had the
courage!"
stop, Patty, stop. dear. You will
have your bit Of pasture at least. I'll
do some of your indoor tasks for you,
ana you shall put on your s%unbonnet
and go out and dig the dandelion
green's for dinner. Take the broken
knife and a milk pan, and don't bring
in SO much earth with them as you did
last time. Dry your eyes and look at
the green things growing. Remember
how young you are and how many
years are ahead Of you. Go along.
dear"
Waitstill went about her work with
rather a heavy heart. Was life going
to be more rather than less difficult
now that Patty was growing up?
Would she be able to do her duty both
by father and sister and keep peace in
the household. as she had vowed in
her secret heart always to do? She
paused every 10Y and then to look
Out of the window and wave an en-
couraging hand to Patty. The girls
bonnet was off. and her uncovered
head blazed like red gold in the sun
light. The short young grass was dot
ted with dandelion blooms. some of
them already grown to huge disks Of
yellow. and Patty moved hither and
thither. selecting the younger weeds.
deftly putting the broken knife under
their roots and popping them into the
tin pan. Presently for Deacon Baxter
had finished the wagon and gone dowE
the hill to relieve Cepbas Cole at the
counter-Patty's shrill young whistle
l0ated into the kitchen. but with a
mischievous glance at the open win
dow she broke off suddenly and began
to sing the words Of the hymn with
rather more emphasis and gusto than
strict piety warranted:
There'll be something in heaven for chill
dren to do.
None are idle In that blessed land.
There'll be work for the heart. there'n be
work for the mind
And employment for each little hand.
There'l be something to do.
There'n be something to do.
There'u be something for children to do!
On hat bright. blessed shore
Where there's JOY evermore
There'll be something for children to do.
TDoAkuSo ro,- ,Uickoono hnin~ foil 70