Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-09-19
|One Summer DQp


couldn't talk and he couldn't walk, and
Lucy and Arthur agreed that the more
he slept, the better they liked his com
pany. Not that they had much OF IT,
though; for they made the most OF
their freedom to go where they liked
and do substantially what they pleas,
ed. Naturally, the two were con-
stantly together, and had as much fun
as if they had a wider choice of COM
panions.
One lovely morning they went down
to the brook to play. There was never
more fascinating place than this
same brook for the building of dams
and the construction of harbors and
the sailing of ships. Sometimes, 1T IS
true, Arthur limited that he had heard
his father say it is great improve
ment to a brook to have some water IN
it, but that was only after prolonged
drought. Ordinarily, there was quite
enough, and yet not too much; that ls'
there was enough to keep an active
current in the middle of the stream
and to send the water over the stones
in miniature cataracts here and there,
and yet not too much but that delight
ful little pools were left on the sides.
and one might easily cross the stream
on the stones in certain places.
Arthur and Lucy had each harbor,
with a fleet of ships, some intended LOT
crossing to other ports with l0ads OF
freight usually the deserted homes OF
the caddis-worms). and others Dullt
for voyages of discovery that implied
danger and possible ,shipwreck
The children were in excellent
spirits. They ran along the top OF the
high stone wall that skirted the road
under the pine trees, and Arthur
stumped Lucy to jump from its top
down into the soft matted needles
below. She hesitated; but, when ne
added ref1ectively, Girls are most al
wavs fraid-cats!" she flung herself
down. relieved to find herself unin-
jured
provingly; and Lucy glowed with sat
isfaction. >,
Girls are just as brave as Doys'
she rejoined. !,
"oh, no, they're not" came the
quick reply. ''Why, I'm not AFRAID OF
anything most. l wouldn't be AFRAID
of lion in the pathway right now.
="Oh, my!'' applauded Lucy, admir-
ingly. "Oh, what's that?'
A sudden roar-or was 1t roar =
broke the silence; and both children
halted breathless, ready for a run.
''Oh. that's nothing but one OF the
COWS over in the PASTURE said Arthur
bravely, after second. 1--WE wouldn't
have noticed it at all if we hadn't
been talking about lions"
So they proceeded, rather proud OF
themselves for not having been fright,
ened. to the brook, where they salleo
their boats and strengthened the mar.
bors and improved the waterways and
added little to the height OF the
largest dam. At last they sat down
rather tired, on big stone by the
edge. with their feet hanging over the
water; and they ate the RASPBERRY
waters with which Arthur had conslo'
erately provided himself.
Everything was still around them ex.
cept for the murmur OF the vino
through the trees and the FLASHING OF
tho brook at their feet. The sky was
flecked with fleecy clouds; in the pas
tnre beyond the trees that fringed the
other side of the brook the COWS were
nlacidly munching the grass or lying
in the shade; and beyond the pasture
rose the hills. not so clearly outlined
as sometimes, but misty with tender
haze that suggested the coming
autumn.
"say it's mighty pretty here, some
how" said Arthur.
eyes" responded Lucy, eagerly;
"and if is all SO quiet. No bothers like
lessons or dancing school and no er'
rands to run
"Thats so. The only trouble is wait
inf for supper and going to bed; put !
don't mind that, either, so much as
do at home
: The brook had left piles OF small
stones here and there along its course
perhaps, or the
snringtime when it's flood ran higher.
Arthur began tossing them idly into
the stream below. See if you can MT
that rock in the pool below the tnlrd
dam, Lucy" And they tried two or
three times before giving it up. See
if>ycu can throw as far as can there,
right through that opening In the
trees" Lucy tried once, rather IAN
guidly; but her stone fell several 1ee1
short of Arthur's. 49,
I'm not going to throw stones. IL
too hot" she said, preparing to scttle
back again.
well. lust once more! Now brace
I'm and put some life into it. wen
throw together"
They threw; but, alas! as the stones
left their hands, Bessie Bell, their
fayorite COW, started up from the
grass, her head turned in their direc.
tion lust in time to receive the full
force of blow.
Nov we've done it," cried Lucy,
stricken. as poor Bessie
oav y below Of anguish and began run.
Ming round the field like a mad
creature. "a stone hit her square in
the eye"
Arthur turned a. despairing face to
Lucy. Good gracious. Mr.. Johnson
will have a fit if we've nut out Bessie
eye. And I know we have. Just look
at herr"
They watched the crazy perform
ances of the COW for about half min
ute, then turned with one consent
scrambled up the bank. and fled for