The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-12-18

woods on the Eh|pWOOh sid
~ of the river, just Tor a change.
Patty:' suggested her sister.
THE water is so high this year that
the river will be splendid We can
gather II flowers in the hill pasture.
and then you'll be quite near Mrs.
BOyntOn's and can carry the nnSegay
there while | come home ahead of you
and get supper. I'll take tOday's eggs
to fathers store on the way and ask
him II he minds our having q little
walk. I've an errand ut Aunt Abby's
that would take me down to the bridge
anyway"
VERY well,' said Patty somewhat
alphabetically. Il always like Il walk
with you. but | don't care what be-
Ome Of me this afternoon if | cant
go to Ellen'S party"
The excursion tOOk place according
to WaitStilIs plan, and at 4 o'clock
she sped back to her night work and
preparations for supper, leaving Patty
with II great bunch of early wild flow
erS for Ivory's mother. Patty had left
them ut the BoyntOns' door with Rod
man. who WAS picking up chips and
volunteered to take the noScyny into
the house ut once.
"Won't You step in>ide!" the boy
asked shyly, wishing to be polite, but
conscious that visitors from the village
very seldom crossed the threshold.
I'D like to. but | can't this after
noon. thank YOU. | must run all the
way down the hill now or | SIan't be
in time to supper"
do YOU eat meals together over to
your house," asked the boy.
"We're all three at the table, if that
means together"
We never are. Ivory goes off early
and takes lunch in a pail. Sc do l
when | 90 to school. Aunt BOyntOn
sits down to eat. She just stands
at the window and takes a bite of
something now and then. You haven't
got any mother. have you?"
mo. Rodman."
Neither have |, nor any father. nor
any relations but Aunt BOynton and
Ivory. Ivory is very good to me. and
when he's at home I'm never lone
some"
81 wish you could come Over and
eat with sister and me- said Patty
gently. "Perhaps sometime, when my
father is away buying goods and we
are left alone, you could join us in the
woods. and we would have a picnic?
We would bring enough for you-all
sorts Of good t~hings-hard boiled eggs.
doughnuts, apple turnovers and bread
spread with jelly"
I'D like it fine" exclaimed Rodman,
his big dark eyes sparkling with an
ticipatiOn. Il don't have many boys
to play with. and l never went to a
picnic. Aunt BOyntOn watches for
uncle most all the time. She doesn't
know he has been away for years and
years. When she doesn't watch she
prays. Sometimes she wants me to
pray with her, but praying don't come
easy to me-"
Neither does it to me- said Patty.
I'm good at marbles and checkers
and backgammon and jack straws.
though"
$50 am l." said Patty. laughing; $50
we should be good friends. I'll try to
get a chance to see you sOon again, but
perhaps | can't: I'm a good deal tied
at home"
Your father doesn't like YOU to 20
anywheres. | guess" interposed Rod
man. 1--WE heard Ivory tell Aunt
Boynton things. but l wouldn't repeat
them. Ivory's trained me years and
years not to tell anything. so l don't"
That's a good boy!"' approved Pat
ty. Then as she regarded him more
closely, she continued. I'm sorry
you're lonesome, ROdman. I'd like to
zee you look brighter"
you think I've been crying" the boy
said shrewdly. $50 l have, but not
because I've been punished. The rea.
son my eyes are SO swollen up is be-
cause l killed our old toad by mistake
this morning, l was trying to see if
could swing the sc! the SOS to help
Ivory in haying time. I've only 'raked
after and l want to begin on moving
soOn's l can. Then, somehow or other
the old toad came out from under the
steps. / didn't see him, and the scythe
hit him square. l cried for an hour
that's what / did. and l don't care who
knows it, except l wouldn't like the
boys at school to hector me. I've
buried the toad out behind the barn
and I hope Ivory'h let me keep thu