Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-01-16
Little Tag End

Little lag End
Ina stood at the window ready for
her outing, in gray sweater, toboggan-
cap, and leggings, her yellow hair curl
ing, her cheeks already aglow She
was watching for Amy Bruce, and
when Amy trudged into sight, pres
emily. she turned with a little shrek
of Joy to make for the door.
In turning, though, she stumbled
over something directly behind her
and almost fell. 1t was small Char
lotte, also decked in outdoor clothes,
scarlet from the red tam-o -shanter
rnat crowned her dark, bobbed head to
the red-stockinged stout legs, and
beaming with expectation.
"Mother!" cried Ina In dismay.
Charlotte not going, too?"
Eyes, dearie," mother answered, hes
itating a little. "Pll have to ask you
to take her along this time. I am too
busy to 60 out now, and she needs
fresh air. You will not trouble sister,
will you, Charlotte?"
The tam-o -shanter shook violently.
I'll be SO good!" its owner promised
gaily.
But Inas bright face looked stormy
now. It'll spoil all the fun" she
grumbled, every single speck. Come
on, then if you're bound to go, Tag
End"
Tag-End was name Ina had given
her little sister, because, she said.
whoever might be going anywhere, il
they looked back they were sure to
see Charlotte tagging busily on be-
hind.
Quite far behind Charlotte had to
tag on this occasion, for by the time
she could get her little sled started the
two larger girls were far on the way
to the coasting hill. She hurried as
fast as her fat legs would take her,
half minded to cry, yet remembering
that this would be bad plan for
many reasons.
When she reached the brow of the
hill at last, the fun had already begun
Ina and Amy were two flying dots mid
way down the slope, lying fiat on their
sleds and screaming joyously. Char
lotte halted, her heart in her mouth,
trying to screw up the courage to FOL
low. She had often coasted alone, but
never down this steep hill which seem
ed to drop like the side of gulf. She
dared not try now, and stood watching
them wistfully, hoping that one or the
other would come back and take her
on behind for glorious plunge.
Ina steered her sled into safety be-
low, and jumped up, laughing and
tousled. Look at Tag-End up yon-
der" she cried.
"Tell her to coast down." said kind
hearted Amy. eve can catch her by
the elbows when she gets here, and
it will be all right"
Ina lifted her voice loudly and clear
ly. Come along" she called, knowing
we'll enough that Charlotte would not
come. Jump on and scoot down. or
|Tll come up and send you down, Tag
End Taylor
Charlotte saw the gray legg1ngs
start uphill, and was panic stricken.
It would be exactly like michievOus
Ina, she was well aware, to dump her
on the sled and send her "scoot1ng
into awful space. It might be safe TO
20 down alone, but she did not want
to try it, and her only thought was TO
get away in time, for the coasters
were getting nearer and nearer IN
their upward trip. She turned wildly,
looking about her.
The hill. that dipped so sharply on
it's south side, stretched away to the
north in only a gentle slant. 1t flash
ed into Charlotte's head that the quick
est way out of her difficulty would be
to coast out of it down this easy, con-
venient little hill, for the girls were
too tired to come after her, and pres
emily Ina would forget her foolish no.
ton.
She flung herself, face down, upon
her little scarlet sled, gave push
with one foot and was OH. The sled
moved slowly at first, for the ground
was almost level here, but this shady
side of the hill was covered with Ice
instead Of snow, and it was not many
seconds before the little coaster was
I going very swiftly indeed, gaming
speed fast as she west, and holdlng
on for dear life Faster and faster she
J flew. Then, instead of stopping on
/ the level at the bottom, the sled snot
across it, ran up a steep rise, and De-
fore Charlotte could catch her breath
was off down another long slope.
Ina and Amy, reaching the top an
instant after she disappeared from
view, gasped and turned on each other
with wide eyes. Where was Char'
lotte? A quarter of a minute ago she
had been in plain sight; now she was
gone. Ina. shading her eyes. peered
in every direction. Amy began to
search for tracks or footprints. But
there was nothing to be seen in the
distance or near at hand; and as 10
/ tracks. none showed on the clear icy
slope down which little Charlotte had
slidden. The girls could not believe
their senses. How could such thing
| be?
/ 1t seemed only queer at first, but al
ter a while it became, a very serious
matter. Never did Ina forget the half
hour that followed. Anxious and
GREATNESS, they searched, through the
little grove of cedars at the east OF the
hill and for a hundred yards on the
path home-anywhere, everywhere
that a child could be and in many
places where one could not be. AND
all the while they knew it was almost