Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-07-10
Miss Barbara s
Raspberries


just can't have him running out ana IN
here half q dozen times day tracking
in dirt"
Miss Julia's words and tone were as.
surfing If we don't take any notlce Oh
him whatever. l don't believe he'll trou'
BILE us"
So Robbie watched and waited In
vain for an opportunity to make the
acquaintance of his new neighpors.
When the goods were unloaded, the
truckman went away with his span OF
white horses and big wagon. Miss bar
bara and Miss Julia went into tne
house and shut the door. and the BOY:
who had been standing on the steps OF
the next house, went in to talk with MS
mother
They don't look half so nice as Mrs.
Royce" he told her. ,
but you cannot always tell now
good and kind woman is by her LOOKS
his mother counsclled.
who do you suppose will nave the
raspberres now?" Robbie asked atter
pause.
II think the news neighbors will want
the berries themselves" his mother re-
piled.
Down on the bank at the back OF the
house where Mrs. Royce had lived was
a thrifty black raspberry bush, ana, as
Mr. and Mrs Royce did not care for tne
berries, Mrs. Royce had given Robbie
leave to pick them whenever he llked'
which was privilege that ne greatly
appreciated.
Brother Roger and father were talk
ing about Godfrey de Bouiliion, apou.
whom Roger had been reading. ana
Robbie's attention was attracted, for ne
always liked to hear about great men
How grand the Crusaders must nave
looked, marching along, shouting their
war-cry "It is Gods WILL" each man
with a red cross embroidered on the
right shoulder! Robbie and mother
talked about Godfrey de Bouillon when
father and Roger had gone down town.
Robbie asked a good many questions
about theg reat Crusader VINO was VIZ ". -
ing to forgive an injury 10 hinhsell !
good might come thereby.
Il think it's almost as hard to forgive
people when they treat you badly as II
is to fight battles" Robbie said thought
fully
Robbie spent that morning WORKING
in his flower-beds at the back OF tle
house. There was little strip or laho
at the back Of the house. There was d
little strip Of land at the back OF Rop-
bie's house and the house where Mis.
Royce had lived. where flowers gre"
luxuriantly.
ROVCe
gardeners tools, divided her packages
of flower seeds with him, and taught
him how to plant the seeds the 1rst
year that she lived in the cottage: ana
since that time he had been an entiius
iastic gardener. In the afternoon ie
thought he would go down on the panK
just to see if the raspberrles were reau!
to be picked AS Robbie stood looking
| at them he wondered If the ne"
! needed picking. Then he picked one ana
| ate it: it was delicious. He picked an
| other and ate that, and then another;
! and then-then some dreau1ul colu
| thing came dashing with such force as
| almost to knock him down. He scream
| ed. and turned to meet MISS Barbara
with an empty water pail IN her manu-.
why, are you here? MISS barpala
sked in well-feigned surprise. you
better keen right away from this rasp-
berry bush, for I'm going to take the
best Of care of it. presume shall wet
| it every day this warm weather. anu
you'll be liable to get wet again II
you're over here"
Robbie did not wait to hear more he
ran for home as though for MS me-
When he reached his mothers arms ne
cried as he had not cried for long
time. and between his sobs his motner
could distinguish these words. i nate
the stingy old thing! Yes, do"
Miss Julia met Miss Barbara as she
came in at the back door,
What did he say? 1 saw you give
him good wetting.
He didn't say anything, but he made
tracks for home, and l think nell stay
there now" -
But don't you suppose his folks will
be dreadfully put out ABOUT II MISS
Julia asked apprehenslvely.
.If they keep on their land, shan't
trouble them; but just as long as we
pay our rent here we're going to have
what belongs to us, and were not 60
ing to be troubled by boys either, MISS
Barbara replied in very declded Tone
Somewhat later the two ladies' were
greatly surprised to see the trouble
some boy coming up the front walk
What on earth can he want now
Miss Barbara CALCULATED.
There was timid knock at the door,
and Miss Barbara answered the sum
mons. There were still traces OF tears
on Robbie's face, but he spoke brave
w.
81 didn't pick but just three of your
berries, but Of course hadn't any flgnt
TO touch one. Mrs. Royce didn't care for
black raspberries. and she always
save them to me, so l. guess | was so
'SGd to plCk1nS lle1H uiui lima,
but I won't never do so again. l thought
you must be real busy, seeing you've
Just moved in: and won't you please
lie, me pick the rest of them for you
to make up for what | ate? | wouldn't
eat one single one of them," he added
impressively.
Miss Barbara stared in establishment.
We are pretty busy. but | guess we
can find time to pick them ourselves,
she said hesitatingly
But / want to make it right, and !
can't think Of any other way; and l
wish you'd let me do it, Robbie plead
ed
And Miss Barbara surprised herself
and her sister by saying, well II you
want to so bad, you may
Then she brought q bright tin dish
from her pantry for Robbie to pick the
berries in. After Robbie had left the
house, the sisters looked wonderingly
at each other. Then Miss Julia broke
the silence.
He's a perfect little gentleman! But
] should think he would not have dared
to come over here again. Don't you
Suppose he hated to?'
az don't believe he edioyed it very
al RI n %