Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-30

The sky, and fell to dreaming about
rich, pale blue dress, just the color OF
the canopy away up yonder, that she
had seen the day before in one OF the
windows of the big department store
down on, Broadway.
FPS goin' to have 'em someday, now
suah | isl" she was saying to herself.
Green grass in my yahd, and sky
blue dress wifi spangle trimmln
Just then her dream was broken Dy
the sound of sobbing that she knew
at once had nothing Bibbsy about IT.
She could always tell Bibbs cry as
far as she could hear 1t.
Turning over and planting her ell
bows in the grass and her cheeks IN
her hands, she looked toward the
farther end of the church lot whence
the sobbing came, and saw little
mite of white humanity sink down up
ON the grass, crying as II its heart
would break.
Marcia Matilda was on her feet in
an instant.
whats the mattah VIII you, now? Is
you sick?' she asked, STOPPING over
the distressed little mortal.
"Tm-losted! l cant-tind-any-
house with lion steps!" sobbed the
child.
"'Lion-steps!' Is 1t Mr.. Barker
Endicott's house you wants, honey!
That's all the house Wit l1on-steps IN
front l knows of"
"He isn't Mr.. Barker Bndicott' to
inches just Daddy" declared the
little one, a bit dedantly.
Marcia Matilda turned to the group
Of Bibbses that had gathered, wide
eyed and open-mouthed, about the lost
child.
Eliza Aurelia. you play you's a
mother-hen, an you stay r1ght mean
wifi you chicks till gets back. is
got to take this chile home. | 'spect
Mrs. Barker Endicott's ravin' de-
stracted this minute. Come, honey,
YOU come wife me an I'll find the lion
steps fob you"
It was over by Chester Place park
ten blocks from the little church-that
MIR. Barker Endicott's big house stood,
with two carved lions guarding the
front steps. Marcia Matilda heayed a
bit of sigh as she left the soft grass
and her dreaming started up
State street with her charge.
! But jes can't be layin' around on
| the sof' grass when Mrs. Barker Enid
colts mo'h'nin fob her los chile, an,
thinkin' she's daid, reckon. is Jes,
got to get this chile home Marcia
| Matilda virtuously whispered to her'
self
| It was a long, hard walk for little
Gertrude Katherine Endicott-she was
little more than baby, and she was SO
tired after her wanderings! But after
while, as they neared Chester Place,
she trudged along more contentedly;
and when they came In sight OF the
lion-steps she ran ahead OF Marcia
Matilda and scrambled up those steps
as if every bit of the tired had sud
denly left her little legs.
And Just then the wide front door
opened, and out came two big men
wearing blue uniforms.
kidnapped for ransom one OF
them was saying when little figure
carted past him into the house like a
lively young kitten.
Hello! what's this?' asked the 9th
er, looking all sorts OF questions al
Marcia Matilda. .. ...
Marcia Matilda's heart began beat.
ing like a trip-hammer. She had ideas
of her own about men who wear blue
uniforms. :, ,
81 pes brung her home, that's all, >
she said, summoning all the courage
she could command. "She was jes'
,lumb cryin' her eyes out on the
church grass down State street, an
when she said lion-steps' l knew she
b'longed to Mr.. Barker Ednicott. NO
body else amt got no lion-steps.
"What's your name?' asked one OF
the men. smiling. He had a pencil
and a notebook in his hands.
Marcia Matilda Bibbs, subj
"Any relation to Bibbs that runs a
little barber shop down on Blake
street,"
That's my father, suh.'
"You get into that machine yonder
and we'll take you home said the
other man.
81 ain goin' home. rs got to stop
at the church, cause the rest OF 'em