Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1915-12-15

many things to be done before the min
o'clock bell. There was the wood-bo
to be filled, the canary to feed. tht
porch to be swept and usually the era
die to reck, while the mother did sucl
work as could be done while there wa!
some one to care for the baby.
On this particular morning the moth
er had gone to Mrs. Browns, arouno
the corner, to borrow some yeast, anc
had become so interested in recipe
for chocolate pie, a pattern for boy s
blouse and the pound-party at the
Methodist parsonage, that she entirely
forgot the time of day.
Meanwhile Ebert, with his overshoes
and scarf on and cap in hand, rocked
the cradle ard kept his eyes on the
clock. Five, e,-ten-mlnutes passed
away. The minute-hand was drawing
alarmingly near to last-bell time. He
frightened his scarf, pulled his cap over
his ears and rocked the cradle harder
than ever. Still no mother. Then he
ran out on the porch and sent forth a
Iusty shout" Mama a, come ho-ome -
But no voice responded. "Oh dear,
dear!' he cried as he rushed back to
the cradle and just then his expectant
ears heard the slow clang of the last
bell. 1t would ring for five minutes.
The school house was only three streets
away, and there was yet time--it he
could only start!
One thing was sure-he would never
leave his baby sister. Only last week
he had read of baby who was almost
burned to death because spark from
the kitchen stove had fallen into her
cradle, and herA brother who had
promised to take care of her had gone
out on the street to play.
He went to the door and shouted
again. But when two mothers are
buSily considering patterns and pound
parties, who ever knew them to notice
any little outside noise? Elberts
shout ended in big sob.
III Then, a happy though flashed -lrlto
his mind. Rushing to the cradle. ne
caught up the baby, scattering pillows
and blankets right and left, bundled an
old shawl about her, and snatching her
half-flled milk bottle, dashed out of
the house and ran off In the direction
of the changing bell as fast as his stout,
young legs could carry HIM. He met
two women whom he knew and who
called out, why, Ebert and What
on earth!" but he bounded on with no
answer but his painting breath. and
reached the school-house IN such good
time that the bell gave it's last clang
as he handed his burden to his aston
ished teacher.
IL couldn't leave her, an | just
couldn't be ate, he said, as soon as
he could get enough breath tor speech.
"And she II GO to sleep an be real
good" -" he ADDED, as the teacher began
to unwind the shawl.
And then the whole room saw sur
prised, haIf-smothereo, redfaced baby
still in her nightgown-one bare foot
sticking out and her little fists tightly
clinched as il defying anybody to send
her home. The teacher was good
natured yourg lady, and she laughed so
heartily that she almost dropped the
baby on the floor; and then the whole
room laughed and finally Ebert joined
in-for he was glad he had escaped the
tardy mark, and the baby certainly did
look funny in school.
OF course there could be no order.
Nearly all the scholars had babies at
home. or were we'll acquainted with
those of their nelghbors, but they acted
as il they had never seen one before,
and every movement of the little pink
hands and every wobble of the small
bald head made them scream with
laughter, until the Principal came in
to learn the cause of such disturbance;
and after trying to look severe for five
seconds, he laughed too.
And while all this fun was going on,
Ebert s mother was running wildly
the four rooms OF her little
house, calling her boys name and feel
ing sure that her children were drown
ed IN the clstern or had been kidnapped
and lost forever. The scattered pill
lows and upset rocking chair looked as
if there had been struggle, and the
outside door swinging to and fro-her |
first lntimation that something was
dreadful look to Ebert
mother Just then the women whom |
Ebert had met stopped at the gate and
said to the mother who was coming |
hurriedly out for the third time, "Is |
anything the matter, Mrs. Collns?'
.'Oh, | don know where my child
rem are! left them while | ran
around to Mrs Browns tor few min
ties, and the kitchen is all upset, and
found the gate wide open, and .Oh,
Oh h!--where can they be?"
why, we just now met Ebert, with
The baby, hiking along like the wind,
lust beyond Webster's grocery. Least
wise, we supposed 1t was the baby,
rom the way he carried it. We called
% him but he wouldn't STOP"
"Merciful mani" said Mrs. Collins,
Hes taken her to school ~
Ten minutes later fus.ered little