The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-05-29

are two little children, all dust and
dirt"
Bring them in Sarah" was the far
1aer's quiet reply.
The chubby merry-looking farm
wife talked and laughed, as she bust
led around her homework and Bobby
and Elsie enjoyed their breakfast ex-
ceedingly. The hot porridge, home
made jam and pickles and the bread
and butter was greatly enjoyed.
In experimenting the good wamon
took Elsie's little hand, in her own,
and said lovingly:
Goodbye dearie. Take good care
Of yourself, and I'm sorry you ran
away because I'm sure your mama
and papa loved YOU" And turning to
Bobby she said.
"Take good care Of both yourself
and Elsie Bobby. A big boy like you
is about sure to prosper"
After a long walk they finally
reached a little town, where they went
into a restaurant and had dinner.
Bobby had worked out in the spring
and had thus saved up a neat sum
Of fifty dollars, which he had brought
with him. Elsie was grateful to him
and tried often to express her thanks
to him. But to Bobby it was only a
pleasure to help her.
AS they were eating dinner and
chatting very gaily. Bobby noticed a
man who had watched them for quite
a while. He began feeling quite IN
easy over this and told Elsie about it.
She looked at him ~curiously and then
with a startled, half frightened cry
she gripped Bobby's arm and whis-
pered to him: "Why it's papa"
Bobby looked at her in establishment
and was unable to reply before the
man stepped up closer. Then after a
moments pause, an exclamation Of
joy and surprise escaped the mans
lips and quickly he came up to Elsie's
side.
"Why it's my own darling Elsie, he
cried, "oh where has u little Mis-
chief been? Papa and mama r
nearly sick because Of the fear Of ev-
er seeing our darling again. Why
did our little darling leave u.s."
"Why papa" exclaimed Elsie in sur
prise, IT didn't think you cared for
me, so I didn't think it would matter
if I did run away"
"You little darling. Of course we
cared more than anyone in the world
cared" He led her out Of the restau-
rant, leaving Bobby there to watch
his little companion 60 away from
him. But all at once Elsie remem-
bered him and stopping short, she re-
fused to 60 any farther.
"Papa," she said determined, II
won't 60 unless you take Bobby too"
"Why who's Bobby?" asked the
astonished father.
"He's the boy who sat opposite to
me at the table daddy. He's been SO
good to me. Your little Mischief
might never have been here if it had
MT been for him."
So Mr.. Oliver was compelled to turn
back to the restaurant. Elsie went in
with a light heart but came back with
a heavy one. Bobby was nowhere to
be e and although they looked all
over the little town, it was in vain.
Bobby, for fear Of being captured,
had continued his journey.
Little Mischief sobbed herself to
sleep in the buggy going home, and
when she reached home, her mother
cried for joy. She snatched her little
Elsie out of the buggy and covered
her with kisses, while Elsie leaned
her tired head on her mothers should
er and sobbed.
MAMA dear, you never kissed me Sc
much before, and your little Elsie did
MT know your cared"
That night when Elsie was tucked
into bed and was under her own soft
covers, she included Bobby in he1
prayers. And when her tired little
eyelids closed, she was again together
with Bobby. But it was in dream
land. H.,
Six years had passed. We shall
again see our little Mischief, but she
was now a grown girl. She was sit
ting on a bench out in the trees near
her home. and her eyes were glued on
the root of a tree. But she did not
see anything. She was only dream,
ing and those big brown eyes, looked
dreamingly at the trees and it's green
leaves. ,
She had not yet forgotten the time
she ran away and neither had she for
gotten her companion Bobby. A pref
ty little smile fitted across her face,
as she thought Of the kiss Bobby had
printed on her cheek. She gave a
little start as her mother called her.
"Elsie, hadn't you better come and
dress now dearie? we'll have to go in
another hour"
Eyes mama, I'm coming" She rose
quickly and went upstairs to her bed
$500 CT ~rns ->sn~ - han al