The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1926-09-16

R't PNio Out ivy bCStC&lIib6 III
: pied hands toward the red balloon
. Patience, you can't have it,
cried Lydia. 'lt-itIl make you
e tummy ache. I'll buy you one whel
> you're older"
I The black-eyed child. holding tn
. red balloon, suddenly kissed littl,
Patience, who was the pet of al
the children in the neighbOrhood
and put the string of her balloon
Into the dimpled hand. II had thu
circus-you can have the balloon,
she said.
Lydia jerked the string away
and held 1t out to the owner.
We're no cheerity charities
Margery," she said. "Ill get Pa
thence a balloon"
You're an awful liar and a cruel
beast, Lydia !" cried Margery. She
snatched the string and tied II
about the baby's wrist. you know
you can't buy her one and you
, know she'll cry herself sick for one,
now she's seen mine, and I guess
love her as much as you do"
Lydia looked from the cherub in
the perambulator, Growing ecstatic-
ally over the red bubble that tugged
at her wrist, to the defiant Mar
gerry.
"Tll let her have it, Margery,"
she said reluctantly. I'll make you
a dolls high chair"
"All right" said Margery, non
chalantly. Face tag! So longl"
Lydia a the perambulator along
the board walk. The street was
macadamized and bordered with
thrifty maple trees. Back of the
maple trees were frame houses, of
cheap and stupid construction. Be-
fore n of these Lydia paused. It
was q dingy brown house, of the
type known as STORY and a half"
Lydia opened the gate in the
picket fence and tugged the peram-
bulator through and up to the
porch.
There, baby mine, shall Lydia
take you In for your SUPPER
supper" cooed little Patience,
lifting her rms
Lydia lifted her to the porch with
surprising ease. The little two
year-old should have been no light
weight for the little mother Of
twelve. She stood on the porch
watching Lydia arrange Florence
Dombey In her place in the peram-
bulator. The red balloon tugging
at her wrist. her sOiled little white
dress blowing in the summer
breeze. she finally grew impatient
of Lydina's attentions to Florence
Dombey.
BABY eat now she cried with
a stamp of her small foot. {
Lydia laughed. She ran up the
took the baby's hand and led {
her through the entry into a square I
room, evidently the parlor of
the home. 1t was dusty and disor- /
T
Lydia d~isgorged the contents of !
her blouse upon the desk, then fol
owed little Patience into the next
'oom. This was larger than the t
first and was evidently the dining
and sitting room.
A short, stout old wOman was q
the table. She had iron b
ray hair. Her face was a broad 5
wreath of wrinkles, surrounding f
,espectacled black eyes and a thin t
mouth that eve quite concealed a j
cry white and handsome set of
alse teeth. a
See! Liz! Seei" cried little s.
'%atience, %pattering up to the old o
with the Juggling balloon. G
"Ain't that grand!' said Lizzie. N
Where'd you git the money, Ly-
ia? Baby's milk's in the tin cup k
n the kitchen table. Your fathers b
ONE. You'd better fry the steak. HI
lie complains SO about 1t when I h
it." RI
Lydia left the baby clinging 10 IL
.izzie's skirts and went on into the al
itchen. Her father was washing
is hands at the sink. d;
Hello, dadp' she said. The
hid had a peculiar thread of rich
ess in her voice when she spoke tn
} little Patience, and it was APP m
aren't again as she greeted the
at the sink. He turned toward 81
er. at
"Well, young woman, it's about ia
me you got home" he said.
Baby all right?" L.
Lydia nodded and turned toward
he litter of dishes and paper par to
9ls on the kitchen table. Amos
udley at this time was about for 20
years Old-a thin man Of medium sn
eight, his brown hair already a
'ay at the temples. Lydia evident &c
got from him the blue of her Ly
res and the white of her teeth. an
e began to peel off a pair of
own overalls. an
whats for supper?" he asked. ~
Round steak" said Lydia. 20
For heavens sake, don't let Liz fol
uch it."
81 won't" said the child, piling ma
} dishes deftly. IN
I'm going to give baby her cup 1t,
| of milk, and then I'll fix it in !.
Y patent way" ar
Amos nodded oYou,re q natural zle
ok, like your mother" He paused. ca
leg of his overalls off, disclos-
g his shiny black trousers. Lydia col
rried the cupful of milk toward see
q dining room. From where he IL
t he could see her kneel before on
tie Patience, and hold the cup. J
lille the baby drank thirstily. Lit me
notes of the sunset light danced 70
the two curly golden heads. He ruI
)ked from the children toward
e dusty kitchen table. du'