Year: 1879

BABES, one would think, had exhausted
the subject; but still, want to tell
story of two small children who belonged
to very particular friend of mine.
The oldest was boy, stout, robust
little fellew. and he had a sister onlv
eleven months younger. She was wee
puny little child, and it was thought she
never would live to be year old. She
did, however, and weighed eleven pounds.
She could walk when eighteen months
old, and such bit of little girl, so
strong and active, was a sight to see.


When she was three years old, and
the boy turned four, she was dressed in
flannel blouse and drawers. like a bow
and turned out of doors to get strong in
the open air, and she and the boy were
lnsePoI ~"-o


mischief and fun, and few escapes, and
known by everybody as Bub and Sis.


Sis seemed to make up in quickness of
perception and activity of body for what
was lacking in size, and no monkey was
quicker or more mischievous than she
The escapes those two had in some of
their adventures were wonderful. They
were bent on imating everything they
saw done, and the first mischief in that
line was hair cutting. Having seen
some one cut hair, they confscated a
very sharp pointed pair of scissors, and
went to the barn, to escape observation.
Bub cut off every lock of his sisters hair
as close as shears could cut, but it was
left SO patchy and uneven that they were
taken to barber and had their heads
shingled, as it is called. Bub had cut
off his own front locks, which made it
necessary to have both treated alike.
[ They enjoyed their hairless state very
much, and so did their nurse-it needed
no curling or combing now. The girl
always almost colorless as to complexion,
with faxen hair nearly as colorless, and
pair Of large, shrewd, gray eyes, now
looked more monkey like than ever.
They upset knitting work, seasoned the
mince-meat, broke eggs to find chickens,
made medicines and dye stufs, all to
please themselves and although they
would not do forbidden thing. so great
were their resources it was impossible
to anticipate half the odd conceits of
their active minds.


The climax of imitation came one
morning after they had seen some per-
sons baptised in river near their home
the day before. After breakfast they
were missing, and search was of no
avail-tbey could not be found. At
last, man who was at work in the gar
den said he heard them talking about
baptising. This was enough to start the
whole family in race for the river, all
dreading to reach it lest it should be too
late.


Just as they reached ridge, before
coming to the water, they saw coming
two of the wettest children ever
seen. Drowned rats we're no comparison
to the limp, streaming of poor Sis, while
Bnb was trying to lead her. screaming
GLORY at the top of his voice. They
had been-in the water, and Sis had been
under water, where six feet from shore
1t was waist deep. Bub was soundly
whipped, but an hour afterwards was
heard telling some big boys all about
how he baptized Sis.


At last, to keep them out of scrapes,
they we're sent to school. They would
promise to be good, and start on their
half mile walk, with pail of luncheon.
Stopping at every chicken coop. and pig
sty, and to dabble in every mud-puddle,
they reached school tired, and sleepy.
The teacher would make a pillow of
shawls, and put them under her desk, on
the floor, to have a nap. Then they
would read, and be ready for noon recess
of an hour. Their own dinner generally
was fed out by that time, to various
chickone, aud cats. on the road, and they
had their supply from other pals.


Once they brought home two wee bits
of chicks, in their pail, and when ques-
toned about it. said, "a woman had
hundreds, and lots of chickens, and said
they might have some when they were
bigger; and they had got bigger now,
so they took some"


Their mother died when they were
four or FIVE years old. and an aunt took
care of them for year, when new
mamma was brought home. They had
never seen her, and were rather shy. Sis
evidently wanted to be friends. ]" as she
called it. and hung about, just out or
reach, for some time. At last she
climbed into chair, and tipping her
white head on one side, thrusting her
tongue into a corner of her mouth. which
was trick she had, she stood looking
into the eyes of her new friend with a
look so very comical and ludicrous that
the new mamma laughed outright; and
opening her arms she only said, ''Come, I"
and Sis jumped into her lap and gave
her such hugging as only she knew
how to give. From that moment Sis was
, ill Che loft of eoma of her