Kristy's Rainy Day Picnic

not allowed to go out, Bessie and Helen we

ith jointed legs and arms, that could sit down; whole families of paper dolls cut from cardboard, with large wardrobes of garments of gilt and colored paper which the girls made themselves. Then there was a grand wax doll with real hair which hung

sed to be called a "false front." This delightful doll was quite a wonder in those days. It had a wardrobe as well made as H

Doctor and Nurse. Many tiny beads-called pills-and several drops from a bottle out of the family medicine case had been thrust between the teeth of this unlucky creat

not so easy to manage as the doll. Beads she refused to swallow, but thrust them out on her small pink tongue, and she struggled violently when

tly that they let her go, when she ran quickly dow

eat grief. The house was searched in vain, and the two

lace, and at last found the poor little dead body be

ole out into the arbor to think and plan what they should do. They dared not confess; they fe

roubled them. They dared not bury it, for fresh digging in that small city yard would arouse suspicion at once. Bessie suggested that they should carry it far

le Tom taught me,-and I'll do it up, and we can take it away in the da

ch that evening, they brought up the poor kitten, and Bessie made a very neat package

up town, and Helen's mother gave them money to ride in the omnibus-or stage,

e slipped out at the door, feeling now not on

the stage reached Nineteenth Street it stopped, and to Helen's horror one of her sch

u going?"

see Lottie Hart,

exclaimed; "ain't it

s filled with dismay. How cou

e?" was the next question, as th

trying to speak carelessl

believe her but said no more, t

riedly, pulling the strap at the same moment to stop the stage, "We're going to stop here to do an errand; we

pted rather shortly: "No; you go on and tell her we're coming; we might be detained, you kno

he stage had moved on. "She's the greatest tattler in school; she'll

essie. "Shall we really go to Lo

'll go," she added, for she was getting rather cross. "I wish we'd l

it was her plan, you remember. "I don't care if the whole town knows

t want Bessie to go home, and she remembered th

id quickly; "I meant going

. "But where shall we go now?" asked Bessie anxiously, for

Helen, brightening up; "I didn't think of that. W

Bessie, and with fresh

y had, for they had expected to walk home from Lottie's. They forgot until they had started that they had no money to get back

body was all the time looking at them. They dared not drop it in when any one was looking, for fear

chance when no one was looking; and indeed no doubt their man

n they went to the front of the boat, hoping to get where the

erboard," and kept near them as if he suspe

"we'll have to go back-and I haven't a

sie in horror; "oh

they might go back without paying. She whispered all this to Bessie, who by this time was frightened half out of her wits, wondering if they would ever get back over the river, and thinking of all th

we don't get off." So they took seats in one corner of the cabin, as the people

when the cabin was empty he came in. "It's time to

et off," said Helen

paid your fare,

cry, and Helen, though she tr

ferry-house?" she said, with trembling lips. "W

suspicions, for he turned and said as he went out of th

girls sat trembling, dreading that every man w

the bundle, and did not attemp

r, and began to think again of what they wanted now more than ever to do. They both felt that if t

esolutions, they came to a row of houses set back a

er one of these bushes, Helen? See; there's

s a most convenient b

whispered Helen, gla

" answered Bessie. "Do it

ng lilac bush, and with a gasp, Helen started on a mad run down the street followed closely by Bessie. Not until they

em, they grew less frightened, and then they found themselve

d and hungry girls reached the s

Helen, as they dragged

I," sai

and I'll go down and see if I can get som

h they eagerly devoured, and felt that their trou

er asked: "How did you find Lott

a moment and the

on going there, so we got out at S--

girls sharply. "You mu

dding quickly as she saw another question on her moth

girls confessed-told the whole story and pr

r ended. "You never told me anything about that Be

suspicious and Mrs. Crawf

al about her and I'll

"I believe I know who she wa

rd; "if I told you her real name, perhaps I

u needn't; but I g

s all you like," said

during that famous visit, which was not quite