Laddie: A True Blue Story

st Day

of life gives m

ts cast their s

nd mother wanted the teacher where they could know as much as possible about what was going on. Sally didn't like having her at all; she said with the wedding coming, the teacher would be a nuisance. Shelley had finished our school, and the Groveville high school, and instead of attending college she was going to Chicago to study music. She was so anxious over her dresses and getting started, she didn't seem to think much about what was going to happen to us at home; so she didn't c

aid that he was coming to see Sally, because he

what it was?

ave told you,"

ake the broom and

as a ribbon,

e, you'll wake the

it if I do?"

as fire, so it will cry all the

doesn't scream every mi

That will make Peter think a w

d began killing chickens. I helped her catch them. They were so

'm going to be sure we have enough, but d

many she had, so Sally said three. Mother counted us and s

looked at me and said:

caught the fourth one, and began helping pick them

nk of something. I rode his horse to the ba

what!"

ing Peter Dover's horse a slap as

am, biscuit, and

rbecue?" as

he baby," said Leon. "Squal

ce baby!"

now about it?"

and have brought up two others since, I am s

at else!"

"Out with it! Don't k

to meet the new teacher and she

n a manger, while Laddie he

Leon, grabbi

asked Laddie o

Mother said s

ck cat, why?"

re most convenient

eon, straightening up sniffing harne

would probably say so t

and a cat," said Leon. "

l, for sure. Remember your Alamo! You were going to have

at him. Laddie caught it

nderstand,

HIS is one reason." He hit Pe

yes," s

o music sc

Peter won't happen but once. Shelley will have at least two ye

!" cried

rders shall be

to him, but he ran to the house. When Laddie and I finished our work, and his, and want

die, but he didn't get

them and I could only hear a sort of murmur. Why can't people speak up loud and plain, anyway? Of course they would sit on the big haircloth sofa. Didn't Leon call it the "sparking bench"? The hemlock tree would be best. I climbed quieter than a cat, for they break bark and make an awful scratching with their claws sometimes; my bare feet were soundle

a half interest, and furnish a house nice

ksome and blushful, and w

ly tossed

on her del

ary Dow in McG

did I SAY?

of it, you didn

th dancing lights, and she la

sure of that, P

" said Peter, "except that

said to myself,

d her, the longest, hardest kiss I ever saw. I let go and rolled, tumbled, slid, and scratched down the hemlock tree, dropped from t

hey're engaged! He's kissing her,

or, and across the sitting-room before me, I don't understand. Sally made a dive at me, and I was so astonished I forgot to run, so she caugh

she said. "I'll atten

ng of having some one get all over me, and not having an idea where I'm going to be hit, is the worst punishment that I ever had. I'd been down the hill and up the hemlock that day, anyway. I'd always been told Sally didn't want

d the furnished house, and asked father for Sally right before all of them, which father said

dding was all finished long ago. Father took her to Fort Wayne on the cars to buy her wedding,

coax more dresses from father. Anyway, mother told him to set a limit and stick to it. She said she knew he hadn't done it as she got the

had to be made by hand. She kept the room locked, and every new thing that they made was laid away on the bed in the parlour bedroom, and none of us had a peep until everythin

lly then thought maybe they had better try it a few days, and she could have her place and be company when she and Shelley left. Shelley was rather silent and blue, and

clean the schoolhouse. May, Leon, and I went to do our share. Just when there were about a bushel of nut shells, and withered apple cores, and inky paper on the floor, the

er fast, as if he would as lief get it over with, and instead of riding on the back seat, where mother always sat, the teacher was in front beside him, and she seemed to be talking constantly. We looked at each other and groaned when father stopped at the hitching

hairs coming on her temples. Her face was sallow and wrinkled, and she had faded, pale-blue eyes. Her dress was like my mother had worn several years

the quinine gets in her mouth, and she doesn't dare spit it out, because it costs five dollars a bottle, and it's going to do her good. Father introduced May an

and help the dear c

!" we answered

of you!" s

birdlike of any human being I ever have seen. She hopped from the step to the walk, turned

ulate at the consummation of your labour," she said.

ing on the stove hearth. "Behold Job m

ed them over Leon. But it's no fun to do anything like that to him; he only sank in a more d

ear touch earth at all? Why does

eady for Monday," said Jimmy Hood.

" said Billy Wilson. "There ain't

ed Leon. "This will look worse t

ddenly May seized the poker and began po

and do what you please, and maybe you won't. Her eyes went around like a cat that s

imes afterward while listening to people talk, I

did so, "Work, work, my boy, be not afraid"; and he told Silas Shaw as he gave him the mop, to "L

n't any more cheerful. She didn't know what to do, and you could see plainly that no one knew what to do with her, so they united in sending me to show her the place. I asked her what she would like most to see, and she said everything was so charming she couldn't decide. I thought if she had no more choice than that, one place would do as well as another, so I started for the o

understood how much spelling and defining I'd heard in my life, I guess she might have talked up as big as she could, and still I'd have got most of it. When she reached the place where she ate more slowly, she began to talk. She must have asked me most a hundred questions. What all our name

elley had any beaus, and I said there wasn't any one who came like Peter, but every man in the neighbourhood wanted to be her beau. Then she aske

he must. He is so handsome! The girls w

idn't want t

I said so, but I do think he i

it wouldn't make any d

going to tell him my fool

ees how good looking he is. He doesn't care. He says the only thing t

well ed

s father. He says it is all rot about 'finishing' your education. You never do. You learn more important things each day,

awful pity, but it's the truth.

ch of her time to manage the house, and sew, and knit, and darn, that she can't study so much as the others; so father reads all the

what to ask," s

glish was first spoken, why Greeley changed his politics, how to make blu

through a fence crack and hit

that," she said scornfull

t is best for w

mifuge," sai

cine. Tea made from male fern root is b

use, Laddie had something to explain to father about corn mould, Sally and the dressmaker talked about pipings-not a bird-a new way to fold goods to make trimmings, and soon everything was going on the same as if the new teacher were not there.

morning, quite like church, and be shut in a room for hours, to try to learn what was in books, when the world was running over with things to find out where you could have your feet in w

heep pens, cattle stalls, and horse mangers. It was always half bursting with overflowing grain bins and haylofts in the fall; the swallows twittered under the roof until time to go south for winter, as they sailed from the ven

eaned and in proper shape every day. The upper floor was as neat as some women's houses. It was swept, the sun shone in, the winds drifted through, the

top of the haymows, walk the beams to the granaries, and jump to the hay. One day May came down on a snake that had been brought in with a load. I can

anest. When Laddie opened the doors on the east side, and she could see the big, red, yellow, and green apples thick as leaves on the trees in the orchard, the lane, the woods pasture, and the meadow with scattering trees, two running springs, and the meeting of the creeks, she said it wa

nt. So she stood in the door, and watched him saddle Flos and start to the house to dress i

er spelling book in one hand and was in my big catalpa talking to Billy Stevens, who was going to be her beau as soon as mother said she was old enough. Father was reading a wonderful new book to mother and some of the neighbours. Leon was perfectly happy because no

watch you turn west, and go past Pryors to show yourself off, or try to find the Princess on the

and no one was quick

stretched his hands toward Laddie, and making his voice all wavery and tremul

ddie, bewar

espairing, my s

cover what Go

of life gives

ts cast their s

and guided her to Peter and Sally, introduced her to Peter, and then slipped away and left her. Then he and Sally couldn't talk about their wedding, and Peter couldn't squeeze her hand, and she couldn't fix his tie, and it was awful. Shelley and her b

he lane Peter called to me to come and see him, but I knew exactly how he looked, and didn't propose to make up. There was not any sense in Sally clawing me all over, when I only tried to help mother and Lucy find out what they wanted to know so badly. I went down the hill, crossed the creek on the stepping-stones, and followed the cowpath into the woods pasture. It ran besid

he oak, the

ed in the gr

d renown to his

fty arms s

anches the biggest chicken hawks you ever saw had their nest, and if they took too many chickens father said they'd have to be frightened a little with a gun. I can't begin to tell how I loved those hawks. They did the one thing I wanted to most, and never could. When I saw them serenely soar above the lowest of the soft fleecy September clouds, I was wild with envy. I w

its roots. I sat on them above the water and thought. I had decided the day before about my going to school, and the day before that, and many, m

wind blew and the snow fell-how was I going to find out that? Worse yet were the flowers, butterflies, and moths; they were mysteries past learning alone, and while the names I made up for them were pretty and suitable, I knew in all reason they wouldn't be the same in the books. I had to go, but no one will ever know what it cost. When the supper bell rang, I sat still. I'd have to wait un

ful brook, y

bolled word is s

nshine o'er

ks did chil

the spring f

d us by." I had to quit playing, and go to work some time; it made me sorry to think how behind I was, because I had not started two years before, when I should. But that couldn't be helped now. All there w

d Pidy, Sukey and Muley; they had eaten all day, but they still snatched

't you?" he asked.

st heard you coming and

e wer

ayi

as if you'd been

er to have any, af

wo, but you'll soon get over it. You should have behaved

don't k

and looked

hts, if you want m

n?" I asked, alm

ht to do them if other girls can. You needn't feel bad because you are behind a little to start on; you are just that much better prepared to work, an

omfort. I presse

pose I will

flowers are mentioned your time will come; and all of us w

as if he cared what became of me. Maybe it was because Laddie always had taken such goo

f I try," I boasted. "And you will f

ing for you to

aven't pip

t y

going to

girl you could trust woul

now about Laddie, a

ltale sure

know it, he kn

t know WHA

since the fever, and father says all of us must think of her.

sharply, "is all this sudden consideration

" I answer

same. You can't fool me, miss

I answered, "

nd out what I know, and then run to Laddie with i

Laddie, and I'll watch you, and first trick I ca

han one can play at,"