AMEN AND AMEN.

Fair Play, Volume I, Issue 23, 2 July 1894, Page 33

AMEN AND AMEN.

“Oh, olj, lis killed! I is killedr and both papa and mamma ran out into tha'J hall, where the cries of distress came | from. •’) “But you are not, Jennett, or you could not cry so,” said papa half impatiently as he lifted his little daughter to her feet.' “But my w’ist is broken,” and the brown eyes looked up into the gray ones, as if there to read the awful consequences should the fact be true. j “No, neither killed nor broken,” mam- * ma said soothingly. ) “But I fell down free steps,” and the little face was still drawn. • “Well, well, you are not hurt much, ’ Jennett, so do not fear,” and Mr. Summers sat his little girl down after kissing her. i But she continued to moan and worry until''papa said: 1 “Now, Jennett, l will get me another little girl down town if you don’t hush. Come, be a lady.” “Bigger than me?’ “No, just as ‘big, so when you are naughty I can have another one.” “Do they keep them at stores?” “Yes, yes; plenty of them.” . The tears were all gone now, and two little hands rested firmly on her father’s knee as she read the story from his eyes, even while he was yet speaking. Another little girl—one to be loved even as as much as she; one to go to when she was naughty, so papa had said. Her dear papa not hers alone! The tears came nearer and nearer. “And if I is dood.”

Then papa saw how bis words had wounded, and he felt sorry. He lifted her up, but the tears could not be staid. She cried a little until his kisses soothed her to sieep, and he laid her down and the momentary remorse at the same time. Nothing was further from his thoughts as he hailed the passing car. Mrs. Summers covered her little girl warmly and hurried down to receive callers. But soon Jennett wakened and called for mamma. “No, no,” the nurse said. “Mamma is busy." “I won’t bother,” and she started for the door. “You must not go,” nurse said sharply. “There is an old witch down there who hates-little girls.” Jennett then paused and finally went to the window. Turning around by and by, she saw the nurse busy at her table with her work, so she slipped down stairs. Mamma saw a timid little face at the door and said, “Oome on in, darling.” She pressed, close to her mother while she eyed the visitors curiously. .

un, such a dear,” Mrs. Cooler smilingly murmured. “Such perfectly gorgeous eyes!” Miss Cora replied. & Jennett looked at each as she spoke | and came to the conclusion that the last : one was the witch—the witch that hated little girls, for she was the oldest of the three. • “Come and see me,” Miss Cora entreated. Now, Jennett was not timid generally, but she would not go. “But she will come to me,” and Mrs. Cooler rocked forward to caress her. “Oh, Aamma, this is a witch and hates little girls,” and Jennett clung around her mother’s neck. “Take me away, mamma. 1 don’t like her a bit,” she screamed. ? “Hush, child, what do yon mean?” and Mrs. Summer’s face burned painfully, v “Hush, and tell mamma all about it." She was a sensible woman in somethings and knew the best way to prove it a freak of a child's brain was to let the ladies hear the confession. “What made you fear tho lady?” ' “Nurse” “Nurse—well, go on.” “Nurse said there was a witch down here, and she hated little girls," and she Btill hid her face. “Naughty nursel Why did she say that?” “She was afraid she would hate me," came the tones in all confidence. “It’s a shame," mamma said, “and I Will tell nurse so.” But no coaxing could change the little lady’s mind, and the visitors departed in a little while. But mamma forgot all about it, and she was very busy all the afternoon.

Jennett went for a walk with nurso and found mamma all dressed for an evening party when she came homo. “You is booful.” she..cried gleefully. “May I go tool” “Oh, no, dear.” “Why can’t 1 go T “Little girls are best off at home.” “Ain’t mammas too?" Mamma paused, but did not reply. Nor did she forget the little eyes looking up into hers as she went on again with her wraps. “I wish 1 had two mammas, so” “So what, darling?” “So I wouldn’t have to stay alone so much.” “But nurse’s here,” and mamma went down to papa. “Goodby. kitten,” papa called up the stairway. “Goodby” came the little voice, but then papa and mamma couldn’t see the little face and the tears on the lashes. “Comdjfup to bed now,” nurse said as Jennett fmishod her simple supper. But the little eyes could not stay shut, > and the little heart so “pained” for ynaynTn^., . Down stairs was some one who wa

to see nurso, so she fell bock on her oljcl mode. ;i “Now shut your eyes quick and go to sleep or a big, black dog will come out of the oloset and bite you.” : 7 ? Closed were the little eyelids now, nor did they tell of the hurried beatings of a timid heart under the counterpane. Not a muscle moved and nurse’s duty was done. j Bnt for hours it seemed to the lonely little girl did she wait and fear the ugly dog. “Suoh flashed cheeks,” and mamma called papa into the room aftor they were home again. j “Covered too worm,” papa thought as he kissed the rosy mouth. “You had better caution nurse about it.” “Do you s’pose papa will get another tittle girl if lis sick?” „ , It was morning, and mamma was try-, ing to have Jennett eat her oatmooL ; “Why?” I “Cause, I can’t eat it, but”—— “No, no, darling. Papa wants only you.” Glad littlo eyes watched her mother’s face—-but then—papa had said that.

Tho littlo girl was horsolf again in a fow days, hor naughty solf too, one morning, as papa went off aftor another; little girl so he said. “No, he’s alone,” and Jennett turned; from the window whore she had been so, long. i “Who is, petr “Papa,” and his step was in the hall, y “Where—is she, papa?” t “Where is whom?” t “The other littlo girl.” r “Oh, down town.” The little girl down town became as: real to Jennett as the president is to us. * They were not bad parents, oh, no, only thoughtless and ignorant of the longing of a littlo heart. “Mamma is going down town, Jen-. aett,” said Mrs. Summers one day. “Please, may I go too?” “No, no; Mrs. Allen goes with mam- , am,” she answered rather impatiently, t “You can go with nurso for a walkJ 1 .

“Is you going, to see papa’s little girl?” .2 and the lips quivered.: . , 1 4 “Oh, yon foolish child, no,” and Mrs. Bummers laughed. Bnt Jennett only turned to the window and was so qniet,. .* 60 very quiet that her mother came up and looked out to see what her daughter / Baw. t. ,1 “What is it, Jennett?” ;■ No answer, and the little, form was lifted onto her lap. ; “Why, darling, what is it? And you are surely cryifcg. What fori” • •'* “I wish—l wish you would ever let me / go too. I waat to see papa’s”“Now, my dear, don!t think of: that', You; could go, but .nurse is willing to ’, carefor y ou,;§na you gqtojfee park.”

“Yes, but I love you best.” Mrs. Summers paused—but there—no, JenneSt must not go this time, for they were to call on some very fashionable friends that day. “I will tell you. Stay with nurse, and I will bring you a baby doll all dressed In long clothes,” and Jennett slid.-/lown happy. The moments passed, and mamma was home again. At the hall door was Jennett eager for her doll. “Oh, that’s so, 1 forgot to stop, dearie, bnt never mind. See, papa wants a kiss.” She had a lovely time and told Mr. Summers all about it. Jennett ate nothing, and nurse put her to bed. In the night both parents were awakened by a choking cough—a cough once heard never to be forgotten. When the doctor came he said it was croup in its surest form and little hope remained. “What can I do?” the mother cried. And then she thought of her mother and her mother’s God. She could pray I And she went into her own room and then told her Lord all about It. With it all came a Bense of her own unworthiness, her estrangement from God and her perfect ignorance in training a little child. 'She arose from her knees, but not comforted—only sustained—with such a flood of accusing memories. By and by Jennett lay in her mother’s greatly relieved if not out of danger. She looked up at her mother’s tearful face and said:

“Oh, don’t cry, mamma. lis better,” and then fell asleep, to wake every few moments with half confused memories, it was agony to both parents to catch the half whispered words and know what impressions the little mind had of late received. Now it was the new dolly coming to her when mamma came, then “papa’s girl” was sick, and papa held: her Instead of his own little daughter. “Oh, bnt she must not diet” Mrs. Summers cried in agony. Her voice awakened Jennett. “If I do, mamma, yon can have papa’s girl,” she said so quietly that her words cell like a voice from aribther world on the guilty hearts of her parents. “I have no other girl, darling,” her father replied. “I only told you so in fun. I love no one bnt yon.” j “Bnt yon said so, papa—always.” I And Mr. Summers could not meet the trusting gaze.

I “But it was only a joke, Jennett. We only want yon, only yon,” and the tears splashed down on the hot cheeks as mamma bent over her.

| And seeming satisfied the little eyes closed again. ) “It was all wrong, Emma,” and Mr. Bummers looked up. “If she believes, We should tell her no untruth, or we’U Bhake her faith in everything good.” “I am so sorry I forgot her doll” But the excuse did not bring relief Jhis nr”"* • v- -vUHH»astt££ußakiMi

time. “We have been thoughtless and”— “Cruel, Emma,” and his voice, trembling, ceased. They sat in silence a long time, each absorbed in painful reflections. At last Mrs. Summers knelt by Jennett’s sida

“Husband, before God 1 promise to never tell another untruth or deceive her in any other way. If he will save her unto us, I will make her education and happiness my care and never forget how tear she was to leaving ’is.” She laid her hand upon his knee, and he placed his over it and said, “Amen and amen.” Just the comfort of confession seemed to bring such peace that both felt their vow was heard, even though their darling left them. Mrs. Summers never did anything by halves. Nurse was seen and confessed to her mode of frightening the child into obedience, and now she confessed to letting the child play in the water while she was visiting with a friend, “and if I had staid with her or taken her,” Mrs. Summers reflected. “All, I almost forgot a mother’s place.” But Jennett soon found that her mother was a very kind mamma to think so much of her, and never again did she hear of “papa’s girl.” It was a lesson which-only needed attention to learn, and their attention was called in his own way-' The Best References. A man who looked suspicious applied at a hoarding house on Adams avenue for a home and was received by the landlady. “I presume,” she said, after inspecting him critically and hearing what he had to say, “that you can give references.” “What kind do you wish, madam?” he Inquired. “Well,” she hesitated, “I don’t know who you are, and I would like something in. the nature of a recommendation.”

“All I can offer, madam,” he said, pulling out some papers, “are here. They are receipted bills from every landlady I boarded with up to date, as you will observe.’ 1

Her face brightened. “Oh,” she exclaimed, “that will do. You can have anything in the house you want.” —Detroit Free Press.