Page:Samantha on Children's Rights.djvu/79

 on and foller it up next day and next, or as long as good weather lasts.

"I believe you rusted and tired out your faculties bendin' over your fine work from day to day, and he didn't find your companionship exhilaratin' and inspirin' at all. He is a bright chap," sez I, "you know, and he will seek bright, inspirin' company."

She looked up gratefully as I abused her and excused Louis, in a real womanly way, and left the room to put on her short bicycle rig. It wuz dark blue braided with white, and a coquettish little white cap with some black feathers stuck up real cute on one side, and she looked as pretty as a pink—a white pink—and real cunnin' as she sot off. Well, she come back lookin' perter considerable; she hadn't met Louis, but she had met the sunshine and soft autumn air, and they had invigorated her.

The next mornin' I went with her, at her request, to git the books and presents I had named, and, at my request, they wuz locked up at 12 M., and backaches and eye-smarts and fevered anxieties and pricked finger-ends with 'em. And at 3 P. M. she sot off agin on her wheel. This time she come back lookin' considerable white around her lips, but her eyes bright and cheeks rosy, after all; she had met Louis and done what I told her, and left him in such a state of complete stupefication she wuz alarmed about him. Sez she anxiously, "His looks wuz so wonder-struck and alarmed that I fear for his safety; I fear that he may be led to extreme lengths," sez she.

"Wuz he on his wheel?" sez I.

"Yes," she replied, "he wuz on his wheel, and the picture of health and strength."