Show LITTLE CALAMITY SOMMERS She Went I Sorrowed Plumes to the Court Houso t Have Hsr Name Changed S Cnng BY GERTRUDE SMITH Copyright ISIS by S S McClure Co S TI5 Mrs Sommers stopped in her work i What is the mater with that child now Lamby she called what are I I ie you there making all that noise about in I I 5 A little girl about10 years old np 1 i I I penred in the doorway that led into an adjoining room She held a large and showilybound Bible in her arms Her face was red and dirtily streaked with tears What 1 do you have my name written down in this Bible Calamity Sommers for she j I demanded I Where did you find that Bible I I 31 tfj ii r jr Ii 1 I If j = T pw ij IL S i9L f Yes U A a Ive got Them on arid ou Cant Help Yourself asked her mother quickly crossing the room and taking it from her I found i on the JoP shelf in the closet Thats where1 found it and I want to know why youve got my name written down Calamity Sommers That itnt my name Yes it is Lamby Thats the name you waS baptized under but no one knows itonly me I didnt intend telling you about it until you were a woman If then I wont have i for my name cried the little girl stamping her foot Ill run away a thousand miles before Ill have such a name Just having it in a book cant make it my name Im going to the court house and see and if theyve got me down with that name in the books theyve got to scratch it out She ran across the room and opened the outer door Lamby come right back here called her mother but the little girl had already reached the gate II II o When Lamby Sommers came to the gate that led into the court house yard i she suddenly realized how soiled her i apron was and how towsled her hair She had a keen little mind and she I knew that to go in looking a she did would not help her cause Tlw dignity I of the great brick building with us S many important offices she knew very well She had often stolen through its wide halls on excursions of interest with other children There was hardly a county official who did not know her by reputation if not by sightS sight-S Lamby Sommers was not a child who was easily passed by When clean and I well dressed she was certainly a beau j I tiful little girl I As she stood there irresolutely not I wanting to give up her errand and not i wanting to gve home little Frances I Baker came tripping up the street Where are you going asked Lamby i Im going home said Frances Ive been to the depot to see mother off Shes gone to Minneapolis to stay two weeks at grandpas Im going to keep house gone for father all myself while shes A thought flashed through Lambys mind mindouess < uess Ill walk home with you and get a drink She said She slipped her hand through Frances arm and they walked on together Im going to do Just as I please while mothers gone said Frances She said I I could I should think it would be lots of fun to keep house said Lamby I I wish my mother would go away I I Youre not as old as I am replied Frances Im 12 years old and besides be-sides lye always worked and you never do anything Im just as large as you are if Im not as old and 1 could keep l house just as well as you can I can do anything when I try The little girls went up to the still house together Jly said Lamby when they were in the kitchen what a lot of dishes ycu have to wash Its lucky its Saturday Sat-urday or youd never get to school Yes I would Id get up earlier said Frances bravely Im so glad to have mother have a good time I dont care what I do As she spoke she lolled work up her sleeves and began her I workDo Do you mind If I go up to your room and brush my hair asked Lamby when she had had her drinki Why no said Frances wonderingly wondering-ly jour hair does look a though you hadnt combed it this morning Well I have Does my apron look I very dirt to you o Not very its clean enough for Sat urdai urdnIm going to the court house on an errand I didnt notice my apron till I got to the gate Why dont you go home and put on a clean one asked Frances It would take so long Wont you Und me one Why yes you can take any one you want if youUl bring It right back Theyre in the bottom bureau drawer Lamby lived in a very poorly furnished fur-nished little house and Frances Bakers Bak-ers comfortable home seemed very grand to her She went UD the wide stairs and into Frances pretty room with a feelng of envy tn her heart f < 1 She pulled open the bureau drawer I and after studying for a moment drew out a daintily ruShed white apron But when she came to put it on over her dirty dress it made the dress seem even 1 more soiled than It had before 0 dear I wish I had on my best dress she thought I cant go to the court house looking this way She wandered aimlessly over to the closet I and looked in How many pretty dresses Frances had there was a new one that Lamby had never seen before I was a fine I blue India lawn trimmed with delicate I lace edging The little girl slipped it from its hook and without stopping to consider whether Frances would be willing for her to wear the dress hasty has-ty took off her own dress and put it on I is wonderful what a change a becoming be-coming dress will make In wi any one S Lamby was quite startled by the sudden sud-den transformation In her appearance She strutted up and down before the glass like a little peacock as she brushed brush-ed out her curly yellow nair She went oyer to Frances pretty rose decorated washbowl and washed her faceI i I guess Id better borrow a hat she I thought On the closet shelf lay Frances Fran-ces white leghorn hat with its wreath of daisies The hat was very becoming to Lamtc and i was with a proud consciousness of looking better than she had ever looked before in her life that she ran down the stairs and appeared ap-peared to Frances in the kitchen door Why Lamby Sommers what do you mean by putting on my best clothes she exclaimed and then stopped My dont you look beautiful You look just like a picture book You must take them right off though mother wouldnt like to have you put them on Im going to wear them down to the count house said Lamby shaking out her skirts mean Youre not either What do ycu Yes I am Ive got them on and you I cant help yourself She turned and ran out of the doorS door-S Frances dropped the tea towel and started after her I ea kh j i Come back here with my clothes or i Ill tell your mother she called I No boy or girl In the town cauldron I as fast as Lamby Sommers and Fran I ces knew it At the first corner she I stopped with a sideache and gave up the chase S UI As Lamby entered the court house a young man came out of one of the offices and crossed the hall to a door on the opposite side He stopped with his hand on the door knob and gave a low whistle Why good morning Miss Sommers he said How fine you are looking this morning Lamby tossed her head I dont look any better than I always I al-ways do when Im dressed up she saidWell you know Ive generally seen you with a dirty face and torn apron racing along the streets Miss Som mers he laughed Well Ive generally seen you with your hat on and your hands in your pockets answered Lamby walking past him with her nose in the air I al The young mans hands came out of his pockets and he caught his hat from his head I beg your ladyships pardon he I I I I III II What Do You Have My Name Written Writ-ten Down I This Bible Calamity Sommers Fcr She Demanded said bowing low I take it you have come up to the court house on business busi-ness Now i I can be of any service I beg of you to command me I Lamby put aside her dignity and went up to him with a very serious little lit-tle face Ive come up to see how my name Is written down in the courthouse court-house books she said In a low tone 0 I see he replied I will be on the census reports You come with me and Illask some one to look it up for youWait a minute said the little girl doubtfully I It is written down i wrong and I tell you it is will you change it for me I The young man opened his eves wide I amazement I Im the clerk of the court he said and your business Isnt exactly In my line t I lne lneTe dignified surroundings of the office and the spectacles maC such a change In the young man that Lamby was almost afraid of him Now what Is your name please Ill write i down and look In the books in a day or two I there is anything that can be done about i Ill let you know Lamby went to his side and after hesitating for a moment whispered softly Calamity The young man started back and covered his face with both hands Calamity he groaned 0 terrible With all his will the clerk of the ccurt struggled to keep from laughing and he succeeded laughing I I had not promised to aid you I should certainly do so now he said when he could command his voice How did they come to give you such 3 disgraceful name von poor child J I dont know answered Lamby shaking her head Ill tell you what youll have to do he said youll have to choose a name oure willing to carry through lire and Ill see to it that i is down in the books in place of the other You must take the ink eraser and see that the same change is made in the Bible Now what shall the new name be he added addedIve always wished my name was Edith said the little girl A very suitable name said the young man and he wrote the name on a sheet of paper in a large impressive hand Wouldnt you like a middle name or initial to set it off You might as w ell have everything you want while it is going Would Imogen be too long I think I that Is a beautiful name The clerk I dnaae of the court looked at her over his I spectacles and smiled appreciatively Edith Imogen no Indeed A fine I name Come and see how well i looks written Vow mind you this Is a secret between I be-tween us he said holdln out his I hand I believe we are justified in that we are setting right a great wrong I I hope you will live to be a credit to the new name Miss Edith Imogen Sommers went I tripping down the street Ie home so happy in having accomplished her errand er-rand that she completely forgot she had on a borrowed dress I Its changed she cried throwing open the door and dancing across the room My name isnt even Lamby any more Her mother looked at her In speechless j speech-less amazement Certainly there was a 1 I great change She could hardly recognize recog-nize in this beautiful child her wilful I I little daughter I Wherever did you get those clothes she gasped 0 these are Frances Bakers I borrowed bor-rowed them to wear to the court house I must go right and take them home Flirting her skirts Lamby walked up I and down the room while she gave her I mother an account of her mornings expedition Well of all the children that ever were born into this world you do take the lead Mrs Sommers exclaimed when she had finished I am glad enough your name is changedIf it is she added It was never my will to call you Calamity Then Mrs Sommers went Into the next room and brought out the big Bible Bi-ble and taking the eraser rubbed out the unfortunate name and wrote Edith Imogen Sommers in its place I |