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THE NILLENNIUM

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 13, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 15.

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"THE NILLENNIUM."

DILLY communicated the story confidentially to Freddie Burr.
"See here!" she said, pushing the toes of a pair of stout new shoes through the fence.
"Where did you get 'em?" asked Freddie.
"And see here!" continued Dilly, bobbing up for an instant to show the pretty hood that covered her yellow hair, and touching it significantly with her finger.
"Where did you get 'em?" repeated Freddie.
"My pa worked an' bought 'em an' brought 'em home; an' they didn't get into nobody's barrel, either," explained Dilly, with great pride and little regard for grammar, pressing her face close against the fence for a prolonged interview. "You see, Freddie Burr," began Dilly, "the Nillennium has come to our house."
"The what?" said Freddie, in bewilderment.
"The Nillennium. It's a pretty long word," explained Dilly, complacently, "but it means good times. Anyhow, that's what ma called it, and I guess she knows. It was just this way, Freddie Burr: When you told me Mr. Barney had all our good things down to his store in his rum barrels, I just went down there right off and asked for them—me and Toddles."
"You didn't!" exclaimed horrified Freddie.
"Did too!" declared Dilly, with emphatic nod. "Well, he wouldn't give us one of 'em, and he was just as cross as anything. So then my pa got up from behind the stove and walked home with us. He didn't scold a bit, but he just sat down before the fire this way and thinked. At last he put his hand in one pocket, but there wasn't anything there; then he put it in his other pocket and found ten cents, and he went out and bought some meat for supper. When ma got home he talked to her, and they both cried. I don't know what for, 'less it was 'cause we didn't get the things out of the barrels. And ma hugged me most to death that night, and kissed me lots, she did. Well, my pa got some work next day, and brought some money; and now he has found a place where he works every day. He bought all these things, and he says his little boy and girl shall have things like other boys and girls. So now you know what the Nillennium means, Freddie Burr, when anybody asks you; and you can tell them that Dilly Keene 'splained it to you."—Selected.