Sibyl Runs Away (part 4)

[My maternal grandmother, Sibyl Mary Croly, was born in Cadillac, Michigan on February 29, 1888, to James Croly and Maria (Cowles) (Dennett) Croly.  In 1889, her father started a journal about her, entitled "The Record of Little Sibyl." This is an exact transcription of the contents.]

17 Months,  Aug 10, 1889

Sibyl ran away today for the first time. She went out of the gate, crossed the road, and went off down the sidewalk and when the servant girl, Jennie Anderson, went after her and called her to come back, she laughed and fell down, and got up again and toddled along as fast as she could go, naughtily trying to escape. “Papa,” she said, trying to convey the idea that she was going to meet Papa, which she did that same evening.

About this time, she told her first story. She was in the bedroom making a peculiar grunting noise. When Mamma asked her what was the matter, “Dirty,” she answered, but she wasn’t a bit dirty. She first began to have some idea of helping people at this age. She would come and help “Papa” to wind his Waterbury Watch and when she would be at the Office about closing time would ask to be allowed to help count the money and lock the safe, before going home.

18 Months, First Argument

One day at dinner Sibyl wanted “more peet” as she always said when she wanted meat. As the weather was very hot in the month of August of that year 1889, her mother thought that fresh meat was not good for her and tried to persuade her that she had better have some potatoes, but she shook her head and said, “Hot, burn the Baby,” and insisted on having “more peet.”

At supper the same day, she wanted some tomatoes and as we thought it would not be best for her to have them, we tried to dissuade her, but she immediately answered, “Good the Baby,” meaning that in her opinion they were good for the Baby.

The entire contents of “The Record of Little Sibyl” can be seen in these posts:

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