The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-09-09
Epnths' department.


L Fred is little neighbor of mine-a
fve-year-old boy, with a pleasant face
and little, plump, round body, so round
and roly-polyn that he looks like a
| dumping on legs
He stood at his fathers gate one day,
when he saw boy coming down street
with pair of stilts. Fred's eyes grew
big with wonder. He looked as il he
didn't know what to think-or rather
- If he thought the stills were part of
the boy. He watched the boy stride
along till he came opposite, and, plant
ing his back against the wall, dismoun-
ted, sh0uldered the stills, and ran
away to school.
Fred ran into the house shouting
Ma ma! I've seen boy walking
with ltDtesr,
Of course, mama didn't know what
Freddie meant; and after hearing
fred's story, which was rather discon-
nected, concluded he had seen lame
boy walking with crutches.
But at noon-time not only one boy,
out q dozen, were parading the street
mounted on stills. Some made a fun
ny piece of work, to be sure. But Fred
was delighted; he rushed into the
house calling and see all these
lame boys, map
Ma and sisters ran to the window.
and how they laughed at Fred,
Lame boys" Why, they have stilts,"
said sister Annie.
".Stas!" said Fred. al want some
sits, too"
"iSailts, F'reddie-not sits, laughed
his mamma, aud then added-"No,
you are too small to walk on them.u
You would fall and skin your nose,n
said sister Florrie.
:. But when his papa came home to
dinner, Fred begged him to make a
pair of stills. Papa laughed well at
the idea of such fat little fellows
mounting pair of stills.
Why, Fred, you'd look like a walk
ing pumpkin, !" he said.
can walk as well as anybody,
Know L can," persisted Fred. "Do,
Please, make me some, and let time try.,i
SO papa, to please his boy, i'm a day
or two brought home a pair. The foot
rest was only a few inches from the
ground, so that if Freddie fell-as of
course he would-he could not get very
much hurt.
The next morning, bright and early,
heard children's voices i'm the ward
beneath my window. Looking out /
saw funny sight. There was Fred,
and his sister Florrie helping him to
mount his stills. Florrie would hold
them upright very firmly, and Freddie
would place his feet on the rests. But
the moment his sister let go, down he
would tumble. Then his sister would
try them, so as to show the little fel-
low how to manage them, and she
really succeeded in taking few steps.
Fred wouldsay-"I can now, aud i'm
his eagearness, would dance up and
down. But he tried again and again,
and failed. Soon Florrie left him to get
ready for school, and Fred lugged his
Itilts into the house.
HE will never walk on them-he is
too clumsy" thought. But the next
lay L was in his mothers house, and
there was Fred in the kitchen, still
practising with the stills.
See, Mrs. H-p' he called to me.
q can walk little"
Sure enough! he could stand on them
md even take, perhaps, two steps Of
lime before he tumbled off
Well done, Freddiew exclaimed.
. You are persevering bOy.r
THAT he is" said his mother. al
-hink he will craze me with his stills:
ne is humping with them all the time.
He Is determined to walk OH them.n
L looked at Fred just then. He was
on his stilts, grasping them
very firmly. His little, round body,
with his short, fat legs, made him look
something like pumpkin, as his faith
'r said he would. But pumpkin new
'r had such brave little face, with
'uch determined look. / thought
le'll succeed yet.
L went away, for week, the next
lay. On the day of my return, as /
vas passing up the street, / heard
thrill voice calling after me
Mrs. H, Mrs. H! S.e me
see how go!"
There was Fred, coming as fast as he
,Ould on his stills.
can go as well as any one now,'
And 80 he could. He ran with them,
.e backed up against the house, and he
umped OFF and on as fast as the "big
,oys." His plump legs, in their red
tockings, made quite q show as
trOde down the street
You have done well, Fred, / could
lot help saying. al hope you will
Ilways be as persevering in ali YOU un-
ertake; and hope you will never
Undertake anything mean or wicked
Always be a brave, good boy, and new
mind the thumps and falls, but strive
lways to do better.r
Fred looked as if he didn't under
tand half said. But you do-don't
on little reader?