Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-09-08

back against the wan, dismouneed. ehUu
dered the salts, and ran away TO school
| Fred ran into the house, shouting
sMaf ma ! I've seen boy walking with
OF course, mamma didn't know vhas
Freddie meant; and after hearing Frod's
| story, which was rather disconnec4ed.
concluded he had seen lame boy walk
ing with crutches.
But at noon-time, not only ono boy, but
oozsn, were parading the street mount
ed on stflta. Some made q funny piece az
work OF IT TO be sure But Fred was de-
lighted; he rushed into the house. cail-
| mai"
ri; Ma and sisters ran to the w,noow, ana
aLams boys? Why, !" they have stilts,"
said sister Annie.
"Sssts" said Fred. II want some x;ss.
too"
"Stits, Freddie-not stits," laughed HE
mamma, and then added-"No, you ara
too small to walk on them"
"You would fall and akin your nose"
said sister Florrie.
But when his papa came home TO din
ner, Fred begged him to make pair Of
stills. Papa laughed well ut the idea Of
such a fat little fellows mounting pair Of
stills.
why, Fred, you'd look like walking
pumpkin" he said.
II can walk as well as anybody, know
l cam" persisted Fred "Do, please,
make me some, and let me try"
30 papa, to please his boy, in day or
two brought home q pair. The foot rest
was only . few inches from the ground,
SO that If Fred die iell-as Of course he
would-he could not get very much hurt.
The next morning, bright and early,
heard children's voices in the yard be-
meath my window. Looking out, l saw q
funny sight There was Fred, and his
sister Florrie helping him to mount his
stills. Florrie would hold them upright
very firmly, and Fred would place his
feet on the rests But the moment his
sister let go, down he would tumble.
Then his sister would try them, 30 as to
show the little fellow how to manage
them, and she really succeeded in taking
few steps. Fred would say-"I CAP
now" and in his eagerness, 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 stills into the house
"He will never walk on them-ho ID
too clumsy" thought But the next day
was in his mothers house, and there
was Fred in the kitchen, still practising
with tho stilts.
"See, Mrs H" he called to me.
g. can walk little"
Sure enoughi he could stand on them,
and even take, perhaps, two steps at .
time before he tumbled of.
"Well done. Freddier' exclaimed.
You are q persevering boy"
THAT he is" said hia mother.
think he will craze me with his stills; he
is humping with them all the time. He
is determined to walk on them"
l looked at Fred just then. He was
standing on his stills, grasping them very
firmly. His little round body, with his
short fat legs, made him look something
But a pumpkin never had such . brave
little face, with ouch q determined look.
thought succeed yet.
l went away, for week, the next day.
On the day Of my return, a. was pass
ing up the street, / heard . shrill vOice
calling after me-
"Mrs. H Mrs. II SEQ mo
see how go"
There was Fred, coming as fast a. he
could on his stilts
so fiec0urr. he Fan WIN tinnG nS vAcHs
cd UP against the house, and he jumped
off and on as fast as the "big boys" His
plump legs, in their red stockings, made
quite show as he strobe down tho
street.
"You have done well, Fred" could
not help saying. II hope you will always
be as persevering in all you undertake;
and l hope you will never undertake
mean or wicked. Always be q
brave, good boy, and never mind the
thumps OF falls, but strive always TO do
better" .r
Fred looked az II he didn't understand
half said. But you do--dont you, little
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