Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-09-01
SUSAN AND FREDDIE.
BY JOSEPH ALDEN. d. d.

II
daughter, girl about twelve years old.
''1es ma'am, / think 1 can," said Susan,
utteTlng the words very deliberately.
Have you any doubts about it ?'
mo ma'am.
'You spoke with some hesitation, saying
you thought you could"
"Well, / know / can"
These last words were spoken in cheer
ful and decided tone of voice. Tho truth
was Susan had designed to 90 and takea
walk in the woods with Harriet Green, ana
this proposition of her mother to take care
of her little brother Freddie, interfered with
that design She loved her brother, and
was kind to him, but thought that he was
sometimes troublesome, and presume he
was. He was about four years old, and
chiltren of that age are apt to be trouble.
some at times. 1t is not always pleasant to
take care of them. But they must be taken
care of. What would have happened to
you and me, ii no person had taken care of
us when We were children2 have no
doubt We were quito as Troublesome as
other children.
"I Will take good care of him till you re-
turn" said Susan in cheerful and de-
cided tone. 1t was not tone assumed to
please her mother. It was the result of a
conquest. She had struggled against a
temptation to selfshness and had over
come it. 1t was not the first time she had
done so. Her mother had taught her a
great many good things; one of these was
to resist temptation to be selfish. She had
resisted so many times, that il had become
rather easy.
Did the reader ever Try it? Perhaps you
have never been selfish ! You suppose
you have been? So do l. You may be q
very nice girl, but 1 am certain that you
have been selfish sometimes. / have no
doubt you were sorry for il, when it was
all over, and thought you would never be
selfish again. don't think you have been
worse than other good little girls; very
possibly you have been better.
When Mrs. Marshman set out for the
village she told Freddie he must be good
boy. He promised that he would. and of
course, forgot his promise in about two
minutes after it was given.
''Now what shall We do ?" said Susan,
trying to please him.
''Piay horse, was the prompt reply.
The reins were produced and placed
his lett hand and il his right hand whip.
"Get up" was uttered in loud tone, and
the whip was used though there was no
necessity. Poor Susan had to trot from
room to room, till she was very tired. She
said nothing, thinking that her young
driver would be tired soon, but there was
no signs Of it. 1t is wonderful how much
travel little pair of legs can endure.
Susan stopped and said, freddie let
Us have another play. Let us play hide
and seek. l think Freddie can hide where
can't find him"
81 want to play horse" said Freddie
"Get upl Go along~
Susan yielded, and began to trot again,
but she soon became SO weary that she
threw herself into chair, and saiC:
Zine tired out ] can. play horse any
longer, and I won't"
Freddie stood silent for q moment; then
the corners of his mouth began to draw
down, and he vas on the point of breaking
out a-crying, when Susan remembered
what she had said to her mother. So she
rallied her good nature and said:
''The horse is rested and he can travel
again. Drive slowly, while / tell you q
story about man who had horse. Let
the old horse walk while / tell you the
story"
ssWhoa 90 slow y said Freddie
'There was man who had a nice black
horse that he drove every day to the mar
ket"
"what was he black forP" said Freddie.
"He was black because-because he was
not white"
ST like white horses best
''Very well; listen to the story. One day
be drove him very swift. He kept him go
ing very swift up hill and down, and when
the horse wanted to stop, he would say,
get up, or III whip you. One day, as be
was going along, the horse fell down and
lay STILL"
"'what is the matter with your horseY
said man. who came along the road.
"'He has fallen down, said the driver
"'What made him fall DOWN.
"I suppose he slipped.
"'He did not slip; he is tired ont You
have killed your horse by over-driving
him."
''Horsey, are you tired?" said Freddie.
s.Yes."
swell, rest then. Whoa"
So she sat down to rest, sand amused
Freddie by telling him a story about some
girls who went strawberrying, and got
caught in the rain and got very wet, and
hat was not the worst of it, for the rain
had raised the brook they had waded
through SO that they could not cross it. in
order to get home. 4 great, rough man,
hat they were all afraid of, carried them
)ver in his arms, and went part of the way
homo with them, and they found out tha
\ person may have rough clothes
md have also kind heart.
Freddie wanted to knew if there were
ing fish in the brook, and what fish did
when it rained. Pretty soon be laid his
head in Susan's lap, and asked her TO tell
him more stories, but don't think be paid
much attention to what she said after his
head was in her lap. His mouth opened
very wide two or three times, and his eyes
closed. He was soon fast asleep. Susan
aid him on lounge, where he slept till
ais mother came home.
Susan told her mother how she had
amused him, and in her approving smile
ound; an abundant reward for her weari-
hess.
CoRAs SToRY.-BY A. T. Little four
year-old Cora sat upon my lap. listening to
tories. had told her SO many that was
ired at last, and. with long sigh of salts
action, she said:
'.Now, sister Theo, you've been good and
elled me SO many stories, I'm going to tell
Iou one"
So she pursed up her little mouth, tuck
d her ringlets behind her ears, looked up,
ooked down, blushed little and began:
'sOnce there was little girl who thought
he would hide away from everybody; and
he went and she hided, and she hided,
nd she hided.
"And there was little boy who thought
le would go and look for her. And he
vent and looked all around somebody's big
louse, and somebody else's big house, and
le couldn't inc her in nobodys big house,
lowhere.
"Then he went into the woods and look
d into the trees, when they were hollow,
md she wasn't there; SO he felt bad, and