Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-06-12
Che family Circle.
TOmmyS Adventure.

TOmmy'S Adventure.
Tommy was standing on a cricket, by
the west window, fattening his nose against
the pane, and making small tracks all over
the glass with his tongue, when grandma
drove up with Dolly and the red wagon.
Dolly was the horse, and she and grandma
had come to take Tommy out to the farm,
in Pearfeld you know, where his grand
parents lived, to stay two whole days.
And he wasn't going as a baby with some
body to take care of him, but as a young
gentleman, who could look out for himself.
Nobody amt goin' wiz me-" he said
to Ellen triumphantly. I'm jes goin' all
myself, alone, me n gamma"
1t was the grandest thing that ever was
heard of, to 90 off as his father did, kissing
them all good by, and perhaps seeing his
mother cry a little.
If she felt ever so much like crying, she
could only cry with laughter when Tommy
came down from the garnet, covered with
cobwebs and dust, and presented himself
in the parlor, dragging an old blue UNI
brella and carpet-bag bigger than him
self
" There, now, my fngs are all ready, 80
said he
Grandma laughed heartily, too yet She
made no objection to the outfit of the
young traveller, but slowed the bag and
umbrella into the wagon, while Tommy was
lifted into the seat, and Dollys head was
turned toward Pearfeld.
The Journey was not long one, and
only one thing worth mentioning happened
on the way. They were passing a great
clover field, Just at the edge Of the pine
woods, when Tommy cried out;
d" On gamma, gamma, l see a bear, a
sitten' right up on the end of his tail"
Grandma looked where Tommy had
pointed and Dolly stopped to look too.
d" Don't you see him cried Tommy
No
- Put on your spectacles, then.
The spectacles were put on, and after a
/ long while, she saw what the sharp young
/ eyes had espied 50 quickly, an old wood
chuck sitting at his hole. Just as Tommy
was proposing to capture him IN the car
pet-bag, he whisked out of sight; aud
/ Dolly started off at a brisk pace, which
she kept up without stopping, till SHIT
reached her own hitchingpost at grandpa
gate
Grandpa himself was there to meet
them, and lifted the funny little boy anC
his funny baggage out of the red wagon
When he heard about the bear, he tolc
Tommy that there were plenty of sucf
bears in his fields, and that perhaps the J
would 20 and catch one after dinner.
" Ia the carpet,bag ;" asked Tommy
i Yes"
We must have the 'breller to spea
him wiz
Of course"
Long before grandpa was ready to 90
Tommy was parading the yard, spearine
imaginary bears with his umbrella, anC
putting them into his bag. He had Jus
caught fue large one, when he heard
loud ruRble, and looking up saw mar
run great yellow stage out of the barn
on the other side of the street. Tommy
ran to the fence, and squeezed his chubby
face as far as possible through the Dickets
, watched the man while he washed the
,, coach, creased the wheels one at time
then lit his pipe and went away. Whel
! he was quite out of sight, Tommy unlatch
Finding one of the doors open, he climbed
up the iron steps, tugging the bag an,
] umbrella after him, to try a short ride b,
9 stags-a standstill ride, of course. IL
] played that he was papa, going to New
l York then that the great hole under tn
seat was den full of bears and then h
was bear himself He crawled into tn
den. 1t was funny place, with nice stray
on the floor, and long curtain of leathe
in front. He lay very still in there, an
f softly growled to make believe cubs to loo
out for that terrible hunter, Tommy
j Now, you know that bears are yer,
4 sleepy fellows, and it is not strange tina
t this little wild animal by and by fell aslee
in his little den.
Meantime grandma had looked out q
r the front door, and not seeing Tommy any
, where, thought ne had gone with grandp
= to the field; while grandpa himself ha
i forgotten the young bear hunter altogether
! and had gone to the field alone.
! After awhile the stage driver came, har
messed his four horses to the coach an
drove away. He stopped at the store t
get the mail bag and take in several pas
sengers There was a fat woman with
j baby, an Irish servant girl, one-legge
s little French peddler, and a stiff oil
d gentleman with gold-headed cane. Wit
= this load the yellow stage started for Rye
y town, twelve miles away, and Tommy sti
q asleep under the seat.
When he awoke he couldn't tell wher
e he was, and wondered what made his be
. rock and bounce about so. Then he hear
d the people talking right over his head. H
e peeped under the leather curtain and sa
8 several pairs of shoes Too frightened t
> know what he did, he lifted the curtai
and gave one desperate spring, thrustin
o his curly head, all covered with straw
f right between the old gentlemans legs
5 If real bear had jumped out, he coul
not have made more confusion. The oil
gentleman sprang to his feet, smashing hi
hat over his eyes by striking against tn
top of the coach the Irish girl screame
r d" Murther " and tried to leap out of tn
S window the fat woman tainted and droppe
her baby; the little Frenchman jumped u
| and down on his one leg till he lost hi
balance and tumbIed over and poor Tom
my chung with both hands to the old gen