Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-04-10

FOR THE CHILDREN.
Little Frea's F.vorite Story on Betty
and the Bear.
BY MAY MANNERING.
Once there was little girl md her
name was Betty, and sho had brother
named Tommy, and they lived with their
father and mother in small, low, black
house in the woods.
One day in summer their mother said,
"Now, my dear children, want you to
take the large tin pals, ami your little
baskets, with luncheons in them, and 70
off through the woods to tho huckloberry
fields, and stay all day ind fill your pals
with the best bsrries you can find.
"Tommy can fill his pail first ar d then
help Betty fill hers. iIe must help her
bring her pailful home, too, for he is
stronger than she.
Tho children wero always glad to 60
huckloberrying, for they could ent as
many berries US they liked and yet bring
plenty home. 1t was very pleasant, too, to
be all day long out of doors even if tho
sun did shine quite hyt at noon thero was
always somo large huckieberry bushes
which they could fit under for shade, and
not have to stop picking, either.
"The berries you get to-day, you know,
Tommy, ! am going to dry in tho loft.
chamber and keep for wintor,'' said bis
mother.
IL know it, mother !" he answered. : r
can remember what nice hucklebe1ry pies,
and biscuit, and buildings we used to have
last winter, when the snow was yerv deep
on the ground. 1t seemed so strange to
have huckleberries in winter! lis 80
easy too; you have only to spread them
upon newspapers in u dry, sunny place,
and they dry in a few days. Then you
tie them up in papers and hang them
around the loft-chamber. When you
want to use them you only have to stew
and swectcn things. Well be sure and
get our pals full, mother"
So Betty put on her green and white
checked sun.bonnet, and Tommy put on
his big straw hat, and they took their tin
pals and baskets and ran down to the
bars and jumped over.
There was . path pretty well worn
through tho woods, and this they followed
along, chattering pleasantly together.
There were interesting things to see at
every step. There W ere many large, fine
old trees which had seen more years than
Betty could count. She liked to look up
into them and see how high and noble
they were. She felt very proud to be in
such grand company. The trees all be.
Ion ged to the nobility. Her mother had
told her about the nobility of England, the
country from y hich she came. She told
her that real nobility is not in name, bdt
u tho character of person. Children, OF
grown people, with meap, sly, or naughty
ways did not belong to the nobility, moth.
er said.
/ Betty used to try and check herself in
disagreeable sayings and doings, SO that
she might be noble. When she looked up
into the great f01ssttrees she felt they
knew nothing of what was mean or low.
The flowers, too, were charming COM
pany, and there were plenty Of them, the
beautiful flowers Of the wild Maine
woods. First there were the May.Aowers,
or trailing arbutus, the dear "pink
angels" who came to tell of Spring."
Betty once said. Then came tho white
vnlets, which filled the air with their
fragrance; after these the more stately
blue violst, bunch. berry blossoms, sqnir-
rel cups, red pigeon berries, and wild lily
oc.the-valley. Next in season came tho
tall and handsome whio trillium. blue
feur.de.lis, and delicate little pink bells
of the Linnasus vine, which Betty and the
other children called :twin sisters.''
When these were gone, the fragile and
fragrant white wsx-fowers appea red !;
also tho pond lily, wild rose, laurel, Indian,
pipe, red-cup, and great variety Of fresh.
green MOSES. From the time that the
grass appeared In the spring untR the
snow came in the fall, treasures Of flowers
leaves and moses could DO found auy-
whore in these woods. Every step was 4
pleasure, and every flower that presented
itself was ono Of beauty y.
No wonder, then, that Betty was happy
as she walked along, seeing every mo.
ment beautiful things, for she was wide-
awake child, and went through the kworld
with her eyes open. She could listen, too,
all the time, to, the singing birds and in
sects, and every instant breath fresh air.
So this day, when she trudged along
with Tommy, it would have been hard to
Ond in all the wide world happier little
girl.
At last they reached the hucklebsrry
field, and after eating few handfols Of
the ripe juicy berries they went steadily
to work to fill their sir.quart pals. When
Tommy found good picking place he
staid there until tho berries were all
picked, but Betty would pick the largest
berries ON one bush and then wander
around until she found some more of the
same size. The consequence Of this was
that when noon came, which they knew
by the sun being very hot and Just over
head. Betty had about half as many berries
as Tommy. The little girl was very tired
and warm, and pretty hungry too, so
Tommy found a nice shady place, and they
both took their noonlng there. Mothers
good bread and butter, cheese and apple
pie, tasted nicer than usual just then.
They had tin cup in which to bring
water from the spring, and so all their
wants were supplied.
After lunch they worked away harder
than ever, and Betty tried not to wander
80 much, but to pick bare one bush before
going to another.
At last it came towards "sundown,n and
both pals and ono basket were filed.
Tommy did tho larger share of the work,
for neither his feet or his mind wandered
as much "a Betty's did.
"Pll bring the two pals, Betty, and
you bring along the two baskets" said
Tommy, Us they prepared for their home
ward journey. THIS was very good oil
Tommy, for Betty was quite too tired to
carry her pailful of berries.
Tommy walked off at good pace, and
Betty did her best to keep up. How fast
you do walk, Tommy. Iwish you would
not. Nobody eau see things going 50
fast"
"Irs getting late, and We must hurry"
was all the brother said.
Trying to keep up, Betty got all out of
breath, and sat down for q minute or two
to rest upon An old fallen tree. Tommy
gained largely then, aud when Betty
started again, Of course the distance be-
tween herself and Tommy was much
greater than before. ..:
Tommy, do wait" she called, this time
quite tearfully, for her brother was 30 fur
| ahead that it seemed as if she could never
reach him.
Hurry up!" was all she got for an
| answer, and that came from the far dis