River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-04-18

after him, "Wonder how much this bao
weighsY wonder how much this baS
would weigh ~ Where did they come
from Where, indeed? Why, here, all
about him; here in the bag, here in the
rags; = why, 1t was the rags themselves
who were crowding and pushing and
hustllng, the rags that had taken upon
themselves the funniest shapes of fairy
faces and forms,--the smallest possible
shapes without an atom of color, but little
atoms of white that winked and nodded
and made the oldest grimaces at him all
the time they were laughing and crying
IN those tiny tones, "Wonder how much
this bag would weigh? wonder how much
this bag would weigh ?" And Teddy. not
in the least surprised, joined in the fnp.
and winked ana nodded and laughed and
made faces with the best of them.
He was deep in the lrolic, hitting out
right and left TO keep them from smother.
ing him as they all came at him at once.
when suddenly great voice roared ont,
Wonder how much this bag will weigh!'
And the lit:le white atoms shrunk into
stiffness, and Teddy felt great rush of
air, and saw great rush of light, and
then-and then-and then he found him.
self in great place, which looked at first
like an enormous railroad depot, but
which aeaS warehouse, and he was still
half in the bag and half out, and the bag
and he were placed upon ticklish sort of
a thing, which turned out 10 be weighing.
scale.
"What are you doing here and what
do you mean, eh. by such trick as this?p
the great voice roared at him. "2laying,
and got asleep! that's likely storym as
Teddy began to explain. | know it's
Paddy trick to weigh down the bag and
cheat the company out of an extra dollar!
I'll teach you, you little rascalw And in
another moment Teddy would have
" caught" it, if another voice belonging to
another person hadn't interrupted with,
What's the matter, Jack ?D And Jack
turning to tell his story, Teddy got out of
the bag in twinkling, and before YOU
could say "Jack Robinson he went up
one of the columns or joists, or whatever
they are called, that help steady those
great high warerooms,- went up like a
cat, ora born sailor, chung there with his
little slim legs in a twist, one over the
other, and his little slim arms in league
with the legs. The gentleman-for it was
gentleman who had asked, "What is
the matter Jack p looked up at Teddy
and laughed, and Teddy looked back and
laughed. and the next minute was telling
has story how he was playing, and, pop
ping into the bag in his play, he fell
asleep there, and never woke until Jack
roared at him down there on the scales.
"A likely story why, them Paddles"
began Jack again.
" | amt a Paddy, only live with Mrs.
McNeely, and help her about the rags;
and Mrs. McNeely is a great deal bet
ter n you are, for she meyer hits a fellow
littler n herself" shouted back Teddy
from his perch.
The gentleman laughed again. "Let
him alone, Jack, he's TOO much for you,n
he said; and presently at his invitation,
and the promise that nobody should harm
him, Teddy slid down from his high place
ard followed him into the counting-room,
where he told all he knew about himself,
and answered a good many questions,
which finally ended in the gentleman's
asking him if he would like to come and
work for him to sort over rags
Teddy, ofcourse, was delighted at the
idea OF getting into such large place of
business as this. "But Mrs. McNeely ~
40, I'll settle all about that" answered
the gentleman,-which he did in less than
an hour, for everything was done very
quickly in this place of business.
"Shure, and it wouldn't be meself that
would stand in the b'y's way" said Mrs.
McNeely, in this settling interview "but
as l took him when bit lad, and fed him
and clothed him, and tau2h hit him the rag
business, yer honor, | think
"1hat you ought to have something for
your palms," interrupted the gentleman.
$50 do ], Mrs. McNeely.n And then an
arrangement was made which Was satisfac
tory to beth parties. Teddy was TO board
with Mrs. McNcely, and she was to look
out for him ut so much per week, regular.
ly bald in by Jansen q Co., Paper Manu-
facturers. And Teddy was TO 90 into a
school class TWO or three hours every day;
that was another arrangement which made
witha primary school Just aroui the cor
ner from Jansen & Cos Paper-Mill.
All, but you're born to the luck, Ted
DIV p said Mrs. McNeely, as all these ar.
engagements were completed.
" And all this came from my going TO
sleep in a rag-bag," thought Teddy.
But great deal more than this came
from reddy's going to sleep in theIag-bag.
" II was al fairy work." Ted declares,
telling the story himself,-lairy work from
the minute he was left alone in Mrs. Nc.
Neely's kitchen tilI-till-well--til this
day. "Of course they put RE to sleep"
"They? and who is they ?p asks
little bright-eyed girl, who sits, winking
and thinking at this story, on Ted's knee.
Ted who is now six feet high, with the
biggest broad shoulders,--a grown.up Ted
you know.