St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-10-24
flor hr Children.
Robin-Runaway."


dressed he'd give you the slip; for i
vom back was turned minute, til,
next question was, ''Whcre'S Robbie Z
And if Won caught him around the
premises. all right if not, neighbor-
hood search must follow. With his I'M
comhed curls pinned up i'll Il little knot
until mamma had time to make ring
lets of them. hatlcSs. and III general
morning undrcsS, he would go clatter-
ing down the street. with many Il back
ward glance to see if any one was i'll
pursuit, and if not ANONYMOUSLY cap
tured. he would ''hring up" at the steps
of the nearest grocery, and there Sc
rencly fix his seat and gaze with delight
upon the passing horSe-cars and
"dumpy carts" The store keeper,
knowing his "trickS and his manners,
often tried all his persuasive arts i'll the
attempt to get him to run home :" no,
he was deaf to all cntreatieS, until Il
rousing summons would take him by
storm and pair of stout Irish arms
transport him, despite his manful re-
sistance, safe within the doors of home
again. All in vain We're the front gates
tied in every intricacy of knot that
human ingenuity could invent no fin
gers were ever more patient i'll picking
out these particular knots than Rob
Ge's.
In vain did il board barricade at
tempt to cut off all connection with the
alley gate; like Il little earth worm, or
one of his tavorite 'patter-killers, he
grovcled on the ground and crawled
under, and then was off upon his
winding way"
Well, one day he came to grief. as
you might know he would, and this
is how it was.
He had been securely fastened i'll the
backyard, us usual, and had dug Il
beautiful we'll, full six inches deep, and
filled it with water from the pump
then he threw little stones in, and they
filled it up, and likewise sprinklcd his
clean little blouse and round rosy face.
1t was Il very warm day. and the lit
tie muddy hands often pushed back
the troublesome curlS, or rubbed away
the perspiration from his face. He was
tired, and thought how much he'd like
Il walk but the gates were faSt-oh, 50
tight But there was Il back gate.
seldom open except to throw in wood
OF coal, and coal had been brought that
morning. There it lay in a great black
gate, open just Il little mite of Il way.
Up the coal-hcap, with many slip.
perSevering little Robbie toiled and
though the coal tumblcd and ratified
nOiSily, no one seemed to he within
hearing. So he reached the top, slid
easily down the other side, squeezed
himself through the narrow opening of
the gate, and then he stood in the
broad back alley, IA little bruised and
shaken, but otherwise all right as far
as his feelings were concerned but
such a sorry sight
He rubbed his leg a little where the
coal had scratched it rather roughly
above the pretty striped sock, then he
wiped his sleeve across his face, and
started.
The alley-way was seldom used. and
was quite rough and stony 50, be
fore long, down he went and scraped
his other leg. which brought him to
quite IL serious halt, and sitting down
to rub his bruises. some sober thoughts
stole through his little brain. '.NIam-
ma tay, Robbie, tay in ard ; mamma
tay, Robbie, I've mammals dood hoy to-
day. he kept saying to himself; but
then thought naughty Robin Runa-
way mamma dot tore tinncr-mam-
ma, tant vip vclly bad :" and consol-
ing himself with his mothers misfor-
tune. he limpcd on as hriskly as pos
siblc, and tried to make believe" he
WAS enjoying himself first rate
PauSing Il moment at the well known
home right away! Chimney-Swecp
will get You, run. run :" cried his
friend, the grOccryman, and clappcd
his hands and ''shoed" until Robbie
actually scampcred off. hut not home
no, indeed, he wasn't ready for that
yet.
Some men were working on the
hoIse-car track, and he walked up and
sat down on the curb-Stonc, to oversee
Presently Il man let stone fall on his
foot, and swOrc Il dreadful oath ooh,
bad man bad man" said Robbie. shak-
ing his head, and, getting up, he walk
ed slowly Oft, backward, for he was
very anxious to watch the men, but
very sure in his little heart that mann
ma would he much grieved to have him
hear such talk"
All at once he heard a great noise
behind him. and turning quickly, be
hold, great drove of cattle were ca
reering down the street, making great
din and clatter, and Snorting and bel
lowing.
Now if there was anything Robbie
dreaded, and of which he stood in NOR
tai terror, it WAS il COW. OF horse he
had no fear-would play with its very
feet if allowed; hut cor, with its
great heavy body, and above all, its
fearful hons, was an object that would
always make him scampcr through the