Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1874-06-13
DUCK.

ilI DUCK. ....,.,.
Duck was one Of Willie Graham's
pet names. His father gave it to
him because he was always dabbling
in water. Plash went his little fat
hand into every pan and bucket OF
water within his reach. After q
rain, he would often elude watchfhl
mamma, and slipping out doors,
would explore every puddle, making
his dress and apron dripping vet,
and spatter his face and thin white
hair with mud. Water was exceed.
ingly delightful except when nam.
ma wanted to wash the dirty strsaks
from his face; and then kicks and
screams did not half express his dis.
like.
One day mamma took him to the
village store to buy him pair Of
shoes. A red pair, with blue bind.
ings and strings, pleased his fancy F;
and he coaxed for them with all the
enticing baby ways he could invent.
Mamma laughed, and called him
little Indian, and said he would
look "outlandish, but finally bought
them.
"Now, Duck" she said putting
them on him at home, "you must
not 60 in the water. If you do,
your pretty shoes will be ugly
real ugly. Will you rememberr
Duck nodded his funny, almost
bald head three times, emphatically
and going around to every member
Of the family, stuck out his feet
saying, "Da, da!" which was his
language for look there. tt..
Then he showed "damma" how
he was going to have his picture
taken, standing beside a chair, and
placing his elbow upon it, and rest.
ing his chubby cheek in his hand.
Aunt Nell caught him up in her
arms, declaring that ''he was the
prettiest, sweetest baby that ever
breathed )" but he squirmed away,
despite remonstrances, and went to
driving horses; and this was the
way he drove. He tied strings ell
over his little chair, and showed II
across the kitchen and porch floors,
shouting at the top Of his voice,
edit boo, dit boo," which was to
be interpreted a., "Get up horse"
That chair underwent wonderful
transformations during q day. It
could be horse, . wagon, q train Of
cars, Q house, a barn, dinner table,
a piano, and cradle for his doll.
baby. If... 81. w.
While he was on the porch, he
saw the yard gate open q little way.
Talk about temptation! That big,
hard gate open,-nothing to keep
him from that wonderful barn, with
its piles Of hay its bins Of wheat,
and eggs,-why, there might be .
of them, and nobody to
get them. How the little feet hew,
md what adventures he had whom
he got there, slipping into holes In
the hay nearly out Of sight, and
clambering out again, almost tumb.
ling into the wheat bid, making the
red rooster run, and pelting the
turkeys with grandps's seed pota.
;oes Fortunately, the stock were
al in the fields; =; so he met with NO
accidents save tearing his dress up.
IN nails, and covering himself with
! compound Of dirt, tar and hay
iced. He went across the bsrnyard,
md peeped through the bars. How
the water sparkled in the
brook Why could he not 60 theret
It would be SO nice! Not . thought
sbout the gay new shoes.
"Where is Duck p asked mamma.
"In mischief, You may be surs,"
'splied grandma; "always IL when
III is quiet" F a-'t %
Aunt Nell started in search.
"Willie +! Duck! Dumping I" she,
,alled not that he had ever answer.
ID, but she hoped he w0nld learn
sometime.
She looked the house over, the
wood house, the cern.crib, and tho
,arn, but no Duck. She began 70
70 frightened; but a. she was leav.
ng the barn she heard . ripple Of
aughter, and after looking around
or several minutes, saw him in the
hallow brook, jumping up and
l0wn on the limestone bottom,
angling and ahOutinp In khA OrAat.