The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-03-06
Nimpo,s Trip on the Creek.

Good Things.
Nimpo's Trip the Creek.
Nanny Cole lived at the edge of the
village, and very near the woods. There
was also shallow creek close by, in
which the children were allowed to
play, for it was not considered deep
enough to be dangerous. Nanny's
home was favorite place to visit,
especially with such girl as Nimpo,
who never could get enough of the
woods.
As she and Bobbie approached the
house Nanny and her brother came out,
sand they all went to the woods. First
they got their hands and arms full of
wild flowers, pretty moss, acorns and
pine cones and when at last they could
carry no more, they found pretty place
for house.
1t was against the roots of large tree,
which had blown down. The great
bundle of roots, higher than their heads,
and full of earth, stood up straight, and
before it was the hole it had left. This
droll house they adorned with their
treasures, making carpet of moss and
bouquets of their flowers, which they
stuck into cracks in the great root.
When the house was finished they
played awhile. Then finding a fiat
stone for a table, they spread it with
cookies from basket Mrs. Cole had
given them.
They spent some time over this meal,
eating from plates of clean birch bark,
and drinking "white tea out of dainty
acorn cups.
Then John proposed they should go
and play on the creek, and down they
went. For some time they built dams
where the water was very shallow. Then
they sailed boats made of pieces of
bark, loaded with small pebbles, which
they called bags of wheat, or with pas
sengers made of pieces of twigs, with
acorn cups for hats. These boats all
started off bravely, and sailed gaily
down the creek for a few rods, but there
the current took them towards a rock
in the middle of the stream, and against
that nearly every one of them was
wrecked. If it passed it was sure to be
capsized in a little eddy just beyond.
After enjoying this long time, John
proposed that they all should sail about
on boards. OF course, Nimpo was
ready for that, so they got few boards,
fastened them side by side as best they
could, and took long pole with which
to push their raft along. In this they
went up and down the creek, and had
fine times.
Robbie was not big enough to have a
boat by himself, so he sailed with John
for awhile. But at last John thought
he would go down through the rapids,
as they called place where the creek
spread out wide, and was filled with
large stones.
Nimpo told Robbie to come to her
boat, and she pushed her boards up
towards Johns, so that he could do it.
Before she was quite ready Robbie
jumped on, and, coming so suddenly,
upset the narrow raft and threw them
both into the water.
1t was not very dangerous, as 1 have
said, for il was not deep, but it was
very wet, and Nimpo fell her full length
John and Nancy hurried to help her
and in a moment she stood on the bank
wet to the skin-and Robbie was in the
same plight. They hurried up to the
house. Mrs. Cole wanted Nimpo to put
on some of Nanny's clothes, and hang
her own up to dry, but Nimpo would
not consent. She said she would stand
by the kitchen fire and dry herself.
So by the fire she stood, one long
hour that hot day, while Mrs. Cole
took off Robbie's clothes and dried them
Even then she was not half dry, but she
was tired and warm, and she though
she looked dry enough to go through
the streets.
But something allied her dress, i
would not dry straight. 1t spite of pull
ing and smoothing it would not com,
right, and she saw very plainly that sh,
could never wear it again.
eff Mrs. Primkins does her duty,
said Mrs Cole, as at last Nimpo AM
Robert started for home, +" she'll pu
you to bed, and give you hot dose o
ginger tea.
'sI guess she won't" thought Nimpo
al for / won't tell her a word about it.
hate ginger tea"
It was nearly dusk when she entere,
the kitchen door, hoping to slip III
stairs before any one saw her. But Mrs
Primkins' eyes were sharp.
"Why, Nimpo Rievor What OF
earth Have you been i'll the water? ?"
Nimpo's heart sank.
at got little wet, up at Mrs. Coles,
said she.
Got little wet L should thin,
SO Did You fall in the creek u
there ?"
eyes" faltered Nimpo, but I'm a
dry now"
"All dry Humph You've probG