The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-07-30
Fa,rx STORY for Lit,Ie FoII...

Born above,
Guides the little feet
A Fairy story for Little Folks
There lived, once on time, a certain
great, stout, disagreeable gentleman,
whose name was Mr.. Grum. You know
there are some people who make them
selves disagreeable in everything they do;
and this Mr. Grum was one of these peo-
pie. He wore great, thick, creaking
boots, that nobody liked to hear coming
up their steps. He had way ofblowing
his nose that you would have disliked
very much, if you could have heard him.
He hated children, and having said that,
don't think there is any need of add
ing another word to this description,
but that we can just go on with the story,
setting him down as grumbling, growl-
ing, rusty, fusty, ill-mannered, stony
hearted, grim old 'Grum. ;t..
1t happened then, one day, that little
frankie Mitchell, having nothing else TO
do, and being very daring boy for his
wears, asked Uncle Grum to tell him n
story. Uncle Grum did not believe in
fairies, of course, but, by way of punish
ing frankie for daring to beg story
from him, he told the poor boy such a
dreadful story about a giant who did
nothing all day but eat boy sandwiches,
that frankie did not dare to 60 to bed
alone for week after, and started up,
screaming, as often as he went to sleep.
1t fell out, however, that the Dreamman,
who was bringing pleasant dreams fol
frankie, heard every word of Uncle
Grum's story, standing behind Frankie's
crib, and telling it in Fairy land there was
great indignation.
"We'll teach him to frighten little
boys~ said all the elves.
So, that night, as Uncle Grum was
sound asleep, dreaming of boxing little
girls ears, somethinghit him smart tai
on the shoulder; but, jumping up, h'
saw nothing-only that his shoes were
on the bed He was surprised at that
and threw them off the clean white cover
let quickly. Hardly had they touched
the floor however, when up they popped
again on the bed, and, "Put me on,
growled one of the shoes, hoarsely.
"Good gracious mel cried Uncle
Grum.
"Put us on, say" growled both tn,
shoes together, this time.
So Uncle Grum had nothing to do Blu
to put them on. Hardly were his toe
well in, when they made him get out o
bed, and he found that they were march
ing him straight towards the door.
"Here, this won't do! Stop, l say y
squeaked Uncle Grum. But the shoe
went straight on without minding hin
in the least.
"Stop-wait moment" pulled Grum
But the shoes went on just as If he ha(
not said word, and trotted him dow
stairs, and, shivering, out of doors, or
the double quick. Hehad not gone yer,
far before he came to brook, and stop
ped on the bank, for the water was YER
deep, and whirled in very uncomforta
BILE way for one who had any notion O
crossing. The shoes twitched at Grum'
toes, but he caught hold of a young tree
and held on with all hismight, believing
81 won't go in-I shall be drowned!
WON'T won't !"
ooh, you WON'T" said a voice nea
him and looking around, there stood
tall man, wrapped from head to foot il
long, white cloak, "What won't yoI
do? And what are you believing her
forw
81 have got on a pair of bewitche
Shoes" said Uncle Grum, "and they ar
trying to drown me-"
"Let me look at them," answered tn
stranger. 81 know how to manage sue
shoes"
Then old Grum held up first one foo
and then the other; and the man in tn
white cloak touched first the sole of on
shoe, and then the other, with his Ions
white finger, and the moment he ha
done so the tree slipped from betwee
Uncle Grums' fingers as if it had been
creased pole, and whisk, whiz, splasl
bubble, bubble, went Uncle Grum, hea,
foremost into the deepest water, wher
he kicked and foundered, gasping an
gurgling. You should have heard til
water-elves laugh. They came all to til
top crowding around to pull Grum's hal
to pinch at his arms, to pull at his toe
and splash him every time that he &C
his head out of the water. He was yer
nearly dead Uncle Grum before he &c
to the opposite bank; and such col
Uncle Grum; such wet, stiff, sticky
miserable Uncle Grum, with such
dreadful pair of shoes, that marched hiI
straight off through the forest, owe
stones, and through briers, slipping
stumbling, getting scratches, trying
hold back, calling for help, and, what wa
strangest of all, all the time thinking {
frankie Mitchell. Somehow he coul
not get the boy out of of his head.
AS they marched along through TIL
forest frog began to croak and this
what it said
'That's right hurry on the old sinner;
He'll make good stew for the giants dinner
Guess how frightened Grum was 6
this! And hardly was the frog quie
when honey-bee came buzzing by, wit
Look look here's something new
Grum is going TO be cooked in a stew"
Before the bee was out out of sigh
Grum saw monstrous castle, with
flight oftwo hundred steps leading up
the door, in which sat the very giant h
had told frankie Mitchell about--grea
eyes, long nails, bushy beard, big toot
everything.
elbow did you come here ~ roared tn
giant.
"I didn't come" whimpered Grun
"My shoes brought me. They are b.
witched."
"Stuff," said the giant Chat was a Il
vorite word of Grum's); "you needn
tell me" (another favorite ejaculation
Grum's) "shoes are never bewitche'
You are spy. Z see through you.
shall have you made into stew. TIL;
is the way treat SPIES"
Then Grum began to shrek and be-
but the shoes marched him up the steps
4 Al ;