The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-01-09
Robbie's Wheels.

Mamma, need pair of wheels, ="
said Robbie, one day.
"Um," said mamma, who was busy
and didn't want to talk.
"Where can get pair ?" Robbie
went on.
81 don't know"
"But / want them, mamma.
"What for ?" asked mamma.
"'Cause my others are too little.
"Well :" said mamma, who didn't
think pair of wheels was any great
matter to make little boy happy.
"We'l ask papa.
So that night when papa came home,
the request was made, AMI the next day
when he went to the factory he told a
man to saw out pair of wooden wheels,
and at noon he took them home.
Robbie was delighted, and rolled
them around little while. Then he
came up to papa.
"When can you make me an axle,
papa? ?"
.'Why, who said 1 would make an
axle ?" asked papa.
"But need one to hold my wheels
together ~ said Robbie, earnestly.
Papa couldn't resist that logic, nor the
pleading little face, so he went out to
the barn and got piece of hard wood,
sawed it off the right length, whitfield 1t
into very nice axle, put the wheels on
it, made pair of pegs to hold them on,
and handed it over to Robbie.
He rolled it around the floor little
while. Papa went away, and mamma
was busy again.
"Mamma," said Robbie, at length,
ga handles got to be whitfield, big
enough to go into hole that's got to
be bored in the axle.
Mamma said nothing.
CT need handle" Robbie went OF
insinuatingly, "to draw it by. How
can draw it 'thout any handle p
Cant you tie on a string" asked
mamma.
"'Twon't go straight, n sides, carts
don't have strings" he went on, indig
nantly, "they have thills r else pole
n l need a pole, I do really"
"Well, said mamma, 1 can't make
pole to go in the axle, but L have ;
thin stick that I'll tack on to the axle
if that will do"
After some hesitation, in considera
ton of the well-established fact tina
mamma couldn't whittle-early instilleC
into his mind Robbie decided that i
would do. So mamma fixed that, anC
went on with her work, sure that nov
Robbie would be happy.
But alas i'm ten minutes there cam
an earnest little voice at her elbow.
Mamma, who do you sink can maxi
me box to my cart p
ooh laar ic,'t tbot nort dom
yet 2" asked mamma. 81 thought tina
was all fixed"
liant cart 'thout any box" sal,
Robbie; n l can't draw anything on 1t
cause it slips right off.
That was unanswerable again, s.
mamma got up and hunted around til
she found an empty cigar box, brough
out her paper of big tacks, and tacke,
it on. She then sat down with sig
of relief.
Now for some time Robbie was quiet
He drew the dolly till he got tired, an
then new idea popped into his head
Mamma, who can fix me a seat t
my cart who can p
Goodness what do you want a sea
for ?" asked mamma.
"'Cause 1 thought of it, n dolly's to
down low 'thout any seat"
"Put one of your red blocks in for
seat" suggested mamma.
The red blocks went in, and peac
once more descended on the family-fo
the space of five minutes.
Mamma, guess I'll harness up m
Christmas horse to this cart" was til
next idea. How can 1 harness
up?'
No reply from mamma, discouraged
won't you tell me how 1 can
(pause for reply. Wont you
(pause) tell me-(pause) how l can ?"
"Dear mel can't harness horses,
said mamma, "you harness it you
self"
"But need to have whipple-tr,
made" said Robbie, earnestly 81 hi
papa's buggy"
Goodness, Robbie I'm not
buggy-maker," said mamma in disma
''But it's just as easy-not a regeli
one-just stick fixed in the middl
you know, n then a harness, n pa
of lines"
But you know can't whittle," sal