The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-10-01
Kites ard MOla sse 4.

Kites and MOlasses.
Wyatt and Snaps were colsins-theil
fathers were brothers. Snaps real name
was Horace Brownell but when he was
n very little fellow, without suspenders,
he took to living almost entirely on gin
ger-snaps.
So his papa, who was joker, began
calling him Snaps and then his mother
took to calling him Snaps, because she
was very apt to do what his papa did.
Then his sisters. Mamie and Fanny,
commenced calling him Snaps, because
they always tried to initiate mamma, ex-
cept when she did such things rs mend
ing and busting. Then Mamie's and
! Fanny's playmates said Snaps instead of
everybody called him Snaps, and almost
nobody remembered that he had any
other name.
The winter that Snaps was twelve
years old, his father agreed to pay him
eight dollars for the job of keeping the
walks about the house cleared of snow.
When Snaps told his cousin Wyatt
about this agreement, Wyatt Insisted
upon making with his father like ar
rangement.
Thus it came to pass, that about the
last of March each of the cousins had the
magnificent sum of eight dollars. The
question for us to consider is, how it
went.
OF course, some of it-pot much, how
evcr-went on April-fools' day. Then
some of it went kiting. Spring brings
kites just rs surely as it brings swallows.
Snaps and Wyatt undertook to get up
some fancy rigs" Great Easterns they
were to be among kites. They were to
be nearly as large as Mr.. Showers barn
door, which was very large door, The
boys got carpenter to make the kite
frames. Then they bought some strong,
handsome paper, some gum-stick- EN-
deal of strong string. | don't know but
that they expected their kites to fly to
the moon. They were very handsome
affairs when finished. Wyatt's had a
gilt star blazing like gold in the center;
while Snaps carried II crescent moon III
silver.
The flying of the kites took place one
bright Saturday morning at 8 o'clock,
amid the assembled boys and girls of the
village. You would have thought, from
the eager talk and the eager faces, that
two balloons We're going up from the
square, for the spectators were by no
means confined to children. Men stood
in their shop-doors, and even on the
square; while women waited on the side
walks or gazed from their windows.
The kites behaved beautifully. They
rose gracefully and steadily up and up
and up, looking, with thsar scarlet and
gold, like two magnificent tropical birds.
One could scarcely put his head out
doors that day without seeing those
bright wings sailing against the sky, and
each time, doubtless, at the end of the
string was different pair of hands-now
boys, now girl's-for Snaps and Wy
att let all the children take turns, until
all had felt the strong pull of the mon
sters.
When I tell you how Wyatt and Snaps
spent the next money, L think you will
laugh. They invested it in razor aud
shaving-soap. What forl Well, they
wanted some whiskers, you see.
After this investment, each of the CAPT
talists bought bottle of cologne. The
following day, Wyatt said, as the two
were walking home from school: / say,
Snaps, isn't that Bob Davidson the lean
est, hollow-eyedst teller that your eyes
ever Lit on?"
He is so and I'll tell you what tbs,
Wyatt" Snaps said, 81 don't believe he
gets enough to eat. He always looks
hungry to me"
Lets treat him, said Wyatt briskly.
"Say we do" Snaps answered just as
briskly.
Hello, Bob, come here - Wyatt
called back to Bob, who was walking be-
hind them. "Come into this grocery !;
we're going to treat YOU"
claw is yer9" said Bob, coming up
on trot, grinning all over. "You all's
mighty commerdatin'.
Bob Davidson was black boy, you
understand.
The three boys stepped into the store.
"What1l you take 2" Wyatt asked.
"What do you like best Z"
Bob rolled his great white eyes all
about the store, among the boxes and
barrels and baskets. Then he turned
them up to the ceiling in profound med
itation. Then he studied the floor, and
again looked all around the store, his
lank body slowly revolving as on pivot.
"What'll you take 2" Snaps repeated.
"What Go you like best :"
Bob, as if about to take fatal plunge,
drew long breath, rolled his eyes from
the boys to the smiling shopman, smack
ed his lips, giggled, and answered,
classes.
Wyatt and Snaps burst out laughing
but they had the grocer fill Bob's dinner
pail with the thing he liked best.-Fron,
"HoW IL Vent" by Sarah Winter
Keilogg, 81. Nicholas for October.