American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-04-17
ROBBIE GOES TO LIVE In A PLAY.
HOUSE.

| the unusual dainties they had been in
dulged in began to make Chester a little
Omfortable-though he did not know
what was the matter. Nothing seemed
| pleasant or good to him, and he talked
| to Robbie till he made him think it was
was at home. When they had worked
| themselves up into proper state of
| fretfulness the two Soys came in to
mamma, who was reading by the last
rays of light.
"Auntie," said Chester, "we don't want
to live here any more; we want to go to
live with Eddy's mamma"
Indeed" said mamma, laying down
her book and looking at them, "why
so?"
"'Cause Eddy's mamma is nicer" said
Chester. cOolly; she never makes us eat
bread n butter; we can have as much
cake s we can stuff"
"An' tea! 'tsreal black, toov broke in
Robbie, " an jam-'thout any bread"
"And sugar." exclaimed Chester; we
can Just help ourselves"
Robbie.
can we like his house better n this
old thing" said Chester contemptuous-
ly.
Mamma was not surprised at this in
Chester, for he was very uneasy little
boy always, and she knew that the things
he had eaten had made him unhappy,
but she was rather hurt that Robbie
should want to leave her. After mo-
ment she said:
$50 my little boy wants to go away
from his mamma-dOes he?"
eyes," said Robbie, hesitating, as he
remembered the wonderful things over
at Eddy's.
course he does, cause it's nicer
therer" SAID Chester.
"Well," said mamma, "rll tell you
what you may do. If you don't want to
live with me, you may go and stay in
your play house till tomorrow, and then,
if Eddy's mamma will take you, you
go there and live"
ooh, goodey" shouted Chester.
Bring out all your things, Robbie, and
Wen go live in the play -house."
They quickly loaded themselves up
chestnuts and the two pieces of cake,
and, bidding mamma goOd-by, went out
The playhouse Was in the back yard
and was a very nice one. 1t was built
for chicken-house at first, but mamma
did not have very good success with
chickens, and after they had all died of
she said Robbie should have it for a
playhouse. So one day man came
there with a saw and hammer and
roosts, made a nice door with knob and
lock on-just like grown-up doors
and neat little window looking toward
the house. When he went away another
man came and whitewashed it all over,
and covered the old chicken yard all up
with green blocks of grass and made a
little walk up to the door, and then it
was as coy house as one could have;
Then mamma put down carpet, and
papa sawed off the legs of a small table
and put up shelf for Robbie's dishes.
Robbie spent great deal of time in
his house and had made several things
for it. One was a bench made of a box,
with legs of sticks of wood, which he
found in the wood-pile, nailed on. An
other was stool made of the end of a
square plank, with pieces of lath for
legs. This article, however, was merely
ornamental, because the legs were not
strong enough to bear Robbie. In fact
they would hardly hold the plank alone,
and Robbie said he couldn't sit on it, it
was so tipsy.
"Now, Robbie" said Chester, when
they had taken possession, 1--WE must
have something to keep off bu'glars."
Il know whatW exclaimed Robbie.
"Tll take the hatGhet--I can hatch their
heads Off"
Eyes, an the hammer" said Chester,
eff one comes, I'll just-smash in his
head"
The hatchet, and hammer and a white
wash brush, that Bridget had left on a
bench by tie kitchen door, were carried
into the house, the door locked, and the
two discontinued boys prepared to sleep
on the floor, with their weapons beside
them.
They could not go to sleep, however,
and by and by they began to get hungry
and to their surprise they found that
their cake did not taste so good as they
expected, and at last Chester proposed
that Robbie should go to the house and
get some bread and butter.
But we don't b'lOng there nOw," said
he.
That's no mattcr!' said Chester.
"Knock at the door, and ask her. She
always gives it to folks I've seen her.
So in IL minute mamma, who was In
the dining room, heard Il faint little tap
on the side door, and opened it.
me want some bread an butter"
said Robbie, mcekly.
Mamma looked at him rs though she
had never seen him before.
81 haven't any bread and butter for
children who don't live here" said she.
You'd better run home, little boy"
With choke in his throat Robbie
turned and ran to the playhouse. Ches-
ter was very indignant over this repulse,
and shook his head and talked about
running away.
Meantime it was growing dark, ana
Bridget lighted up the dining room SO
bright that the light shonc in ut their
little window. Mamma told her not TO
put down the curtains. Sc they stood
by their window looking over into the