St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-06-11
fnr Mr Children.
The Hardy Tin Soldier.

There We're once tiNr-and-twenty tin
soldiers they were all hr"thrI>. tuI
they had all been born of one old tin
spoon. They >hnuldcrcd their mu>kct>
and looked straight before them THEN
uniform WAS red and blue. and very
splendid. The fist thing they had
hcaid in this world. when tine lid was
taken of lhriI box. had been the words
Tin >nldirI> These words we've ut
tered 10y Il little boy. clapping hi> hands
the soldiers had been given to him.
tor it was his birthday and now he
put them upon the table. Each sol
dicr wa> exactly like the res bur umt.
of them had been east last of all. and
there had not hrcu enough tin to finish
him: but he stood as firmly upon his
one Icy as the otlcI> or then two: and
it WAS just this soldier who hrcarnc re-
marketable.
On the table on which they had been
placed stood many other plaNthing>
but the Toy that attracted most atIcm-
ton WAS a neat castle OF card board.
Through the little windows one could
see straight into the hall. Before the
castle some little tees acre placed
round Il little looking glL>-. which was
to represent Il clear lake. WaNcn
SWANS SWAN on this lake. and we've min
Torcd in it This was all very pretty {:
but the pirtlIr>t of all WAS "a little
lady. who stood ut the open door
of the castle: she WAS also cut oul in
paper. hut She had Il dress of the clear
est %auzc. and a little narrow blue rib
bon over her shoulders. that looked like
and IN ria. I,,I,I,ll,. II Til I,
bon WIS Il shining tin~cl lose a. biz a>
her whole face. The little lady stretch
ed out her arms. toI she was Il dancer ::
and then lifted one leg 80 high that the
tin soldier could not see it at all. and
thought that. like himself, she had but
one leg.
That would he Il wife tor me-" he
thought "bnt she Is very grand. She
lIvcr IN a castle. and have nul, Il box.
and there are tiNc-and-twcutl of us at
that. 1t Is no place for her But
must try to make acquaintance with
her. Aud then he lay down at full
length behind a snuff box " hich WAS on
the table; there he could easily watch
the daimt! little lady, who continued to
stand "u one leg without losing her
balance.
When the evening clmc. all the other
tn soldiers were put III then box. and
the people III the house went to bed
Now the toys began To- play at.'NiSitim.."
and AT ''war, and giving balls" The
tin soldiers ratified IN their box. for they
wanted Ia Join. but could not lit the
Ind. The nutcracktr threw Somersaults.
aud the pencil amused itself on the la
ble there was So much noise. that TN,
canary woke up. and began To speak too.
and even III verse. The only two who
did not stir from their places were the
tin soldier and the dancing lady she
stood straight up Oh the point of one of
her toes. and stretched ont both her
arms; and he was Just ~ enduring ON
his one leg : and he never turned his
eyes away from her.
Now the clock struck twelve and
''bnuuce the lid flew of the snuff
box; but there was not snuff in it. but
little black goblin; YOU see it was Il
trick.
Tin soldier said the goblin. ..don't
stare at things that don't concern YOU -
But the tin soldier pretended not to
heal him.