The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-12-16
UNCLE GRIM.

THERE lived once on time certain
great, stout, dsagrccable gentleman,
whose name was Mr.. Grum. Iou know
there are some people who make them
selves provoking in everything that they
do and this Mr.. Grum was one of these
people. He wore great thick, creaking
boots, that nobody liked to hear coming
up their steps. He had way of blowing
his nose that you would have disIikcd
very much if you could have heard him,
He hated children; and having said that,
! don't think there is any need Of adding
another word to this description but that
we can lust 90 on with the story, setting
him down as grumbling, growing,
rusty, fusty, iII-mannercd, stony hearted,
grim old Grum.
1t happened then one day that little
frankie Mitchell, having nothing else to
do, and being a very daring boy for his
years, asked Uncle Grum TO tell him n
story. Uncle Grum did not believe in
fairies, Of course; but by the way Of pun
ishing frankie for daring to beg IL story
of him he told the poor boy such n dread
ful story of a giant who did nothing all
day but eat boy sandwiches that Frankie
dare not 90 to bed alone for week after,
and started up screaming as often as he
fell asleep. 1t fell out, however, that the
Dreamman, who was bringing pleasant
dreams for frankie, heard every word of
Uncle Grum's story standing behind
Frankic's crib and telling it in fairy
land there was great indignation.
oven teach him to trighten little
bOysr said all the elves.
So, that night, as Uncle Grum was
sound asleep, dreaming of boxing little
girls ears, something hit him smart tap
on the shoulder; but, jumping up, he
saw n6thing-only that his shoes were on
threw them off the clean, white covcrlct
quickly. Hardly had they touched the
carpet, however, when up they popped
again on the bed, and Put us on!
growlcd one of the shoes, hoarsely.
Good gracious me!' cried Uncle
Grum.
"Put us on, l sayn' growlcd both the
shoes together this time.
So Uncle Grum had nothing to do but
to put them on. Hardly were his toes
well in when they made him get out o1
bed, and he found that they were
marching him straight toward the door.
Here. this won't do! Stop, | say
soueaked Uncle Grum. But the shoes
went straight on without minding him If
the least.
"Stop-wait moment!' puticd Grum
LET me get on my clothes, anyhown'
But the shoes went on, just as if he haC
not said a word, and trotted HIM down
stairs, and, shivering, out of doors, on th'
ble-quick He had not gone very ia
before he came to brook, and stopped
on the bank, for the water was very deeE
and whired in very uncomfortable way
for one who had any notion of crossing
The shoes twitched at Grum's toes, but HI
caught hold of young tree and held OF
with all his might, bellowing:
II won't go in-I shall be drowned!
won't-I WON'T"
"Oh, you won't" said voice nea
him; and, looking around, there stood
tall man, wrapped from head to foot in
long white cloak. "What won't you do
!, and what are you believing here for?''
Il have got ON pair of bewitche'
shoes :" said Uncle Grum, land they ar
! trying to drown mer'
"Let me look at them," answered tn
/, stranger. 81 know how to manage sucl
| shoes"
Then old Grum held up first one foot
and then the other; and the man in tn
+ white cloak touched first the sole Of on
shoe, and then the other, with his long
white finger, and the moment he had don
so the tree slipped from between uncl
| Grum's hands as if it had been grease
1 pole, and whisk, wig, splash, bubble
bubble, went Uncle Grum headforemo:
). into the deepest OF the water, where h
G kicked and floundered, gasping an
gurgling. You should have heard til
) water elves laugh. They came all crowt
e ing to the top to pull Grum's halr'
s pinch at his arms, to pull at his toes, an
It to splash him every time that he got n
). head out of water. He was very nea
:, ly dead Uncle Grum before he got to IL
:. opposite bank; and such cold Unc
y Grum-such wet, stiff, sticky, miser
/. BILE Uncle Grum, with such dreadf'
l. pair of shoes, that marched him straig
Y, off through the forest, over stones, al
le through briers, slipping, stumbling, &c
&c ting scratches, trying to hold back, ca
4. ing for help, and, what was strangest
le all, all the time thinking OF FRANK
70 Mitchell. Somehow he could not get v
boy out Of his head,