The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-05-07
Crying for the Moon.

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golden thing that shimmered and shone
80; and she begged everybody to get it
for her. First her papa, because he was
so tall that if he went out on the roof he
could surely reach it. But he declared
that the thing could not be done, and
advised her to be contented with her
doll, a big one with blue eyes, that
opened and shut, and real yellow hair
doll instead of the moon-but he did
not understand. She could not make
him see that it was the moon she wanted,
not doll.
Then she went to her mother. Best
and dearest mother, who would do any
thing for her. She was kind. She said
she remembered wanting the moon her
self; but no one ever got it for her. 1t
was a beautiful moon. If one had it
one could go about lighting up the places
where one went, so beautifully; but as it
was, it shone very prettily. Could she
not look at it, admire it, be content, and
have instead ever so many pieces of blue
and pink and yellow silk, and needle, and
make some patchwork or bonnets for
her doll.
Mamma was very kind, but she did
not quite understand either. Oh, no.
Then there was her big brother, who
grinned, and leased her; and her big
sister, who begged her not to cry, and
gave her great, sweet sugar plum. The
moon was not to be had, they said; but
she knew better.
That night when she went to bed, she
asked the nurse, old Dinah, whether it
was true that she could never, never,
never reach the moon; and Dinah con-
sidered, under the red and yellow turban
like small conhagration, and, after con-
sidering, she said:
''Well, honey reckon you can't reach
de moon. no ways-specks OATS i'm
possible /; but tell we what when dat
var moon gets ready it will come
down to you. Yes, chile de moon will
come down to you when it gets ready.
So go to sleep, and don't bother no
more"
The little girl was happy, and said her
prayers and went to sleep on her little
white pillow, thinking of the happy time
when the moon should come down to
her.
Late in the night, after every one was
sleeping, she awoke. The moon had
gone behind the house, and she could
see it no longer.
"What if it has come down." she said
and she got up and went to the win
dow, pattering softly over the floor in
her bare feet so that she awoke no one.
Outside of the window lay little pond,
and there on its breast was the reflection
of the moon she could not see. The
beautiful yellow moon.
cit has come down to me" she said.
"The moon has come down of its own
self :" and she danced for Joy. Then
knowing a way out out of the house, she
crept down stairs, not even waiting for
her shoes, and out into the cold, still
garden, where all the flowers bloomed
and the grass was wet with dew. She
went down the path, and opened the
gate, and ran down to the pond. Far out
in its very center the moon that had come
down to her foated ON its back.
"Come here, said she; but the moon
did not come.
"Don't you hear me2" she cried. The
moon made no answer.
There was nothing for it but to wade
out and bring it in. She tucked her lit
tie nightgown up and started.
The moon smiled at her. She waded
in. Her feet were wet; now her little
knees; but she almost touched the moon.
She took one step more; it was on water
As she went down she caught at the
golden simmer with her little white
hands
Moon, have got you :" she cried
and then her head was under water.
Somebody in the house heard her
scream, and came out in terrible fright.
Papa, big and strong, walked into the
water and brought the little girl out.
She was choking with mouthfuls of dirty
water. She was all over mud and mire.
Oh, her pure white gown, the little baby,
maiden dress, how dirty it was The
tiny feet were black as Dinah's. and in
the small dimpled hand were clasped
two or three long pieces of very rank,
ill-smelling water weeds, and she was
nearly dead; but as soon as she could
speak, this was what she said
"The moon came down to me, and /
went to get it and then she pulled me
down and drowned me, and dirted me,
the nasty, wicked moon.
Moral--All the strong-minded little
girls that want the moon, beware. You
cannot reach her, and if she does come
down you'll have to wade through dirty
water to get her. Your feet and your
white garments will be soiled, and you
must touch evil weeds, and perhaps You
will be less lucky than our little girl; for
no one may come to your rescue, and
you may be quite drowned, not only
partially so, by that wicked, PREACHER
GUS moon for which you pine and speech
ify.
Charles Dickens and the Blind Children
Talking of the pretty school mistress,
reminds me of something / heard her
| toI1;,,c, bar bo.-o orI GIRLS one day when