The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-05-14

cats had met with some kind of wonder
ful adventure. Victoria Regia, when q
kitten, had fallen into the well, and had
been fished out in the sold oaken buck
ct. Her two children rejoiced in the
renowned appellations of Napoleon and
Josephine Bonaparte. Nap was always
having battle with some member of the
feline household. He had even tres
passed on the neighbors' gardens in order
to crafty his thirst for war. Josephine
was always under some ones feet. and il
one sat down in a rocking-chair, one was
sure to hear a terrible cry upon the first
movement of the rockers. We children
liked Flossy Whitefoot best, she was
such little pet. So we decided that
she should be bride and Napoleon groom.
Josephine acting as bridesmaid.
We arranged the wedding presents ON
the table, and / arrayed Flossy in the
green barege veil and Nap in the necker-
chief, after which shut them in the
closet until Josephine was ready. Her
costume was simple, being merely my
white muslin apron tied around her
neck. At first it trailed very gracefully
behind her; but when she discovered
the strings under her chin she began to
effective costume. The two mothers,
being comfortably seated on empty
cheese boxes, were allowed to attend
the wedding in their everyday clothes.
The ceremony was performed in the
most approved manner-Rob reading
his service from an Ayers almanac. 1t
was necessarily short and somewhat in
terrupted, for Nap would insist on
jumping on the table, and Flossy was
decidedly uncomfortable under her bri-
dial vail. For the wedding ring was sub
stituted blue neck-ribbons. "Blue
means true. you know, and as long as
these ribbons last you must be true to
one another, kitties."
After this wise concluding remark we
partook OF the wedding feast, giving the
cats the milk and eating the gingerbread
ourselves. Then we presented Nap and
F'lossy with mouse apiece. They
seemed TO appreciate this part of the
"play as well as any, and the other
pussies would have been glad of share
of the treat.
"The order of exercises having been
completed at this place, we will now
take the happy couple on their bridal
tour" said Rob, in most solemn tones.
looked up in establishment from my
last piece of gingerbread. Rob had be-
gun the play reluctantly, and now he had
suggested continuation of which i had
not thought.
Where will we go, I asked9" my
mouth so full l could hardly speak.
Clear your mouth, take Flossy, and
follow me, was his only reply.
When Rob took that way of talking I
always obeyed, if it led me over juni-
per bushes barefoot, for it seemed to
me he must be a remarkable boy to talk
in that tone. He captured Nap and we
started for Little Pond. Arriving there,
Rob helped me into boat that was fast
ened to the shore. From that we stepped
into one in the pond, and from that to
another. By moving this about we con-
trived to reach one quite distance from
land.
"Well let our bride and groom play
go to Europe" said Rob, rocking the
boat.
Don't rock the boat so, hard said,
-" or you will get it unfastened." / was
really quite alarmed, not being used to
life on the water.
"Why, you know we must have
storm at sea to make the play go right"
was my only consolation.
81 guess we shall have a real storm
before long, anyway. Look, Rob, see
those clouds. l know it will rain before
long"
He said ono" In this instance nv
remarkable boy" was mistaken, for
soon the first few drops before the heav-
Ter shower began to descend. We had
moved the boat about so much that sew
eral moments were consumed in getting
it into such a position that we could step
from it into the next one, and so to the
shore. 1t was accomplished at last in
the midst of the pouring rain. After
reaching the shore, we had quite walk
before us so on the way we planned to
get up to our rooms, change our clothes,
and say nothing about our adventure.
Alas there in the back door stood Be
linda Paige.
Gland sakes whatever have you two
children been up to now? Where have
you been Z" she asked. mis- Thomp-
son, do come here and see these children.
They look for all the world like drownded
rats.
Grandma fastened from the sitting
room, and Katy, the housemaid, from the
kitchen, and then such score of cues
tons. These were not answered as salts
factorily as we could have desired, for
grandma never allowed lis on the pond
alone. We were both hurried to our re-
spective rooms and sent supperless to
bed. 1 think grandma added the hard
est punishment of all when she sent Be-
linda Paige up stairs with bowl of hot
ginger tea. I've always hated hot ginger
tea ever since. But / drank it. How
could do otherwise, with Belinda stand
ing over me9
After she had gone and / was nearly
asleep, l heard a whisper at my door:
81 say"
"That you, Rob 2"
+" Yes. Had any ginger tear"
"Ughi Yes"
81 think it's too bad. We didn't mean
anything. But say, you amt mad with
me Z"
"No, Rob"
"Good night"
"Good night"