Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-02-03

Teddy sat in the nursery, and looked
forlornly out of the window. Present.
ly he slid out of his chair on his knees
and, resting his curly head on the
broad window seat, fixed his blue eyes
glisteniEg with tears, Qp the beautiful,
tieecy clouds that were sailing so lazily
along the summer sky, over the tree
tops, over the grass and flowers, and
far, lar over miserable little Teddy.
OH how he envied them! They
were not shut up in The nursery ou
this beautiful June day. They did not
have a mamma who had gone to the
city, and left them with a wicked old
woman. They could go to the river
and rock in the boat, if they liked, and
Teddy laughed in the midst OF his s0r-
row at the thought of those rosy, dain-
ty clouds rocking in the cid muddy
boat.
But I've got on my everyday
clothes, and l think nurse might let
me- and the blue eyes overfiowed
again.
We'll, I'll get as near outdoors as
can,' and he climed up in the window
seat and stretched himself out in the
sunlight.
He looked wistfully down the ave-
nue., through the trees, to where the
river wound and sparkied like silver
cord.
He had lain there drowsily for some
time, when little red-bird flew out
of a neighboring tree top and aligh1ed
beside him.
Birdie perched his head on one side,
in saucy way he had, and there was
q mischievouS gieam in his little bright
eye as he sang to Teddy of the beauti-
iui woods, and of the red berries that
grew on bank a little way down the
river.
When the miSchievous bird had
flown away, bright thought struck
Teddy, and he started up so suddenly
that he nearly fell out on the roof OF
the veranda.
Nurse has got me locked iu, but I'll
show her; I'll go to the river and get
those berries for dinner yet And
suiting the action to TIE word, he went
to the edge of the narrow roof, climbed
over, and slid quietly down the pillar
to the porch below.
1t was dangerous undertaking for
little fellow, but Teddy was reckless,
and did not stop to thiak o. danger.
Once, indded, he caught his foot in a
tangled vine and was i9htened for
moment, and he heaved a sigh of relief
simultaneously with a subdued shout
of triumph whenzhe reached the bot
tom in safety.
Then, if there had been any one
looking out of the front windows, as,
unfortunately, there was hot, they
would have seen little pair of boot
heels killing through the trees and
a golden head d~bobbing among the
leaves in the direction OF the river.
oh! Teddy, Teddy, you had better
not 90 to the river; you will be sorry,
sorry"
Bnt Teddy would not listen TO the
good little mother wren, who hoped
i'm front of him; and she flew back TO
lecture her own dociIe brood ON the sin
of diSohedience. Teddy heard the trees
rustic and bend together, and whisper
to each other: Teddy is running away;
who would have believed such "a
thing OF him?'
But his heart was swelling with the
not unmiXed pleasure of stolen itee-
dom, and he trOtted on reseiutely.to-
ward the beautiful, treaeherous river.
The lilies that grew by the cdrriage
drive turned a little paler, If possible,
when they saw where he WAS going,
and though they Suffered not word TO
pass their white lips, they looked be-
seechingly at him.
And the weeping willow that grew
at the waters edge even threw out lis
long arms and tried to hold him, while
it Inoaned. "Oh! fer the sake of the
love l have so long horne your family,
do not 60 on the water! Stay, | viii
tell you the sad story 0fmy lile.'
All this opposition only made Teddy
more determined 10 have his own way,
and am sorry to say that good advice,
freely offered, has the sine etfec. on
Older people; SO, kicking himself free
from the entwIning arms OF the vii
low, he said, who wants 10 hear your
cd granny stories? and he marched
down and uEfastened the boat.
Slowly he pushed off after settling
himself ia a dry seat, and placing the
oars where he could conveniently reach
them.
The current near the bank WAS only
strong eaOugh to carry hin gently
along.
The banks for some distance on this
side were low, and many OF the fine old,
trees overhung the water, making il
cool and shady, and the long rank
grasses bent down and smoked in the
water. Teddy thought they were
whispering to the river-.Dro an him!
Drown hind lie is bad bOyp But
as the water rippled past them as smi
lingIy as ever. he concluded twas not
going to take the advice, and be lean-I
ed back in the boat, watching the
fiecks of sunlight that played over The
water where it shOne through thet
trembling leaves.
He watched the sparkles, az he call !
cd them, thinking, 'Ob, what will 4
mamma do to me when she comes
home this evening and finds that
have run Cff. from nurse"
Just at this moment the boat ran too
near the shore, and hazie bush caught
his hair and pulled it, saying, That's
what she will do to you'-for it bad in
terpreted his thoughts. "Ghat's just
what you deserve and the hazel gave !
another spiteful jerk. ~ 4s L
No she won't you naughty hazle, I
and, in striking at the hazle bush, Ted i
dy nearly overturned his boat. 6