Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-03-23
egor nourrg Readers.
THE NEXT DAY AFTER.


before you get to it. / always wanted to
Know what became of the "Three Little
Plgs' after they scalded the Fox 70 death,
ana what the Bears said when they found
that Golden-hair had run away; and |
think the man that knows might be made
TO tell about it. AT any rate, am going
to tell you what happened the next day
after Capt. Jinks' birthday party.
links had had very few birthdays for
boy OF his age; only six all told, and two
OF those he couldn't remember, which
was prinaa facta evidence that he was not
there (prtma facia means plain as the nose
on your face); so the whole family had
| given over arguing with links on that
point.
| Now the sixth one had come and gone,
and there would not be another for year
Jinks didn't see why. 1t wasn't like
Christmas, or New Years, or Fourth of
July. Folks were always having birth
days, summer and winter, just when they
| please, for anything he could see Jinks
stood by the window, squeaking his finger
up and down the glass, and wondering
how soon somebody would tell him to
stop that f. ...
| Zone birthday year isn't much; and,
sides, wfsh't / didn't choose mine in
winter"
People don't choose their birthdays"
said Molly.
Who doesg'' said Jinks, discomfort
edly. =...
God does" answered Molly, with
just a very little perk of her head
| If she had said the President, as links
half expected, he was prepared to express
his rebellious sentiments, without fear or
| favor; but as it was he only scowled and
scraped the carpet with his slipper-toe
Just then papa came in with his hat in his
hand, and stepped down to kiss his little
boy good-by. ..
Jinks frightened up at once.
ooh! papa, couldn't | go to the
| office with you? There isn't anything to
muse me here''
Dear mel" said papa, tossing the Cap
tain up in his arms, 1" is this the young
ster that had birthday party yesterdays"
Il don't care much about birthday par
ties" said Jinks; "A" and, sides, tie more
fun you have you're all the lo'somer the
next day"
land Jinks is always cross the next
day, whether it's birthday or candy"
said Molly, in very vexatious tone
Come on, then,' said papa, and links
Of &c c1i al L..
crushed his cap over his curls, wriggled
into his funny little Ulster oyercoat and
| could scarcely stop for mamma to kiss his
red cheeks and slip two cookies into his
pockets.
Jinks always enjoyed himself at the
office; but that day he had particularly
good time. He crammed his pocket-book
with stamps from the waste basket; he
pasted pictures and posters over the wood
box he made famous barricade of Pa
| tent Office Reports; he ate popcorn
ball, TWO apples and pint of peanuts
By that time he was tired He sat down
on top OF the barricade, and wondered
when his papa would go to lunch. He
wasn't hungry; but he had eaten too
many things, and SO he fancied he wanted
some more, which is sometimes the case
with people much older than Capt.
Jinks. His papa kept on writing letters
until the box was crowded full Then he
jerked out mis- watch and jumped up so
suddenly he almost upset his chair
''See here, Capt Jinks, must be at
fremont in mir 70
gentlemen; but shall be back in time to
take you to lunch.''
Papa" called Jinks, "could MT l"
But papa was out of the door already,
and only shouted back to the office boy:
Be sure you get those letters into the
mail, and call at the express office"
There was really no hell for it; and so
Jinks climbed into the window-seat and
watched the street-cars. links was inter-
ested in street cars, because he had decided
to be a car-driver himself, as soon as he
was old enough. He afterward changed
his mind, and concluded to have a hack,
because with hack you can choose your
own street and be more independent
think links was right. / should prefer
hack myself, By and by Robert began to
gather up the letters, and links took down
his cap. He liked very much to go to the
Office with Robert. +" It's twelve o'clock"
said Robert, land your father'n come for
you Directly" '
He looked at links, and the popcorn
ball that he had eaten began to roll up into
his throat. AT least It felt like popcorn
ball.
He'll be here inside of ten minutes
said Robert, encouragingly; and you
may take my knife and white. Ye see,
ii takes me the best part of an hour to git
around; and | stop in home for bite
while Pm down that way"
Poor little links swallo wed hard at the
popcorn ball and took the knife; but when
Robert was actually gone he didn't care
much about whiting. What if he should
cut his finger, and nobody there to hear
him cry. So he went back to the win
dow, and waited and watched He tried
to count the people; but, as he could
OQIV count nm TO fen he had tO beuin