Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-12-28
GARRETT ADVENTURE.
4 New Years Story.
By ". NJ. D.
"SnOw ! snow ! snow =

have been so cross about it. He
seemed to think, as he said the words
that of all unfortunate, ill-used fel
lows he was the most to be pitied anC
of all hateful. malignant things. those
soft, white, downy specks, fitting past
the window, were hatefulest and most
malignant.
''Christmas week, too" said Ned
bitterly
SO it was; and perhaps it ought tc
have been ashamed of itself; but ii
didn't seem to be.
At this moment great gathering
was heard at the back door,.
They've come ! after all, cried
Ned, rushing out Of the room and
down the stair, all his wretchedness
gone in al instant.
His two sisters were at the door be.
fore him, and the three opened it to-
gether.
so, 0, howdy.do we were afraid
you wouldn't GOMEZ said two voices,
and ''Hello where's your scraper q
''Pooh we weren't going to mind
such 4 little snow as this cried
others, ali in chorus.
Six visitors! Think Of that. Two
lived next door On one side, and two
lived across the way. The first pail
were named Wilbur and Rob: the sec
ond pair were Herbert and Dickie
and the third pair were jamie and
Tommy. Wilbur had on an oyercoat
and 4 muller. for he had weak chest
Rob had tippet tied over his cap, fol-
he was subject to ear.ache. Herbert
had cap and a grey overcoat; Dickie
had cap and no oyercoat Jamie
wore Scotch suit ; and Tommy wore
short bob-jacket and long trowsers.
| tell you this so you Eaay know how
they appeared. AS for their faces,
they were so rosy and bright that they
all looked alike when the door opened
All the visitors were boys, as any one
would have known who heard the
tramping as the party went upstairs.
Yes, upstairs they went, nine OF
them, talking every step of the way.
The home children, Ned, Ruth, and
Dot, almost always took any visitor
that came. right to their mother
room to introduce them, out Of respec
to her, or at any rate, to give them
the benefit Of her hearty slow do you
10, my dears e. But this time they
went straight past her door, up, up, to
the very garnet.
''Ned,' his mother had said in the
morning, eff the children come this
afternoon to help you keep the holi.
days, either play in the yard or ND in
the garnet, for shall be quite busy.
lave all the fun you can, but be sure
not to break anything and not to take
cold. >>'''
You may wonder why Mrs. Brant
did not say: Be, sure not to lie
naughty But she would almost as
soon have said: 'sBe sure not to cut
off your heads" as to have said that
She knew her children too well to
think they did not wish to be good.
AS for telling them ::not to take cold. y
that only meant they must be sure TO
dress warmly if they played out of
doors. The garnet was never very
emily, because the heat from the fur.
mace always crept up there whenever
it had chance.
1t was a lovely old garnet, light. vet
mysterious, with plenty of stored.
away things in it to make it interest.
ing, and great cleared space to play
point of as--e' vas even more de-
enan usual, for in one corner
of it was very big heap of "potter
bakers clay" ae - -
80, what's that p cried the visitors.
the moment they reached the garrett
door. ~,3E@ -
''That's potter 's.clay,;' said Ruth
''lt's splendid for lots of things
Fathers going to- make some kind Of
what-you-call- ems out Of it, -.>'
ThereupOn the six visitors all stood
in row and gazed at the, heap. 1t
was grey, dusty and lumpy, and looked
something like faded-out. garden soil. .
''Wat's he going to- make - said
Tommy. .',.-. -..
II don't know exactly said Ruth.
Its only came yesterday -
"Was it a. New Years present to
your papa = asked little Dickie, limo.
Gently. 20 -
lofty scorn. 'sIIe had slippers. What
did your father get!'' b..
"Slippers, too,.:' said Dickie. :
$50 did my papa" laughed Wilbur.
81 guess all gentlemens get 'em,"
said Dickie, thoughtfully. "but I'd
rather have most anything sides
them"
Still the children stood staring at
LETS sit e ii i" said Jamie, with
great daring. Il guess it'll dust off,
A hint was enough: The heap was
soon covered with, children, and when
they jumped up they found that Jamie
was right. It ''dusted off, admira.
bly,. >@' T.3
"Let's make q road,'' cried one of
the others. - x-s.xs- - :.
"All right" cried Ned, in great
glee but he looked at Ruth. and she
answered his look with ':yes; we'd
best ask Mamma" :