The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-10-13
The Little Boy and His Guest.


youths Companion.
The Little Boy and His Guest.
One night at supper Peter ate the soft
part of his slice, but put the crust, the
upper crust, under the edge of his
plate. Then he bent low and whispered
to his knife and fork
"Now don't tell !"
Next he tucked the bottom crust I'M
der the other side of his plate, and bent
low again, and whisper ed to his spoon
and napkin ring
"Now don't tell |"
And that night be freamed of seeing
his plate on the chamber floor, aud that
the two long crusts crept out toward
him like two long caterpillars. And
they every moment grew longer and
longer.
"What two funny things are you ?"
cried Peter.
Then the two things turned and crept
slowly, slowly, on toward the door.
And there they stretched out and stood
up on end and looked at Peter and
spoke. And the sound of their voices
was dry and coarse, like the cracking of
crusts between sharp teeth. And they
said
go you dainty boy, So you would
eat OIL ly the soft Come now and be
punished !"
81 won't do so again." said Peter.
"How do we know that 2" said the two
things. "Come quick Do as We do !
DO as we dol"
Then the two things crept down stairs
and along the entry, and through the
front yard, and up the street, and across
the gutter, while Peter, in his red fan
mel nightgown, went creeping behind.
But when they crept up high board
fence Peter said:
go, can never do that never,
never! I"
At that moment Pepper-Box in uni
form called out:
"Stand you are my prisoner! Fol-
low mel Nowl Straight! Forward
Marchl"
Then Peter stood up straight and
marched behind.
$50 you wouldn't eat the crusts, dainty
boy" cried the Pepper Box in uniform,
turning about with fierce look. 1t
shook Its head sternly at Peter, and at
every shake the pepper flew into his
eyes, causing the tears to run, run, run,
like two rivers.
"Ohl OH L wonder who told !"
cried Peter. 81 wonder who told My
tears My tears Sweet, good mamma,
come wipe my tears !"
"They will do to soak your crusts
in |" said some fine, silvery voices near.
Peter looked behind to see where so
many voices came from, and beheld all
the napkin-rings rolling, hopping, skip
ping along, one after another. and all
making fun of him. And the head one
was his own! "Telltale Telltale |"
called out Peter.
"Order in the ranks |" shouted the
Pepper Box i'll uniform. "Quick For
ward To prison Make way there
Disperse the crowd"
"What crowd2" asked Peter.
"Look and see !" cried the Pepper
Box in uniform.
Then Peter saw that all the knives and
forks were standing about, whispering
rivately together-all but the carving
knife; that had lain down to rest. The
whispering went On.
"Who is thisa"
Peter"
Nhere Is he goingV
"To prison"
"What for 2"
"To learn
Learn what r.
"To eat"
Z" Eat WHAT
a" His crusts'
Then there was a loud tittering and
laughing.
ooh dear I" cried Peter, CT begged
them not tell ! bent my head low, and
begged them not to. But oh they went
and told Mean Mean I"
"Order in the ranks" cried the
Pepper-Box in uniform.
They kept marching on, and came to
three bright, smiling, shining rows, one
above another. In the first row we're
the grandmothers. These were the big
spoons. In the second row were their
daughters. These were the teaspoons.
In the third row were their granddaugh-
tiers. These were the salt and mustard
poons.
They spoke not q word, but only
smiled coldly on him as he passed. as
much as to say
eyes, we know; we know all about
it,"
And among them Peter saw his own.