The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-12-06
FATHERS STORY.

and took her on his knee.
"Come to say good-night?''
"Yes, papa; but l want to know
something first. Doesn't everybody
have daily bread? Jane says they
don't. II Is 50 easy to get bread"
"Not always. / once knew some
little children who had no bread for
nearly two daysr'
"What did they eat, then, porridgep'
"No; they had nothing to eat but
blackberries. Shall tell you all about
it? Once upon time, two little boys
went out for walk. 1t was in the
summer time, and they meant to 60
to the woods and pick nuts, SO they
| walked as fast as they could"
"What were their namesp' asked
Truda, settling herself to listen. Truda
liked tales.
lone was called Dick and the other
Robin. Well, they got to the woods
at last, and found that somebody had
been there already and picked all the
nuts. They did not like that at air.
"No, should think not" said Truda.
However, there were plenty Of
pretty things in the woods, and they
soon forgot the nuts. Robin was fond
of flowers, and there were many that he
had never seen before; so he was de-
lighted. Dick had his pop-gun with
him, and tried to kill every bird he saw,
but somehow they always flew away be-
fore his shot reached them. They were
very happy little hoys, but, after a
while, became very hungry boys, too"
Hadn't they brought anything to
eat with themP Polly and l always take
cake when we go nutting, papa
"Yes, they had cake, but they soon
ate that all up, and then they got hum
CRY again"
"Then why didn't they go home?'
"Ah, why indeed! They could not. :"
Truda looked puzzled. "Why notP'
"They could not find the way. When
they turned to 60 back, they went
down the wrong path; and instead of
going home, they went away from it.
Of course they did not know that, but
they thought the wood was very long.
At last it began to get dark; and then
they were frightened. Dick, being
three years older than Robin, tried to
make out that he did not care, but he
did. The woods were so dark and lone
ly, and there we're such queer noises,
that his courage slowly oozed away,
and presently there was not bit left.
The sun had gone down, and the moon
had come instead; but they did not like
the moon, it made everything look SO
cold and strange. When they were too
tired to walk they sat down at the foot
of tree, and Robin began to cry"
40 dear! what did Dick do, papaT'
"He cried, too. Then they went to
sleep and forgot all about everything.
don't even think they dreamed. When
the sun came up the next morning he
found them fast asleep; he dashed the
light across Dick eyes, and made him
open them. Well, all that day the two
little boys wandered about the wood,
going further from home all the time.
they found some blackberries and
picked them, and that was all the din
ner they had that day."
"Were they in the wood another
night, papa?'
"No; they got out of the wood, and
found themselves in field. There was
a big stone wall in front of them, and
they tried to climb over it. Dick man.
aged vefy we'll, but poor little Robin
tumbled. and htrt his foot 50 that he
couldn't walk. Dick tried to carry
him, and got him to an old stack in 3
corner Of the field, and there they hac
to stay all that night. !"
Poor little boys. Go on, papa
said Truda, very much interested
What did they do the next morn
ing"
1Robin could not walk, and Dicl
was afraid to leave him; SO they sat By
the hay-stack and cried two very for
lorn little boys. They found some
more blackberries in the hedge, ant
Dick picked all he could reach, ant
gave Che larger share to Robin because
| fie had hurt his foot. They felt yer,
queer; and Robin could not keep awake
liz would 60 to sleep, though Dicl
shock him every now and then, afit
shouted in his esr.'' .
/ "Where was their father all tn
1 time? Didn't he look for them, papa
If were lost you would look for me,
said Truda.
Their father and mother were ava.
| from home, and the servant was afrai'
to tell any one that the children wer
/ lost. till the day after. Then she toll
some men, and they went to look TO
them. and one of them sent for the ia
| thgf to come home." !,
| al am glad! now they will be found,
I, said Truds, contented1y.
| a 4 l. s<.l~ nk<d H11r