The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-11-22
Ki-Ki and Poo Poo.

k1-hf and FOO Zoo.
THANKSGIVING day came at last-keen,
clear and frosty; but the fire on grand
mas foot-worn hearth burned high and
bright Uncle Roland was there in his
"navy blue % and bright buttons. Papa
was there in his farmers jeans; and his
two motherless little darlings, Gussie
and Bette, were there in their new Rob
Roy plaids," neat, white aprons, and
stretched over their plump, shapely
legs, as neat and close as the linen bag
over grandmas Thanksgiving pudding.
Uncle Roland, "the lion of the day"
IN that dear old homestead, had but just
arrived from long, weary cruise, and
had fastened to his Western home to
spend Thanksgiving day with his aged
mother" perhaps for the last time"
her fond heart suggested, for he was
ordered to the South Pacific coast, and
was to sail in the ship "Fredonla,
which was to leave port in few days.
Gussie and Betty had watched for their
Unola Roland's arrival for hours, with
their fair, plump faces pressed close
against the panes of the parior window.
He came at last, hale, handsome, and
lig1 t-hearted as q boy.
The first greeting was over. Grand
ma, flushed and happy, fastened to COM
plete her preparations for the forthcom-
ing feast; and vibrated between kitchen
and parlor, like a pendulum, stopping
now and then in her busy flight to brush
her fair, withered hand over the brown
-ripples of her proud, handsome boys
hair. Papa sat and conversed with I'm
Gle Roland by the parlor fire; while Gus
sic and Betty fell tinidly back into the
corner OF the room, and enjoyed him
from distance, giving him all the
sweet, heartfelt admiration of their fresh
young hearts.
Uncle Roland, though apparently
deeply absorbed in conversation with
papa, kept one eye, and one ear, on his
little nieces, whom he loved dearly.
They were his dead sister children, and
he felt the deepest, tenderest solicitude
for them. They were simple little
country girls, unused to the follies and
fashions of the gay world. They were
free from -pure-hearted, and
stainless as the white lilies that bloom
at the window by their side. They
were his little innocent darlings. He
was merry, mischievous fellow, and
loved to tease them, always sure of his
makeup kiss !" at the end.
The little girls sat looking at Uncle
Roland in mute admiration. Amt he
sweet 90 whispered Gussie at last, be-
hind her little hand.
"And amt he prettya" whispered
Betty.
"S-u-c-h a coatl' ssid Gussie.
"And such buttons!!" said Betty.
Uncle Roland turned about suddenly
and cried:
"Hallol over there! What are you
whispering about?" The poor little girls
blushed scarlet, and looked guilty and
confused. "Tel it outl' cried Uncle
Roland. "Out with itr'
eve were just talking about q man."
said brave Betty, demurely.
''Well, what about the naaas" said
Uncle Roland
1--WE said he was sweet said Betty.
"What else?'' urged Uncle Roland.
"And pretty" said Betty.
"What kind of a coat did the man
wear?' said Uncle Roland
"Blue coat and brass buttons!' said
Betty.
Ct thought sor' said Uncle Roland,
laughing. "And his name isis
"Uncle Roland!!" cried the little girls
In one voice.
Uncle Roland went over to his admir-
ing little friends, and crowded himself
down between them on the little lounge:
then, winding an arm about each, began
telling them funny little stories which
they found difficnlt to believe, but felt
in their loving little hearts bound to
believe, because he was $50 sweet" and
$50 pretty" and "their own dear Uncle
Roland
Uncle Roland had zen for years a
paymaster in the United States navy.
and had been in many foreign lands, and
had seen many strange people and scenes.
HIS stories were always peculiar, original
anc most marvellous; but foolish and
trivial as they may have sounded to the
ear of a stranger, they always contained
a keen little blade of moral. pointed at
some fault he may have observed in his
sweet but errlng young nieces; and ther
never forgot the lessons these little fool
Ish stories were intended to convey.
In the great city of Pekin, China, some
years ago, there lived two little Chinese
boys named Ki-Ki and Poop (said
Uncle Roland, as he sat squeezed in be-
tween his precious little nieces. on the
old lounge. They had little, black, bias
eyes, curlicued eyebrows, coarse, raven
hued hair, braided down their backs in
splndling pig-tails; very long, dirty
hnger-nalls; clean, white teeth; Gle y-col-
ored compilations, and little dumps of
noses. The handsomest boys in all
Pehn! their good old dim-eyed mother
bought.
One day when the poppy fields We're
crimson, and gold, and purple, and blue.
with bloom, Ki-Ki end Poo-Poo wan
dered of for beetle and butterfly hunt.
After roaming up to their funny little
eyes in poppy blossoms the greater part
of the tIav thpU
the sun was sloping over the great Chi
nese wall, to the west. The straw has
kets and silken gauze nets we're filled
with the spoils of the day-beetles and
butterflies, who beat the cruel ,,rison
bars with their splendid wings, and the
beautiful, gorgeous, yelvety down from
the butterflies fell off, and their golden
crests were broken and bruised. But
what was that to ki-Ki and Poo-Poo?
Let 'em lay still Them they said.
Mrs. Shing- Shang- Poo, their old moth
err. saw this precious pair coming from
altar, and fastened to prepare their even
ing meal. They came numbering in,
hungry as two bears; and, after thrusting
cruel thorn through the vitals of each
painting beetle and butterfly, they ar
ranged them in neat row along the
wall of their little bamboo house. and
LETT them alone in their agony. They
then sat down on their mats to
supper; and IS they ate the poor
beetles drummed dismally, and
the dying butterflies beat their
wings upon the walls. Ki-Ki and Poo
Poo were deaf and blind TO this sad scene,
and had no eyes for anything but the
dainty repast spread before the1a; and
what a repast it wasI How it made their
II, ~, IL IL