The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-12-27
FREDDIE ON THE BRIDGE.

Eating pudding and milk!
-EHd FdrMdn, In December Wide-Atcdke.
FREDDIE ON THE BRIDGE.
"I s'PosE God wants people nova.
days to trust Him in danger?' said Fred.
die Allen, his blue eyes looking like
big-sized gentians in October as he
asked the question.
YES" said his mother, who had
been telling him Bible story of Gods
deliverance of His people from peril.
"But," added Mrs. Allen, remember
ing that the element of the dangerous
attracted the daring Fred somewhat as
an opened cage door interests an inn
prisoned robin, but''--and Mrs. Al
len stopped. Then she went on: 's You
must not g into danger needlesely.
God wants us to keep out of needless
danger all we can" Twenty-four hours
passed. 1t was Monday noon.
"That boy! Fred-der-rickr'
1t was Mrs. Aliens CHEEKY voice that
called the name of her irrepressible
boy, and with each syllable rose higher
and higher. like crow-biddy, mount
ing ladder till it gets to the top
round, and then fairly breaks out into
crow
"Fred-er-rickr'
Fred was going out of the garden into
the road his hands in his pockets, his
hat on one side, his mouth puckered up
in whistle. 1t relieved his mother to
hear his whistle. Silence was ominous.
1t was likely to mean mischief. "What
does mother wantp' he asked, suddenly
bringing his musical performance to a
halt. He turned, and looked up to his
mothers open chamber window.
Be at home by SIX" called out Mrs.
Allen.
81 will, mother, sure" shouted Fred
promptly, for he was as ready with his
promises as some people in business are
with their assurances.
"And don't come home over the
bridge, Fredr'
Fred caught the last injunction as he
was turning into the street; but if he
had not heard it at all, he knew well
enough what his mothers opinion was
about crossing "the bridge" That
bridge was bad place, and will tell
ahanqth III it trfp further along. Fred pqckered
an3t AnsG0& .ntf.. fnrent the bridge
And if there were not the boys of the
nutting party waiting for him at the
store Just ahead! :.
"Hurrah! Here is Fred!' shouted
Tom Brown. "Now let's be of! Nuts.
boys, nutsn'
aCome onr' said Charlie Thomas,
throwing his cap into the air while Tim
Dwight offered to stand on his head
with any other boy. This proposed
celebration of Fred's arrival was very
wisely not seconded, and Tim remained
standing on his feet, which every boy
should he content to do.
They all clattered down upon the
s.town-bridge, crossing Deep River" !"
Beyond this stream were the roomy
fields, where the nut-trees stood. There
they were in their yellow foliage, like
big Chinese Mandarins in their shining
silk dresses. At every gust of wind
they would rustic their robes as if shak-
ing out kind of laughing welcome,
and saving, "Come on, boys! You see
we're waiting. Lots of fun here. We
can stand any amount of shaking, ston-
ing, clubbing, pounding. Only leave
us stump apiece to begin life with
next spring." Tim Dwight, that
harum-scarum chap, was ready to ac-
cept all invitations, and with legs MINI
ble as squirrels sprang into a tree.
Shaking the branches, he said he
would give them a specimen of infant
ry-fire in battle. Pop! pop! pop! came
the nuts, faster, thicker, then thicker.
faster again, till from the " Oh's!' and
Ah'sr" and "My'sr' you must have
said there were thousand wounded
men under the tree. The boys visited
one tree after another, remembering
their mothers, it should be said, and
not venturing far up into the trees,
when at last the village clock was heard
calling away, Zone = two-three-
fourr'
"Four O'clock" said Charlie Thorn
as, "and said would start for home
at four. Must go now,' and off he
started. Some of the others thought
they would join him, and Fred stood al
last alone.
Fred scratched his head, and begar
to wonder what he should do, as his
leave of absence was longer one. Ht
started up whistle. He could do thG
at least in the want OF farther business
1t was never-failing resource.
A happy thought came to him. h'
would cali up the road and see nj
cousin, George Amsden.
II George was standing at the kitchei
door, enjoying one Of the doughnut
his mother had just cooked. He heart
the well-known whistle.
Erred is coming, mother" SAT-
: George. 81 hear his whistle"
Fred quickly appeared, his cheek
puffed out with whistling, about as larg
. "a his rockets stuffed with nuts.
5 go Fredr' exclaimed George. "Gla'
3 vou,y We come. l have the incest nut
a trees to show you in the hollow bac
of the barn.
e NutsP My pockets are full OF them
Q Nonsense, Fred. Mine will bes
: those all out Of sight. Come benin
3 the barn.
= So away they went, scamperln
!, through the open barn door, past tn
r great hay-mows and the big-eyed oxe
p "a the stalls, and out again by door
q the rear. There were the trees! Wns
bio ones! They were taller Mandarin
:, than the others that Fred had visitet
i and with such prim, stately robes
8 yellow!
n "Myr' exclaimed Fred. Those q
b beat ours. Let's try shake!
I. And the previous programme ",
repeated, the shaking. stoning, ciu