The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-01-19

"You'd better"
"I shan't."
"It's clear case of disobedience,
Numbered the clown. "What shall we
dot"
"He must be punished.
so he must. Brothers, / have a
headache, caused by tremendous whack
which he gave me this very evening. /
demand n fair exchange"
While Johnny was wondering what
"fair exchange" was, the clown came
toward him with series of jumps, pull
ed his head quickly from his shoulders,
and thrust his own in its place.
"You let my head alone!" screamed
Johnny.
But he found himself staring at his
own face, which looked at him from the
clowns painted shoulders, and which
seemed to take on leering, hooking
expression as he looked.
"Anybody else want to change2"
eyes; my arms broken"
"O-hl l don't believe it."
"My legs are both black and blue"
"It's the paint" cried Johnny, wav-
ing his arms, and trying to kick with
little wooden legs.
But the acrobats had them off in a
trice, and in the twinkling of an eye the
exchange was made.
Hardly any of this is me-" thought
Johnny, ruefully. Wonder if 1 shall
ever get myself back again. This head
does ache little, truly"
But he couldn't stop to think abou
it, for just then the clown announced
in q loud voice that an entertainment
would commence in five minutes, and
the three others busted themselves in
arranging their poles for the perform
ance.
And what wonderful Things they did
Balancing themselves upon each others
shoulders, jumping from bed to bureau
and back again, turning summersaults
from soap-dish to waterpitcher, waving
a toothbrush instead of a fag-in short,
indulging in more extravagant feats than
the little boy had ever dreamed of be-
| fore.
"Now," shouted the clown, swell
have our song. Well give you some
thing worth hearing" And, without
stopping this evolution for an instant,
the queer little figures piped out
Jolly acrobats are we,
Mounting high or stopping low,
without hands and without feet,
Our gymnastics who can beat?
Oh!
jolly acrobats we,
Doing wonders as you see.'
There were great many verses, but
they all sounded just alike. Johnny
became tired of it at last, and was
thinking that he might just as well go
to sleep, when the clown cried out /:
"Silence"
Instantly the three acrobats jumped
upon their poles aud stood there.
" Do you want your head back again2"
inquired the clown, gravely, of Johnny.
"Of course do"
"And your arms and legs9"
eyes,
every well, earn them, then. I'll
give you five minutes to climb to the
top of that picture-frame," pointing to
photograph which hung just over the
headboard.) Only five minutes Come,
now"
"That's my fathers picture" said
poor Johnny.
Cant help it if it's your grandfather.
| There's one minute gone"
"Pm 80 heavy"
1.-TWO minutes gone"
Johnny rose slowly on his wooden
legs and commenced the assault. His
limbs were grooved, to be sure; but the
bedstead was 80 very smooth that he
slipped back again.
"Oh dear me. /"
"Three minutes gone"
He tried again. but with the same re-
suit.
"'Tisn't fair. These arms and legs
aren't good for anything. You said they
wasn't"
"Four minutes gone"
! Johnny tried again; but it was such
very hard work that he began to cry.
All at once he heard o voice, which did
not belong to the clown.
"What is the matter, darling2" And
the little fellow looked into his mother
astonished eyes.
CT wanted my head-and my-arms
and legs"
eth ~ all seem to be here" said
mamma, laughing. "What were you
trying to do, Johnnyl"
"Trying to-trying to-. Oh
mother - And he clasped her tightly
around the neck. "P'r'aps I've been
asleep. But are you sure my acrobats
haven't been out of the boxl"
CT certainly think 1 should have seen
them if they had, replied mamma.
She laughed again, and Johnny
couldn't help laughing little, too, he
was so glad to be himself again.
cts ever SO much better to have
your arms and legs fastened on" he ex-
claimed, at length, with sigh of re-
lief.
"I should think So"
CT wouldn't change heads with any.
body. Would you, mother 2"
"That would depend upon circum-
Stances" replied mamma.
81 don't believe shall ever like that
old clown so very much again." muir
INJURED Johnny, sleepily.
But he did.
Fixing the Responsibility.
Some important testimony bearing
upon the question of the cause of and
| L. II