The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-22
ROBBIE TALKS.

Mamma was very busy that morning.
So she gave Robbie paper of tacks and
the small hammer and stationed him
away off in the other corner of the ROOM
Driving nails was his favorite amuse-
ment, and kept his tongue more quiet
than anything else. So as soon as he
was busily at work, mailing away on a
piece of board, mamma took her work,
hoping to have quiet hour. But Rob-
bic was especially sociable that morning.
Mamma" he began, after he had
driven grove of tacks into the board,
Il know how to make a wheel" Nam
ma said nothing, and he went on: "Take
a hoop just the size you want your wheel;
then have an axle turned, of course, an
holes bored in for the spokes; an then
take sticks, an stick all round an tack
it on to the hoop. Don't you think that's
the best way?"
az guess So" said mamma, absently.
Mamma" said he again, coming up
toward her, 81 can turn somerset.
Do you want to see me turn over?"
"No," said mamma. eco and play"
What shall play" he asked. 1--WE
BILE driving tacks all the time"
"Well, then, take your blocks" said
mamma.
Robbie ran and pulled out the box where
they were, but then said: "What shall
l build?"
"Oh, whatever you like" said mamma.
Would you d-a-street-ca
said Robbie
"Yes," said mamma.
"Well, how do you build a street.
carr"
"Why, you know how, Robbie"
"Not 'thout any horse, an my Christ
mas horse has got his leg broke off,"
Dear me! Well, build an engine"
said mamma, "and don't talk~
We'll" said Robbie, meekly.
For a few minutes he was still, and
mamma became very much absorbed in
her work. Pretty soon he began talk
ing in low tone to himself.
80 dear! This engines so loaded it
can't 60"
Mamma took no notice and he went
on, singing softly to himself, mixing
scraps of songs he had heard in droll
medley, to the tune of Lord Lochinvar,"
which was great favorite of his.
Mamma" said he, suddenly, forget
ting that he was not to talk, "don't you
spose l know how to build house?
You just take some boards, an nail 'em
up all round, AM then get on to the roof
an nail on the roof"
"Well, never mind now!" said poor
mamma.
"Pve got my engine all DONE" was
the next piece of information that greeted
mammals ears, "'cept the smoke stack
an the brake. Oh! an hav'n't got any
front or boiler"
Have you got steam chests?" asked
mamma, knowing that when that engine
was done she would be called upon to
plan a new play.
"Oh! l forgot the steam-chests," he
said, meditating rather soberly for min
ute, but suddenly Frightening up. "This
is mother kind O. engine; it doesn't have
any steam-chests at all. Mamma, what
shall do now?"
Look at some pictures!" asked
mamma.
Yes; the rat-tail book" said Robbie.
"The Whdt" asked mamma.
"The one at s got rattails an fishes"
said Robbie, earnestly.
"Oh" said mamma, laughing, the
reptile bookl Well, here it is" and she
handed down to him one volume of
Woods Natural History" He laid it
open on the carpet, threw himself down
before it, and for short time there was
peace. But soon he began again; " Nam
ma, what's that?"
"a frog" said mamma, glancing at
the picture.
"Oh! Don't you wish you could see a
frog?"
mo. ! know how frog looks, " sal
she,