The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-10-14
Youths Department.
HOW TED AND KITTY CAMPED OUT.

Youths Department.
HOW TED AND KITTY CAMPED OUT.
Kitty was eight years old. and Ted
was seven. They had always lived on
a large farm, and knew all about birds
and squirrels, and the different kinds of
trees. and how to make bonfires and
little stone ovens; and they could shoot
with bows and arrows, and swim, and
climb trees, and split kindlings, and
take care of chickens, and ducks, and
turkeys. and do great many jolly and
useful things which city children hard
ly get even a chance to do. Well, once,
when they went on visit with some
cousins to an uncle'e on the other side
OF 'Big Woodsy," as they called the
mountain, they did not get home that
night.
The uncle thought they had gone
home, and the father and mother
thought they had remained overnight
at the uncle's. So nothing was done
about it until noon next day, when the
uncle came jogging over on horseback
to look at a cow he thought of buying,
and the mother asked him if Ted and
Kitty were not making too long visit.
Then the uncle said, "Good gracious!
they are not at our house; they started
for home last night, along with the Ed
erkins, 1 Think
Then the mother turned very pale,
and said, in faint voice, "They are
lOstr'
.Oh, no." said the uncle, "not bit
of it. The Elderkins coaxed 'em home
with them. of course. Ill ride round
their way when Igo back and start 'em
home"
But the pale look wouldn't leave the
mothers face, and in short time who
should come but the Elderkins them
selves, to spend the afternoon, they
said, with Ted and Kitty. Then there
was fright, indeed. The father
walked down to the gate, and looked
anxiously up the long, winding noun
tain road. as if that would do any
good, and the mother followed him,
calling out,
"Ok. John! John! where are our chill
dren?''
The uncle rode off in one direction.
and the father quickly saddled horse
and rode in another, to inquire ut all
the farm-houses if anything had been
seen of Ted and Kitty Curtis. And no
one had seen them. All the Elderkins
had to say was that Ted and Kitty had
told them there was q nearer way to
reach home than by following the dusty,
roundabout road, and they had run off
through the woods to find it. The FL
derkins chose to follow the road be-
cause they had on their new lawn
dresses trimmed with torchon and
"didn't want to get all scrambled up
by the briers."
So, while the uncle and the father and
all the neighbors were hunting up and
down the forest, and the mother was
staying in the house with dear, calm
grandma and the little twin babies to
keep her from going quite crazy, will
tell you what Ted and Kitty were doing
in the Big Woodsy.
After they had run on quite way,
the bushes and brambles began to be so
thick they were obliged to drop into
walk, and finally to climb and crawl as
best they might, for they never found
the ''nearer way" and the ground was
covered with fallen trees and rocks,
while the briers caught them sometimes
as if they never meant to let 60.
By-and- by the pleasant light of sun
set began to fade away, and they sat
down to rest on messy log and looked
at each other very soberly.
II don't know which way we ought
to CO." said Kitty.
'No more don't l." said Ted.
"Well, then. we must stay right
where we are, stead of trying to go
on. Cause, don't you know, lost peo-
pie always go round and round and
round and never get anywhere, and
just wear their shoes out, and get tired
and hungry, and nobody ever can find
'em. You amt afraid, are you, Teddy"
"No--or' answered Ted, with scorn-
full emphasis; "course not! Why, it's
only just camping out. We've always
wanted to camp out, you know. An
it's warm, an there's hut nuts, an
an'--maybe we'll find partridge nest, {"
and Ted looked around at the deepen
ing shadows, and bravely winked back
the two tears that had gathered in his
eyes.
"You know there isn't anything in
these woods that can hurt u.s." said
Kitty, cheerfully. Papa said there
was no use for those hunters to come
here last year, cause there's moth
in bigger'n woodchucks anywhere
round"
but somebody killed q bear here
the summer was baby" said Ted.
"Yes, but he was the last-the very
last-and it's just as nice and safe here
as if we were camping out in our or
chard. And let's fix up house right
away. Let's play we've gone West and
got some land of our own.''
Then the two children went to work.
They were scared a little in spite of
their brave talk, but they were soon so
interested in their camp-building that
they forgot their fear. First. they
cleared away the sticks and stones be-
side the log where they were sitting.
Then they pulled large pieces of bark
from q partly -fallen tree, and leaned
them against the log, making shelter
large enough for a very small sleeping
room. Over the bark they laid boughs
of butternut and maple, with long sticks
placed crosswise to keep them in place.
Then by the time they had gathered q
few armfuls of dry leaves to place un-
derneath, it was quite dusk. and too
late for any more work.
"Won't we get bugs in our ears?"
asked Ted, peeping into the queer little
bedroom.
"Well, we'll tie our hankchifs over
our ears. And well only take off our
shoes, cause we're just emigrants. you
know"
ell wish it wasn't quite so dark"
said Ted, family.
"But the moon will be up right
away" said brave Kitty; "and maybe
we'll hear owls. We won't mind hear
ing owls, will wep''
"Course not" said Ted.
In very short time the shoes were
off, the handkerchiefs tied on, and the
two tired children cuddled up in their
wigwam, with Kitty's apron over their
shoulders for blanket.
1.-The Lord is here just as much as
He's-He's in the Methodist Church."
said Kitty.
ssNo,,,.oo uo 10 - ao;6 Tod. ond with