The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-12-31

pose that when he said ii he meant it,
The doorstep seemed very pleasant to
the little boy, who was seldom allowed to
go there alone, for there was nice back
garden, and every afternoon all summer
Betsy, the girl, or dear mamma herself
took him to the Central Park, and in
cold weather to take nice walk III the
streets Just then he did not want to
leave the step, for mamma had put the
red rug down for him to sit on, and he
had his little sealskin overcoat on and
was ever SO snug and comfortable.
So he said briskly and cheerfully
mo, ma am"
And mamma said: "That's good
boy, and as soon as you feel cold come
iii. | must go now and see to baby"
Then she softly closed the door behind
her so that it did not quite catch, for she
thought that Freddy would certainly run
iii III few moments, and she did not
wish him to find any trouble III getting
the door open.
Then she went up to the nursery, and
the little boy sat Where she had left him
and watched the people going to and fro
Ill the street, and carriages going past,
and big express wagons, and people with
things to sell, and poor beggars going
from door to door with baskets. Some
thing new every moment, for it was a
pleasant day and the streets were full.
At last, however. Freddy began to be
tired, and to wonder whether it was
lunch-time, and he was just about to
give the door push and go in, when he
heard music. Such beautiful music it
seemed to him that he stopped nnd looked
about him. There, up the street, came
little crowd of children, and i'll their
midst he saw man who carried an organ
on his back, and on his shoulder q
monkey-a little, black monkey with a
long tail, who wore a red frock and lit
tie, velvet cap.
The man had stopped playing when
Freddy saw him, for, when he heard
the music, he was yet around the cor
ner, but when he saw Freddy sitting
on the step, he stopped, turned the or
gan III front of him, let out a cord by
which he held the monkey so that it
could jump and run long distance, and
began to play again, while the monkey
ran up the steps and held up his hat for
money. Freddy had two-cent piece in
his pocket, and he put it into the mon
/ keys hat, and then the organ man
played little faster, for now he had all
the money he expected to get he made
mp his mind to get through as fast as pos
sible and go before some other house.
So as soon as he had finished the tune
i think it was the Star Spangled Ban
ner-he moved of, walking sideways,
and looking up at the windows for other
little boys and girls, and all the children
followed him.
1 am sorry to say that Freddy went
with them. He was so delighted with
the little black monkey that he forgot all
about his promise to mamma. He ran
down the steps and looked ON with the
rest of the children.
They were mostly very dirty children,
indeed; not only were they ragged, and
some, poor souls, barefooted, but seemed
to have no soap and water and no pocket
handkerchiefs at home.
The clean little boy in his sealskiu
overcoat did look very oddly in such n
group; but he was not thinking of his
looks as he trotted on, with his eyes on
the funny black monkey, stopping when
ever the man stopped, and going further
and further away from home and those
who loved him
must say for him that he did not
think, what he, WIS doing: but we will
md that If we do not think IN this world
we will he punished for it.
At last the organ man stopped play
ing, as it seemed, for good He shut his
organ and put it on his back and walked
away. He was near his own home, and
was going to get his dinner. And now,
as he looked around, he saw all the poor
children gone, and only little boy in a
sealskin overcoat, and with gold buttons
OH his cuffs and collar, following him.
THAT is. rich mans son" he said;
then he looked Mt the coat "Real seal
skim" he whispered. lit cost lots of
money"
Then he smiled at little Freddy, and
said, in broken English:
"Well little gentleman, and do you
like to hear the pretty music, and see the
pretty monkey?"
Eyes. sir" said Freddy; 'and gave
the monkey my two-cent penny, and he
gave it to you"
Every good" said the grinder
VERY good of the little gentleman;
| una HOW III you Will come With me VIII
show you where the monkey lives, and
You can come 10 see him every day, and
| shall let You play the organ yourself. ="
Freddy was delighted. He at once
gave his hand to the organ-grinder, and
trotted away with him up the dirtiest
street he had ever seen, and into house
that was absolutely filthy. How il
smeltl How it lookedl What broken
stairs there were; and into what room
he went, where a woman and four or five
boys were sitting about a table, eating
long white strings of something out of
tin plates
A harp stood in the corner, and two
fiddles in green bags hung on the wall,
and there was q tamborine. The family
were evidently musical, but somehow
Freddy felt frightened.
II want TO go home, he said.
mot yet, little gentleman" said the
organ grinder. lyon must first see the
monkey eat"
"1'd rather go home." said Freddy.
beginning to cry. I'm hungry"