Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-04-28
Ned and Willie'S Surprise.

Once there lived Two little boys in a very
fine house on pleasant hill, with trees
and gardens and flowers and vines and
walks, and oh! ever so many fine things
suggestive of good times.
But these tive little boys, one sunny
summer afternoon, were not enjoying any
of these; they We're sitting on the steps of
the veranda, looking now and then rather
disdainfuly at dear old battered rocking
horse that had patiently endured many a
thump and beating, to say nothing about
the numerous kicks its poor sides had
taken, all without murmuring, which con
sideration should have given it some grace
in their eyes. But no; poor Rocker was
in disgrace because his young owners had
been to town, and had seen some real live
ponies!
Regular beaulies," said Ned, with a
sideway nod of his curly black head. and
Willie assented with a far away look in his
blue eyes. Don't you suppose he was
seeming to see himself cantering along
on one of those charming poniesp To
market, for the mail, or to grandpa's
ah, yes, for now he is remarking, Come
to think about it, it certainly was rather
too far for such little chaps to walk to
Rnt nan, was c,llino. Conld the bovs
oo nm arrand TO orandpa'sP
The e,rerncss with which tho bovs
inmned for their hats showed that thew
Sconld on most WILLINGLY. thouoh it was
rather far for little cbaps to walk So in
thew rushed TO tell mamma. But she
saemed to know about it already. and
smiled rs she kissed them goodbye, and
if thew had not been in such hurry they
migh, have observed a yery wise look on
wee Sister Annals face. but too pre.occu.
nied win their own thoughts to note the
!. sirns If the times. " Ihev were "off
oross lo,s y their father telling them that
No !, was late thew had better return by
tho road and that their grandfather would
tnnw ror what thew were sent. So AWAY
thew went. down the hill back of the
bonso over the fence and into a wide.
shadv lane
''',|,1 A. thar l0 aptered tbe lana two net ambs
c,n,e nm 10 them from a flock of sheen
It',,'o ,L'. o w. " ,,,ina ro,r Tho hove ran a
sha,, sha, "~, rnon ,yyi,L than then, throwing nm
,Lo;n h,t,. o,va s,rh ebont that tho
ia,ahy Ino'l n want sc,mnsrino hack to their
n'"tbor ,,''nbS and tbe hoTS nasse1 IN into the
,nooI. ,o hanonJ under snreodino branches
w ,,ro,t ;roos lookino nm now and then
,a, a,naaM honabs md branches to the bricht
., oes"oo or hI,a CIV .nggas,iva of the oreot
aPo'' y, ah''ro ond ,ro11d them Stonning
"o,or .,,on,a,t ~ neon ,t The hird's nest they
'ah d;SnnvereG nne dav in n thorn bnsb
,nS;,i ,,'.i o''vo w,o,t;na with mamma. ond-ves
;ndnod, ,ha og9,s wero really batchpd and
,uoou ,huoo n,,onr e Ie3ting brides stretched nm
..nGo IpnSs IuoSHs and ] npened some astonishing,
InGI, ,n,n,, no r,on,hs when the bovs disturbed
i" 'ost Srenning softIv away thew
'nen a. an ,hrnnrh tho wool. wonderino
,',hn, tho mo,hnT bird would oct for the
v;na;ol, WnSt s1o srnner ] and what aran1na wonted
" them and 50 on until nearly tbronob
u ,ho % woods when Ihev came to a slopino
L',," anJ s,onnad az mana ond mamma
ai.nnrs o,nn ala to Iook at ihe scenery below
han ,hem ~
% Unvevar thinkino of orandma's cup.
hoard thev onlv iin9ered to Gather some
Of ,hn )lies for their sister and bunch of
foroet me- nots for Grandma. Clamberipg
M nv 7be h,nt ,hev were soon in an omen
n.sture where thev could see grandpa's
pp"aharJ p"st"J "nd Tr s,.rdinn m ,in-ioe m the
orchard o ci' ,enno enn y ;bev saw orandpa himself
standinc in Tho hack doorway. Hnrrvino
o,' t'' ,he houso thev came in nantino and
oH w ."u r.'ud~,, hor fnwnrs racived some
e e'hnS haST n7o"nioa " in tnrn and we nil know
how w, ,Soh hnt,ar gr,ndma's coo1ies are
,han Iva" mn1n ann ano aisa,s
'''i pnt "y mhero em had gr,ndn, disonpeored to .
An, NV ,hnre be is is calling to them from the