The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-11-11

L
So sad is nv heart, and here comes big tear
Come back to my arms, oh, you precious oio
dear!
-Moute Norton. In st. Nicholas.
&
POLLY PITCHER.
In the first place, Polly Pitcher was
very busy with her doll and didn't want
to 20. You see her mamma was in the
kitchen getting dinner ready and the
kettle was almost empty and needed
more water, but Polly sat there very
still, hoping she wouldn't have to 90 to
the spring down behind the house.
But the pot kept on boiling harder
than ever, and by and by mamma said:
"Come, Polly, run. and be back in
minuter'
So Polly took the tin pail from be-
hind the door, and went slowly down
the path toward the spring-and what
do you think! There was the biggest
and brightest butterfly you ever saw
flying right down the path in front of
her, and the next minute Folly was of
into the woods trying with all her
might to catch it. Her hat was just as
big and Just as round as could be, but
some how or other, when she put it
down where the butterfly was she
couldn't CATH anything!
On she ran, further and further away
from home, and when the butterfly flew
up among the branches of the green
trees and didn't come down any more,
Polly couldn't see the spring any
where and her papa house was gone.
too! You see, she nearly was lost and
didn't know it.
And so those little feet carried that
poor little girl around till they ached
SO Polly had to sit down at the foot of a
tree and cried for much as three min
utes, l should think.
"My goodness gracious me! What's
the matter?''
Polly stopped crying and looked up.
and there she saw a tremendous black
bear right in front of her. He was on
his hind legs, you know, but he smiled
SO hard that Polly wasn't at all afraid.
"What did you say, Mr.. Bear?" she
asked.
II said Goodness gracious me!
what's the matter replied the bear,
taking of his spectacles and wiping them
on his pocket handkerchief which he car
ried around his neck.
"Pm all LOST said Polly.
sNonsense," said the bear.
"But am really and truly"
"My goodness gracious me" said the
bear, You re not lost, for here you are,
right here"
"Well, my mammals lost anyway"
"That may be-" said the bear; ''shall
we go and find her?'
"Are you a good, kind bear, like the
little one with the little bowl of milk
'Silver Locks?'" asked Polly.
"rll show you whether l am or not!'
said the big black bear, and what do
you think he didP He tumbled down
onto his four paws and began to dig
away the leaves at the foot Of the tree.
Polly looked on very much interested.
"What are YOU doingP" she asked;
but the bear kept right on and didn't
say word. By and by he stopped and
looked all around.
"Do you see any of my little bears
about here?'' he whispered, "because
l don't want them to know where I
keep it,
Polly looked all around but did not
see thing, SO the big bear kept on,
and when he had made hole in the
ground as big as pumpkin he pulled
up little cardboard box with tissue
paper scallops all around the edges.
"There ought to be q gumdrop in
it, said the bear; just open the box
and see."
"Oh, there u.s." cried Polly, but I
don't like to take the very last one"
"My goodness gracious me, there
are lots more. Don't you see those
little sticks stuck in the groundp Well,
there's box with gumdrop in it
under every one of them. 1 have to
skip them round, you know, to keep
them away from the little bears. They
only have them on their birthdays"
How many have you gote" asked
Polly.
Tie bear counted to himself on his
paws. "Oh, about three Dozen"
"What lots of bears!' said Polly.
IL don't mean bears, I meant gum
Drops" said the big bear; 'gumdrops
Il bought fifty cents worth ten years
ago, because. Il thought they might 60
up"
That's all right" said Polly. "But
must find my mamma, and I'm most
tired to DEATH"
81 will tell you what will do
said the bear, ''if you will sing me a
song ! !, will carry you all the way
So Polly sang:
little drops Of water,
Little grains of sand"
three or four times, and then the big
bear lifted her up on his shoulders, and
when she had put her arms around his
neck they started oil.
"Would you like to hear me singp'
asked the bear. l know Polly put the
kettle on and Yankee DOODLE"
THAT isn't right" said Polly, its
Polly put the kettle on and we'll all
have tea"
But the bear never sang at all, for
just then he tripped over stump and
fell fiat down on the ground, and
bang! Polly sat up and rubbed her
eyes and looked around. But there was
No bear and never had been any at all.
Polly had fallen asleep as she SAT crying
at the foot of the tree, and had been
dreaming all the time, you see; but
there was the tin pail, and there.
too. was Bouncer, the dog, ready to
show her the very nearest way home.
"Dear me-" said Polly to herself. ae
she filled her pail at the spring. 81
wonder if my mammals kettle Is very,
very thirsty by this timed. H. 8.
Horton, IN N. +. Tribune.