The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-07-12
"GOt EN- Both"

'sGOt EN- BOth.'
How strange it all seemed to little Wini-
fredl. One year ago, or, as she reckoned 1t,
one snow-time and one. flower-time ago, she
was living III Boston, and now she was in
Colorado. 1t was a great change-thls 60
ing from comfort and luxury to a place
where comfort was hard to find, and luxury
not to be thought Of; where they had log
hut instead Of house, and pig in place
of O poodle. But, on the whole, she ell
joycd it. Her father was better, and that
was what they came for, because the doctor
had said Colorado air would cure him.
And though mother often looked tired and
troubled, she certainly never used to break
forth into happy bits of song when father
was sick in bed, as she did now that he
was able to cut down trees III the forest.
Beside, who ever saw such beautiful blue
flowers and such flaming blossoms in B0s-
toni And what was the frog. pond COM
pared with these streams that now, in the
spring-time, came rushing through the
woods-sllently sometimes, sometimes so
noisy that If it were not for their sparkle
when they passed the sunny places, and
the laughing way they had of running into
every chink along the banks, one would
think they were angry. Yes, on the whole,
Winfrcd liked Colorado; and 80 did her
little brother Nat; If you had told him
Boston was just around the corner, he
would have started to. run there without
putting on his cap.
Such little mite of fellow Nat was,
and so full Of sunshine2 Only one thing
could trouble him; and that was to be
away from mother even for half an hour.
There was something in mothers way of
singing, mothers way OF kissing hurt little
heads and fingers, mothers way of putting
sugar on bread, and mothers way of rock
Ing tired little boys, that Nat approved OF
most heartily. He loved his father, too,
and thought him the most powerful wood.
cutter that ever swung an axe, though
really the poor man had to stop and rest at
every stroke.
See these two children now trudging to
the little stream near by quite resolved in
having fine rocking in their fathers
canoe. This queer boat made Of bark, and
sharp at both ends, was tied to a stake.
Now that the stream was swollen and so
fast, 1t was fine fun to sit one in each end,
and get "bounced about" as Winnie
said.
"You get in first, because you're the lit
tlest," holding her dress tightly away from
the splasbing water with one hand, and
pulling the boat close to the shore with the
other.
'"No, you get in first, cause you're
girl" said Nat. 81 don't. need no hclpin.'
I'm going to take off my toos and tockles
first cause mamma SAID might"
Nat could say shoes and stockings quite
plainly when he chose, but everybody said
"toos and tockies" to him; so he looked,
- upon these words, and many other crooked
ones, as a sort of language of Nat, which
all the world would speak If they knew
how.
In at last-both of them-and a fine
rocking they had. The bushes and trees
threw cool shadows over the canoe, and
the birds sang, and the blue sky pccpcd
down at them through little openings
overhead, and, altogether, with the splash
ing water and pleasant murmur Of insects,
it was almost like mothers rocking and
singing.
At first they talked and laughed softly
Then they listened. Then they talked
very little. Then listened again, lying on
tho rushcs in the bottom Of the canoe.
Then they ceased talking and watched the
branches waving overhead, and at last they
both fell sound asleep.
This was early in the morning. Mother
was very busy in the cabin clearing away
the breakfast dishes, sweeping tho room,
making beds, mixing bread, heating the
oven, and doing dozen other things. Az
last she took plate of crumbs and scraps,
and went out to feed the chickens.
"Winnic-Natl" she called, as she
stepped out upon the rough door-stonc.
"Come, feed the chickcnsl" Then she
added, in surprised way, to herself:
"why, where in tho world can those cliil-
dren be2 they must have stopped at the
new clearing to see their father"
At dinner-timc she blew the big tin horn
that hung by the door, and aoon her hus-
band came home. hungry and tired.
"Oh, you little witchesl" laughed the
mother, without looking up from her task
of bread-cutting. "How could yon stay
away so long from mamna-tired, Frank 2"
"Yes, very. But what do you mean
Where arc the youngsters?'
She looked up now, and instantly cx-
claimed, in frightened voice, as she ran
out past her husband:
or three hours thought TO be sure they
stald all this time IN the boatl"
He followed her, and they both ran to
the stream. In an instant, the mother,
fastening on ahead through tho bushes,
screamed back:
go, Frank Frank The boat is gonel"
All that day, the next, and the next they
searched. They followed the stream and
at last they found the boat--but 1t was
emptyi In vain the father and the mother
and their only neighbor wandered through
tho forest in every direction calling:
"Winniel Winmel Natl Natl" In vain
tho neighbors took the boat and explored