The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-10-22
gor puurg Readers.
MINIFREp.S ADYENTnRE.

ColOrauO. IL was q great change-this
going from comfort and luxury to q
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 poodle. But, on
the whole, she enjoyed it. Her father
was better, and that was what they
came for. The doctor had said Colo
RADIO 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
ill in bed, as she did now that he was
able to help cut down trees in the forest.
Besides, who ever saw such beautiful
blue flowers and such flaming red
blossoms in Bostonp And what was
the frog-pond compared with these
streams that now, in the spring.
time, came rushing through the woods
silently sometimes. and sometimes
so noisily, that, if it were not for
theirsparkle when they passed the open.
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, Wini-
fred liked Colorado; and so did her
little brother Nat; though, if YOU had
told him Boston was lust around the
corner he would have started to run
there without waiting toput on his cap
such little mite OF afellow Nat was.
and so full of sunshine! Only one thing
could trouble him-and that was to be
away from mother even for half an
hour. There was something in moth
ers way of singing, mothers way of
kissing hurt little heads and fingers.
mothers way of putting sugar on
bread, and mothers way of rocking
tired little boys, that Nat approved Of
most heartily. He loved his father.
too, and thought him the most power
tul wood-cutter that ever swung an ak.
though really the poor man had to stop
and rest at nearly every stroke.
See these two children now trudging
to the little stream near by, quite re-
solved upon having fine rocking in
fathers canoe! This queer boat, made
of bark, and sharp at both ends, was
tied to stake. Now that the stream
was swollen and flowing so fast, it was
fine fun to sit, one in each end, and get
bounced about" as Winnie said.
=" You get in first, because you're the
littlest," said Winnie, holding her dress
tightly away from the FLASHING water
with one hand, and pulling the boat
close to the shore with the other.
mo, yoat get in first, cause you'm
girl" said Nat ~ don't want no
helpn'. Pm going to take off my toos
and 'tockies first, cause NANNY said |
might ... ..u .t.r f. '-.
Nat could say shoes and stockings
quite plainly when he chose, but every
body 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 only knew how.
In at last-both of them-and fine
rocking they had. The bushes and
trees threw cool shadows over the
canoe. and the birds sang, and the blue
sky peeped down at them through little
openings overhead, and, altogether,
with the FLASHING water and the birds
and pleasant murmur of insects, it was
almost like mothers rocking and sing
ing.
At first they talked and laughed soft
ly. Then they listened. Then they
talked very little. Then listened
again, lying on the rushes in the bottom
OF the canoe. Then they ceased talk
ing, and watched the branches waving
overhead; and, at last, they both fell
sound asleep. a.. ..... .r. 80
This was early in the morning.
Mother was very busy in the cabin,
clearing away the breakfast-dishes,
sweeping the room, making the beds,
mixing bread, heating the oven and
doing dozen other things. At last
she took plate of crumbs and scraps
and went out to feed the chickens.
Winnie! Natr' she called. as she
stepped out upon the rough door-stone.
Come, feed the chickensr' Then she
added, in a surprised way, to herself:
"Why, where in the world can those
children bep They must have stopped
at the new clearing to see their IA
Their"
At dinner-time she blew the big tin
horn that hang by the door, and soon
her husband came home alone, hungry
and tired.
"Oh, you little witchesr' laughed
the mother, without looking up from
her task of bread-cutting. ''How could
you stay away so long from mamma?
Tired. Frank?'
Eyes, very. But what do you meanp
Where are the youngstersP" I'd
She looked up now and instantly ex-
claimed in a frightened voice, as she
ran out past her husbands:
"Oh. Frank! I've not seen them for
two or three hours! 1 thought, to be
sure, they were with you. They surely
wouldn't have stayed all this time in
the canoer'
He followed her, and they both ran
to the stream. In an instant, the moth
er, fastening on ahead through the
bushes, screamed back: sob, Frank!
Frank! The canoe is gonen'
All that long, terrible day. and the
next, they searched. They followed
the stream, and at last found the canoe
but it was empty! In vain the father
and mother and their only neiohbor
wandered through the forest in every
direction, calling: Winnie! Winniel
Nat! Natp' In vain the neighbor took
his boat and explored the stream for
miles and miles-no trace could be
found of the poor little creatures, who,
full of life and Joy, had so lately Jumped
into fathers canoe to "have a rock. y
Where were theyP Alas! thew did