The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-05-26
Uncle John laughed, and dipped q lit

:
tie of the thick, bubbling sirup out Of the
smallest one Of the big kettles, to cool
Then he filed three little birch-bark
trays with snow, and brought out three
cunning wooden ladies from somewhere.
"Here's one apiece" said he. .Now,
help yourselves eat all you can, and
don't get into the fire.
"We might eat it ALL" eaid Ben, gaz-
ing with a little anxious smile at the
sirup, foaming almost to the top of the
kettle.
But Uncle John laughed again, and
said he guessed there was plenty. If
there wasn't, he said, he would melt
some sugar for them.
They dipped and ate and chartered
and laughed, until the woods rang with
the happy sounds, and the snow-birds
in the maple-boughs few away in q
flock.
But after while the little birch bark
trays were filed oftener with fresh snow,
and the little wooden ladies' began to
dip very lazily indeed into the big black
kettle.
~ can't eat any more now" sighed
Ben at last; "and it doesn't look as if
we'd taken out one bit. Let's play hide
and-coop, Tommy. I'll blind"
But just then Calvin came up with a
barrel Of sap; and he said one kettleful
of strip was ready to sugar-off.
Ben forgot all about binding, and
stood around to watch Calvin and Uncle
John lift the kettle off the fire, and stir
the sirup until it began to grow thick
and grainy, like hasty pudding, and at
last dip it into the molds and put it
away to cool.
It was when she and Ben were picking
the morsels of warm crumbly sugar off
the sides of the kettle that Daffy
jumped up and looked around.
"Why, where's Tommy" she cried.
Sure enough There was Tommy's
birch-bark tray, and Tommy's sticky
little ladle; but where in the world was
Tommys self?
All in minute he had gone.
TOMMY" Daffy called, her poor
lips a-tremble with fear. "Tom-mee :"
But Tommy didn't answer.
Uncle John began to look sober. He
made trumpet Of his hands and shout
ed
"Thomas Halo! !"
The call went ringing through the
woods, searching all among the big tree
trunks for Tommy.
But it couldn't find him.
"I'n go take look" said Calvin.
So Calvin went off down the wood
road-looking for Tommy. And Uncle
John went off up the wood road with
Ben at his heels Stocking for Tommy.
And Daffy, because the crust had grown
soft,and there was nowhere for her to 90,
sat down on big log near the fire, and
cried for Tommy.
"And I promised mother to take good
care of him." she walled. go Tommy,
Tommy where are your"
"Why, why, here be II" said Tom
my. s ....1
Daffy screamed, and snatched her
apron down from her eyes.
There was Tommy standing in the
wide, low door of the little camp, all
tumbled and tousled, and winkin. his
blue eyes sleepily. 49,
How Daffy kissed and shook and
Rugged him! "Now, Tommy, Tommy
Pulsifer!" she cried and laughed togeth-
er; faint you ashamed Wherever have
you been?'' .....s.-'
I'm there" piped Tommy, between
the shakes and kisses. "Igoed in box
to play coop, and then I coed to sleep,
I wouldn't wonder"
And it wasn't Tommy's fault, was it,
that no one had once thought of looking
for him in the box which Calvin used to
pack away sugar in?
"You little tyke!'' said Daffy; and,
getting upon the log she put her hands
to her mouth as Uncle John had done:
He's-come- back" .a ...
BY great good luck Uncle John and
Ben and Calvin heard her, and came
back, too. And Uncle John laughed, as
he shouldered Tommy:
ct guess you'd better have your nap
out in your crib, young mani"
But Tommy was fast asleep again be-
fore he got home.-Ada Carleton, IN
Youths Companion.
a CIRCU1TOUS ROUTE.