Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-07-06

when Hill sawed wood in the back yard one
day and heard the little fellows mother call
to him, he shouted out in his full bass
"Teddie, yer mothers a-callin' of ye," so
when he wandered far from his own play
grounds his mamma always called "Ted,"
and the little boy would laugh and scam
per home.
One day, and this particular day we are
to hear about, mamma sent sister Jennie
over to Mrs. Sulivan's to see about the wash
ing, and told Ted to play "house" with
Mary and Willie until Jennie came back
Then mamma went back to her work, and
did not even notice the chatter of little feet
and the shouts Of childish voices as the or
gan-grinder passed. But Ted did, and away
went Mary and Willie out to the next corner
where the monkey and the organ-grinder
began their music and antics again. Ted
did not go; he knew his mamma was afraid
to have her precious boy off in such rab-
BILE, and he said so, softly, to himself, by
way of consolation. And his mammals love
could console the sturdy little fellow for any
loss this world held for impulsive childish
hearts. So he swung on the gate and thought.
GA boys will is the winds will, and his
thoughts are long, long thoughts" So Ted's
thoughts came at last to this determination.
81 won't go after the grinder-man, 'cauth
my thweet mamma thaith-thaith--th
would feel thorry. But I'll dusth go over
an Diet jennie the would like to hear the
muthic-man.''
And away he ran down one street, up
another, crossing desperately near the
horses heads, lodging between tall men
and fat women, but just where was Jennie
And here an awful ugly doubt sprung up
and bothered him. He was tired, little
out of breath, had fallen down once, and
one hand was all dusty inside, but he kept
that closed so no one should see it, and
more than all he was perplexed. He stopped
a moment, looked about him he was down
in the busy part of the town he knew that
by the stores and crowds of people on the
streets. Two addressed loungers on the
streetcorner looked at him, which his pride
resented instantly.
"They needn't look at me-" he murmured.
al amt lost boy, l long to my own
mamma, an the'll come aud get me-
So he started on with all the dignity an ID
disdain possible to brave little four-year'
old. But the thought of his own mamma Z"
had been almost too much for Ted. There
was lump in his throat and the buildings
began to dance about in vapory mist,
which, considering the dignity to be sus-
tanned, was rather troublesome. But Ted
would not stop again, no, not for worlds (;
no one must consider him lost child wan
dering about motherless.
On he trudged, but the vision of the
frightened mamma at home was growing
palmer every moment, and - and -"he
wished hecould see her just now; he wouldn't
ever go off after Jennie again. He wished
he wished" and some big full drops danced
down the round cheeks, but Ted winked
hard and said
"If the wath thum croth mamma, /
thouldn't care"
But he did care, and one drop followed
another. Even winking couldn't quite make
the houses stand still, and he ran bump into
why, it was Max-before he saw him. Yes, it
oas Max, and in his joy Ted threw his arms
about the big dogs neck and cried out, 40
Max Max I'm awful glad it's you !" TIL en-
STOPPING over he looked knowingly into the
great homely face OF Max, Mr.. Wesser' watch
dog, and whispered, Max leth we go right
straight home; I'm 'fraid my mamma'll cry"
Max wagged his tail knowingly, and giving
Ted's face lick with his great warm
tongue, Ted said "oh," and wiped his face
with his little pudgy hand, the dusty one,
and left the handsome little face as grimy
as the veriest street Arab. But Max pro-
ceeded to follow out Ted's suggestion, and
away the pair went together. A lady with
white, sad face, and black bonnet, watched
them, and as she turned away tears glis-
tened in her eyes, and her lips trembled.
Max was great ungainly bulldog that
MIR. Wesser had bought to sleep in his sa-
loon, but as he did not live very far from
Ted's home he had been often treated to
scraps of Ted's lunch, bits of cake and pie
crust, and chicken-bones, SO he knew Ted
well, and loved him; for that matter, every
thing loved Ted,-they could not help it,
and he knew, too, with that wise instinct
that is often better than reason, that Ted
was lost, but he did not stare at him as the
fellows on the street-corners did, nor ask
questions until he was half-scared to death
as policeman would have done. He sim
ply trotted along at his side until, when al.
most home who should they meet but
mamma.
Pretty white Ted thought her face was,
but oh, wasn't it the "goodest face in the
world, and mamma just caught him up in
her arms and carried him home, and after
he had cup of bread and milk, she sat and
rocked him, while he told her what his
thoughts had been, and he was sure he had
never heard music SO sweet as the lullaby
that she sang to him while he drifted,
driftei away into the land of dreams.
Ted never ran away again, and when Mr..
Wesser gave up his saloon, Ted's papa
bought Max,-Max, with the great ugly
face and mouth that shut like a trap-door,
but whose big, warm heart held only kind.
ness and care for Teddie and all his little
playmates.