The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-11-04

That IIatchet story.
Mr.. Crossman went out to the barn
one morning about the first of February,
and found there little puny lamb, run
ming about ON four weak, trembling
white feet, crying "M0-a! Ma-0!" and
trying among the old ewes to find its
mother.
But not one of them would own it.
Once in while there is a naughty, sell
fish sheep that doesn't want to take care
of her own baby. That's queer, isn'tit?
49, Mr.. Crossman found out the right
mother, but he couldn't make her take
care of the lamb.
"Ill knock it in the head" said he,
when he got into the house. 81 can't
fuss to bring up a cosset. hate 'em
always snoopin' round into everything !
1t spiles 'em to be brought up by hand. :"
"Early lambs bring good price in
the MARKET" remarked his wife.
Now, though Mr.. Crossman hadn't a
grain of pity for the forlorn little Great
ure, he cared good deal for money,
and his wife's words made him willing
to take some trouble. So he got an old
teapot and wound some soft linen about
the nose, warmed some milk, and went
out to teach the young lamb to drink.
But it missed its mothers cuddling in
the February nights, and perhaps he
didn't feed it often enough it didn't
grow very well, but was a poor, little,
feeble, shivering thing.
In the village, mile and half away,
lived two boys who called Mr.. Cross.
man uncle, though they loved him little,
and feared him much.
But they liked to visit the farm and
play in the great barn, and they loved
Auntie Crossman and their baby cousin
Celia. So the Odd of February, the
weather being fine and mild, they came
up to the farm.
Mr.. Crossman had gone to the woods
for load of hoop-poles. They were not
sorry for that. Mrs. Crossman gave
them some doughnuts, and Let them run
out to the barn to eat them.
"You'll find little lamb out there
that hasn't any mother" said she. "We
have to give it milk out of an old teapot.
You shall see uncle feed it by-and-by.
But you won't disturb it, will you be-
cause it is little and weak"
"No, we won't hurt it. Course not p
SO they went out to the barn, and found
the lamb lying on bit of old buffalo
skin. shivering and trembling and blink.
ing its eyes.
"Poor lammie you're cold, aren't
you?" said Christie, pitifully. You
shall have my comforter over you"
So he took the scarf from his neck and
put it over the lamb. But the lamb still
shivered.
He looks real poor, doesn't he ]
don't believe he gets enough to eat.
Lammie lammie want some of my
doughnut ?"
Maybe he can't chew it," said The
odore. Ell crumble some up real fine,
and then we'll put it in his mouth"
After good deal of effort they got some
of the doughnut into the lambs throat.
But it choked him, and soon he stretched
himself out on the floor and was dead.
Then they felt very badly indeed.
"We've killed him." said Theodore.
He couldn't swallow it, and he choked
and died What will Uncle Crossman
say ?"
This thought soon drove away every
other. They had such a dread of Uncle
Cheeseman's anger that, although they
were generally truthful little boys, they
began to contrlve some story to tell
him.
eve can say it was dead when we
first came out here" said Christie.
"We shall have to. If there was only
auntie, I'd tell her all about it, but I
can't tell Uncle Crossman."
They walked about the barn awhile
with gloomy faces. Their pleasure was
all over, and they wished they had stayed
at home.
"Lets go home, anyhow" said Theo-
dore. eth be better than to tell a
story. Ma can pay uncle for the lamb.
I'm real 'shamed to tell a lie Wash
ington's birthday, too You remember
bout that Ratchet story !"
"Yes, 1 do. Let's go right straight
home, and then we sha'n't have to"
But just at that moment Uncle Cross
man came into the barn. The first
thing that he saw was the lamb stretched
out, dead, on the buffalo skin.
"How'd that happen? You been
a-fussin' with him, I'll be bound" said
he in his gruffest manner. N
The boys were dreadfully scared. 1t
took great deal of courage and resolution
to say anything, but Christie thought of
"that Ratchet story" and though there
was lump in his throat, and he couldn't
lift his eyes from his copper-toed boots,
as he said it, he did manage to force his
tongue to speak the works, "We fed
him with little bit of doughnut, and
he choked."
They didn't expect to be folded to
Uncle CHEESEMAN'S heart and called noble
boys for telling the truth. The least
they expected was whipping.
FED him with doughnut Jest about
what / should expect of boys / don't
much care, though. was sick of fuss
in with the thing, and i guess he'd
have died anyhow. believe forgot to
feed him this morning. You just run
in, out O. this barn, before you do any
more mischief, though. Start F"
They didn't need to be told twice.
They ran, thankful to have escaped SO
easily. to Auntie Crossman, who COM
forted them with q little cake of maple
sugar and another doughnut.
"Glad we didn't tell lie about that
lamb" said Christie, as they were walk.