The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-07-28

Now you leave, You young ragmuflins.
as fast ~ your feet will carry you, and
never let me catch you inside these doors
again."
He stepped toward them. a. if to drive
them out, but the man behind the stove
suddenly arose.
"Take care, Barney You'd better
not touch them. You've knocked me
about often enough, but you'd best let
them alone"
There was fire in the eyes under the
old slouched hat, before which MIR. Bar
new drew back.
Both children were crying by that
time, but the father took hand OF
each.
"Come, Oily; come, baby !" and
without word or look to his compan-
ions he passed out into the steeet
1t was a very silent walk.
Toddles' tears were dried as soon as
the stranger, whose loud voice had
awakened his baby terror, was out OF
sight,
Bat poor little Dilly's heart was sore
with disappointment and fear. She had
failed in the scheme that she had
thought promised SO fairly. No hood
non shoes had she seen after all her
bravery in venturing into that dreadful
store aud who could tell how angry her
father might be?
She stole shy chances up under the old
hat, but she only saw a sober, dOwncast
face, and he said nothing, not even when
they had reached home.
He hunted up some fuel and made
better fire and then sat down before it,
with his head between his hands, and
left the children to their own devices.
But two weeks later Oily completed
the story, confidentially, to Freddy
Burr.
"See here I" she said, pushing the
toes of pair of stout new shoes through
the fence.
"Where did you get emp" asked
Freddy.
"And see here - continued Oily, bob
bling up for an instant, to show the hood
that covered her yellow hair, and touch
ing it significantly with her finger.
"Where did you get emp" repeated
Freddy.
IN y pa worked and bought 'em, and
brought 'em home; and they didn't get
into nobody's BARREL" explained Oily,
with great pride and little regard for
grammar. Then she pressed her face
close against the fence for prolonged
interview.
"You see. the billennium has comet o
our house"
"The what p questioned bewildered
Freddy
"The billennium. It's pretty long
word, said Oily, complacently; "but
&lxoA -
what ma called it, and l guess she
knows. 1t was just this way, Freddy
Burr: When you told me Mr.. Barney
had all our nice things down to his sto,e
in barrel just went right down there
and asked him for 'em-me and Tod
| dies"
"You didn't" exclaimed Mortified
Freddy.
did, too p declared Oily, with an
emphatic rod. We'll, he wouldn't
give me one of 'em, and he was just as
cross as anything. So, then, my papa
got up from the stove and walked home
with us. He didn't scold n bit; but he
just sat down before the fire, this way,
and thinked and thinked and thinked.
at last he put his hand in one pocket,
but there wasn't anything there; then
he put it in the other, and found 10
cents, and he went out and bought some
meat for supper. Then, when ma came
home, he talked to her. and they both
cried. l don't know what for less it
was cause we couldn't get the things
out of that old barrel Aud ma Rugged
and kissed me most to death that night,
she did. Well, my pa got some work
the next day, and brought home some
money; and now he has found place to
work every day. lie bought ell these
things, and he sage his little Coy and
Girl shall have things like other folks.
SO, now you'll know what the millennium
means, Freddy Burr, when anybody asks
you; ana you can tell them Oily Keene
'splained it to you. "-Independent.