Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1882-11-09
TALES FOR TUDDLERS.
A Funny Fish.


1t was little Mat Allen who caught it: but
that he never would have done if Neddy Bax-
ter hadn't been looking under the brook bridge
and dropped it ln-such pretty little white
straw hat with shiny black visor
Neddy dropped everything else and ran
screaming home with the story of his loss.
Mamma was out driving, and Nora could not
stop her baking to listen to him, and she
wouldn't have known what to do about it any
way.
So the pretty little cap floated around in the
water under the bridge until it caught on a
very small sand bar and there it hung, and by
and by Mat Allen came along to fish.
He sat down on the side of the bridge and
swung his bare, brown feet almost to the water
and dropped i'll his line.
The current carried it under the bridge, and
pretty soon, when Mat thought he would draw
up and see if he hadn't fish, he found that the
hook was fast to something.
He pulled and pulled, his eyes growing big
and bigger with wonder all the time
"It must be whale or an EEL" said he. cts
monster one, anyway. There!"
And with the last long, strong pull up came
Neddy Baxter's little white straw cap, scarcely
hurt hit, after it should be dried.
age Journey.
The old town where the children were pass
ing their vacation stood upon a breezy hill
among the New England mountains.
From its long and winding street they could
see distant lakes shining deep down in the
wooded valleys, and feecy clouds creeping
along the deep blue sides of far-off cliffs.
The houses were clustered oddly about, and
over their gray old roofs tho birds sang all day
long in the summer silence.
or course the children were always busy
Their pleasures never seemed to wear out
What they threw aside to-day they would take
up again the next day with new interest, if it
so happened; and if not, they invented some
thing better.
They had peddled sand for sugar, selling it
at the low price of So pound; they had
broken croquet mallet and mended it three
different ways; they had sent an arrow straight
through the kitchen window glass; they had
played wild Indian" in which game Master
Johnny, finely decorated and personating Old
Chief t-Afraid-of-Wolf, had distinguished
himself by scalpipg Berthas doll with table
knife.
This act of the great sachem so demoralized
the rest Of the tribe that it was q long time
before peace was restored to that people
In fact Johnny exhausted all his eloquence
in proving that if boy was going to play In
dian, why, he must play Indian, and of course
he couldn't scalp Bertha, herself, could he?
and anyway he could fix the hair on again.
As for Bertha, she said she wished she could
go to Barcelona, for she had heard that there,
on the eve of the Befana, every kind of doll,
in every possible phase of dollhood, from old
men and women down to babies in cradles,
could be bought, for the shop windows, bril-
liantly lighted, were full of them.
They were in the midst of q heated discus
sion whether to play real real or only make
leve, when the sound of stage-wheeis clacking
at the foot of the hill sounded upon the still
noon air.
81 know what we'll do" shouted Johnny as
he turned sudden somersault upon the grass
well play stage and go somewhere!'
In short time number of chairs were ar
ranged upon the lawn and the passengers COM
q ~ lin INhr ka,l
the sights as they drove off.
"See that big stoue house over there?"
cover where!" said Bertha. 81 don't see
any house."
why that great very large house beside the
sage bushes"
ooh, yes!"
''Well, that's where John Bunyan lives
There's Mister Bunyan out there now selling
sboestrings."
$50 it is, indeed. Why, hardly knew him,
some strings. They do say they are very
nice"
"oh, no." said Johnny, eve shall never have
time. Be dark before we get there. Whoa!
Where does your uncle liver"
"He's-hes-he's gone out West"
'Out to Pekin, China; don't you know?n
"An light; we'll just peek in and see him.
Get up along"
In about minute the stage rolled into the
land Of idols and tea with q fine flourish.
Ever seen an idol?" said Johnny.
Eyes, replied Bertha, 81 saw one down at
the vestry made out Of wood"
s'You just come along with me, and I'll show
you real one," said Johnny sand it isn't
any wooden image. either. Its name is Goo
goo."
The idol Goo-goo sat enthroned in ham,
mock. So intent was she in shaking little
rubber rattle that she gave very small atten-
ton to her foreign guests.
Indeed, she was 80 very Indifferent that the
travellers withdrew, and in an incredibly short
time were back in America
There they were welcomed by speech from
Bridget and banquet consisting Of MARINA
lade and cake.