The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-08-26
Playing Stage.

The old town where the childr6
were passing their vacation stood upon
a breezy hill among the New England
mountains. From its long and wind
ing street they could see distant lakes
shining deep down in the wooded val
leys, and tleecy clouds creeping along
the deep blue sides of far-off cliffs
The houses were clustered oddly about
and over their gray old roofs the birds
sang all day long in the summer
silence.
OF 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
something better. They had peddled
sand for sugar, selling it at the low
price of five dollars a 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 John
ny, fiercely decorated and personating
olV-CllICI IIOG ilC-Ol w Oil, ndu
distinguished himself by scalping Ber-
thas doll with table-knife. This act
of the great sachem so demoralzed the
rest of the tribe that it was long
time before peace was restored to that
people.
In fact, Johnny exhausted all his elo-
quence in proving that if boy was 90
ing to play Indian, 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 90 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 era
dies, could be bought, for the shop
windows, brilliantly lighted, were fuIt
of them.
They were in the midst of heated
discussion whether twas best to playreaL
real or only make believe, when the
sound of stage-wheels 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 somer-
sault upon the grass, ''we'l play stage,
and 90 somewherem
in short time a number of chairs
were arranged upon the lawn, and the
passengers comfortably seated therein.
Johnny pointed out the sights as they
drove off.
"Sce that big stone house over
there?"
"Over where?" said Bertha 'Idont
see any house"
"Why, that great very large house be-
side the sage-bushes.
ooh, yesn'
"Weli. that's where John Bunyan
lives. There's Mister Bunyan out there
now selling shoe-stringsn
$50 it is, indeed Why, l hardly
knew him, he has changed so. Do drive
over and buy some strings. They 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 live?"
"He's-he's-he's gone out West"
"What West?"
''Out to Pekin, China; don't you
know"
"All right; We'll just peek in and see
him. Get up along"
In about minute the stage rolled in
to the land of idols and tea with fine
flourish.
Ever seen an idol?" said Johnny
eyes" replied Bertha, 81 saw one
down at the vestry made out of wood
You just come along with me and
I'll show you real one" said Johnny
"and it ism any wooden image, either
Its name is 'Goo-go.'"
The idol Goo-go sat enthroned in q
hammock. So intent was she in shak'
ing little rubber-rattle, that she gave
very small attention to her foreign
guests.
Indeed, she was so very Indifferent
that the travellers withdrew, and in aa
incredibly short time were back
America.
There they were welcomed by a speech
from Bridget, and a banquet consisting
of marmalade and cake. - YOUTHS COM
Pdm0n.