Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-03-07
GRANDPA'S BOOTS.

do. In my garnet there are whole
barrels of old, yellow books and papers.
and there are butternutS, and a red
wooden cradle behind the chimney. and
lots OF things!
When mamma has the headache. my
sister Lucy and l always play in this
garnet.
We place corn-cobs clear across the
middle of the floor, then play that one
part OF the room belongs to Lucy. and
the other TO me.
We have four dolls apiece, and we
dress them and ourselves in all the
queer things we find in the old boxes
anu drawers, and then go to see each
othe""
One day put grandpa'S boots over
my shoes. and grandma black hood on
my head, and. with my dolls, made
call on Lucy.
When Lucy heard me rap on the old
spinning wheel, which we played was
our door. she said:
How do you do, grandma? Is Your
cold better to-day"
Its no better. thank YOU" said |.
II guess my day 5 are about nmbered;"
and to keep from laughing. | Just
coughcd little
After awhile we played '.go to meet
inG and we had p nice band of music
for we had made some cornstalk tid-
dies that day, and Willie, my big broth
er, had made 4 willow whistle tor each
of us.
Our congregation Of eight dolls may
not have understood the sermon. but
we knew they We're pleased with the
choir, although Lucy Oldest doll, Jane
Red-shoeS, was looking 1T big cobweb
all meeting-time.
After an hour or two, Lucy said she
was tired of staying in the old garnet,
like flies and spiders.
LET us go down 10 mamma" said
she.
I'VE mustn't" said /. '.for she is
sick, and asleep. guess"
What stat we do Them asked
Lucy.
I've might 90 down the back stairs
and take walk in the street"
"Oh, do! And let us go dressed just
travelling for our health. But how will
you get down the stairs with grandpa's
boots onP''
"Oh, I'll just take them OF and put
them on again in the wood-shed"
''All right" replied Lucy, land I'll
put on grandpa's straw hat, and take
his green umbrella, cause it might
rain"
We managed to reach the shed with
out disturbing any of the folks. and
when got my boots on again, we
went out the gate as a procession of
two.
Lucy went ahead, because she was
drawer than !, and her boots didn't
bother her, either.
She peeped into the shops and stores;
and some of the folks laughed at us,
and one man said he guessed "some
gypsies had come to town." while an
other man gave us some candy. A
little black dog barked at us in one
place, and we met two ugly-looking
caterpillars on the sidewalk that | was
afraid of; but, by and by, we came TO
some stone steps and sat down to rest
and eat our candy.
When we were rested, Lucy said:
ave are almost to the river; let us 90
down there and get some blackberries
off the bushes that grow close by"
ooh, don tn' said l. 81 am afraid
of the water"
Il amt afraid, replied Lucy.
And she ran ahead, until she reached
the bushes on the bank, while l fol-
lowed
''Do be careful, Lucy" said l. 'If
we should fall into the river the big
whales would eat us up, and mamma
told us never to go near the river"
''But we are here, and might as we'll
stay awhile. Where are the whales?"
Il guess they are way in there, said
l, pointing to the darkest part of the
river-bed.
''Well, I'd like to see whale. Is
that one there?" she said, pointing down
stream, and stepping forward
The gravel and sand gave way just
then, and she began TO fall, when l
caught her dress, and drew her on the
bank, but grandpa's boots made me
stumble, and fell headlong into the
river.
heard Lucy scream as / touched tho
water, and thought what a bad girl
I'd been to run away from the old gar
ret, and wondered if the whale would
really eat me, as it did Jonah.
liz" IiII "dICI bIu CiIOhC INT. ~
last thought / would 90 to sleep. and
never knew any more until | found
myself in bed, and the doctor and
mamma were rubbing my hands and
chest.
As quick as | could speak l asked for
Lucy, for was afraid she had tumbled
into the river, too.
'Lucy is safe" said mamma, ''um-
brella and all. =
s'And how did / get out of the
water?" l asked.
"A man who saw YOU fall in the river
jumped in and brought you safe to
land
81 am so glad he saw me,n said I.
Il was dreadful bad to run away; but,
mamma, I'll never do it again. .
And | never did.
| am bigger than l was then, and
don't believe there are any whales in
the river. but Lucy and like the old
garnet better than we used to, and play
there every day.
There is one thing, though, that al
ways miss when l go to dress up to
play Ego to meeting" and that is my
grandpa's boots. You see, they were
so large that they came off when I
tumble1 in the water. and now have
to just wear shoes. Mary E. Bamtord,
in Golden Days.