The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-02-21

table and giving stir to the pudding
spluttering in the pot.
Presently she called them all to the
table, and took the pot from the fire.
The boy gave cry of delight as he
saw the plums, and even the old man
hobbled little faster as the steam
curled up about the savory mess.
Its oil OWN TO Dick that we keep
Christmas; isn't it, Doll?" said the old
man.
The child looked up curionsly.
eyes, Pop" SAID the young man,
nodding; Its all Dicks doin's."
How is that?" asked the young
woman, with smile toward the child,
who was holding up his plate for good
thick slice of pudding.
"Why, We see, Doll an me iist sort o
crawled along anyhow, till Dick come.
We didn't care for nuthin' nor nobody,
so longs we dug the CLAIMS an kept the
fire goin'; but when Dick come, it sort
o. give US start. i never saw nuthin
like Doll arter that he nussed that boy
like an old hen with It's chicks, an eli
any one looked at Dick, it riled him an
ruled up his feathers He watched
him night an day; he Earned to read,
SOS he could teach Dick; he Earned to
sew, SOS he might mend Dicks clothes,
an he Earned 'rithmetic, SOS he could
earn money to pay Granny Crane for
dom chores for Dick. L never saw
nuthin' like it, an atween Doll an
Dick, Pops happy old man."
The child had listened and eaten un
til he could not eat no more. He now
pushed away his plate, and sprang into
Dolls arms, while the young woman
looked proudly at the fair head leaning
its curls against her husbands shoulder.
At this instant there came loud rap
ping at the door, and she hurriedly
rose to open it, for above the din of the
storm came familiar voice.
Hello, there! let me in," it cried.
Merry Christmas to you all y
"Why, what on airth, Doc, has
brought you out such night as this 2"
said Doll, still with Dick in his arms,
but rising to meet the visitor.
Somebody a-dyin'?" suggested Pop.
Not just at present" answered the
Doctor, with a twinkle in his eye, and
pulling off his wet things-"not just at
present. I've only called in with lit
tie trife for Dick, seeing it's Christmas,
and to say that somebody wants."
Nobody wants Dick-nobody can
have Dick, put in Doll, hurriedly; and
the child chung to him still closer.
"Wait till have said my say" re-
piled the Doctor. .. How do you know
II don't. L beg your pardon, Doc.
But I'm always afraid of somebody
claiming him"
Nobody SHALL" whispered the boy,
kissing Doll.
Suppose somebody wants an heir
to some property?"
"Well, what of that?"
"And suppose that heir happens to be
boy called Dick?"
Nonsense"
"Is it, indeed? Well, just read this
advertisement. and this, and this
pulling out paper after paper and cut
ting after cutting, and ending with a
bundle tied with red tape. Here
have i been writing letters to lawyers
and all sorts of people, using all my
spare time, doing my best to unravel
O very much twisted skein, and these
are the thanks L get"
Doll said no more but opened the
papers and read. Pop, too, got out
his spectacles, and plodded through q
line or two, but gave up in despair
And then they all waited, with only
the cracking of the fire and the kissing
of the tea-kettle breaking the silence
At last Doll stopped reading while
they ell looked expectantly up at him.
His face had strange expression as he
again took the fair-haired boy in his
arms.
Dick" he said, I'm afeard it's
true. an that ye'll be rich man."
Dicks blue eyes filed as he saw
Dolls grave face, and he put his arms
around Dolls neck.
"Yes, Dick, there's no doubt about
it. We little thought, Pop an 1, ten
years ago this very night, that the lit
tie hungry crying baby we brought
home from the sea would live to be a
big boy such as you, nor that, bein' n
boy, we might grow to be man, an a
rich one at that. No, Dick, we didn't,
but we loved we all the same. An
now, Dick, we must promise me that
yell never forgit what We owe to the
One who gave We to Pop, and that yell
be good-be-'
Doll could not say another word, but
buried his face in Dicks curls, and
there was again silence in the room,
until the Doctor jumped up and made a
great racket getting his things togeth-
er, and coughing, and saying it was
time for him to be off.
1t was really true. The wealth was
not so very great, but Dick, being the
y only survivor of both his parents, nice
little sum had been growing all this
time. Had not Pop carefully saved a
handkerchief and a ring with letters in
side it, which he had found in a trunk
washed ashore at the same time that he
found Dick, there would have been
much trouble in proving who the child
was.
Dick, of course, had to be educated,
and after a while left his humble home,
but he never forgot Pop or Doll, and
always spent Christmas Eve with them,
-HdrpeT's Young Folks.
Hard on Young Actors.