The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-03-24
for the Nouny folks.
WHO WAS

oAo wv AtoOoIS oIiO
stairs al ldressed for dinnerI I'll scream
'bOO-oo.' - .Hta H,.a tj4e~. a
1t willfrighten him halftodeath,"
laughed Ted, jumping up and down,
"he's such a little scarecrow; say it
deep down like this sboo-hoo,'" and
naughty Ted put his two hands
to his mouth, in.the shape of a horn,
roaring as loud as he could. .ilnaa4
"Ill lend you my red shawl"
chimed in Mabel, who ought to
have known better. at will cover
you all over; gracious! you'll look
terrible. Can't you just hear him
scream mamma, mamma like a
big baby"
Now would you believe it? Rob
bic was a poor little lame boy, who
had come to the mountains for his
health. He couldn't run around
the porches and halls like the other
children from early sunrise until
almost every star had twinkled into
its place. He generally sat right
close to his mamma with his crutch
resting against the side of his chair
that poor little worn crutch, so
tiny, SO silent, yet telling in it's own
pathetic way, such a pitiful tale Of
sickness and pain. One could well
imagine that its owner had drawn
cheeks hollow eyes, and the saddest,
saddest of smiles, almost a sob.
Do you blame Robbie, when the
big dog came leaping up, with the
children tearing after him, do you
blame Bobbie, if he looked around,
tremblingly crying, "Oh, mamma!
mammal" For you see great rough
Carlo could have knocked him down
with one stroke of his mighty paws.
Well, the boys and girls thought it was
a fine joke. They would laugh when
nobody was around, calling him
Miss Nancy" and Mollie Coddles;
once even they made him a rag doll.
And now on this beautiful sunshiny
afternoon, when the very air seemed
singing with joy, here were these
strong, healthy boys and girls
plotting against poor little lame
Robbie.
Here he comes" whispered bright
eyed Davie ~eXcitedly."
mo it isn't" said Mabel, peeping
around the corner, sit only Dada
Dada was the sweetest, dearest
little maid who had ever found a
resting place on the summit of these
rugged mountains, with the bluest
eyes and the goldenest hair.
"Look here, Dada" said Charlie,
who kind of owned Dada when
mamma wasn't around, because he
was her big brother, "you go Eel
and sit quietly in the corner, like
a good girl; we're big Indians and
we're going to brighten Robbie"
Dada opened her blue eyes wide.
"You's not going to hurt Wobbie,
is you?" she asked.
mo, you little FOOLISH" said
Charlie, chow can saying boo
hurt any one; does it hurt you?
Listen, boo-oo."
"Yef; no, it do" lisped Dada, half
fir ghtened.
"Oh, you're onlya mite of a girl"
answered Charlie, contemptuously;
"you aren't good for much; now
boys, like me and Ted and Dave,
why-why we could shoot a gun,
couldn't We; and there isn't a dog
or an Indian within ten miles that
could frighten us, is there, now?"
MOO" came from Ted, Dave
and Mabel, too. r."
"You see what we're like, don't
you, Dada?' asked Charlie, tri-
umphantly. .:sJ ri 2ldfEEa .-
"Yef," answered Dada, rather
doubtfully, as she walked slowly
to the end of the porch. Some
thing was wrong, she knew; some
thing about Robbie, who was always.
SO kind and gentle to her. J2.u."
"Here he comes, sure, this time,
said Dave; "I hear his crutch go
pit pat" rfa t..f. 'ti J..
i"Hide, quick, behind the door,"
whispered Mable. "He's got on
his velvet suit, too; won't he get 1t
dirty if he tumbles"
IL Umph, if his hair isn't curled
just like a girls" remarked Ted,
disguised. "Now, mind you say
boo at the right time, Charley
Jimmy, can't l just hear him
scream ?"l chuckled Bob. "Sh-h-h,
here he is" 'lH
Down limped poor Robbie, such
an innocent, delicate looking lite
f1l.4L L.. ,;+G,l ax,oo coon