Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-11

creature, and not knowing what guile
the little boys cordial greeting might
mask, the old woodchuck discreetly
disappeared in his hole, much to the lit
tie boys amazement.
Id Nevertheless, the old woodchuck. the
little boy and Fido became fast friends
in time, and almost every day they Wis
tied together in the pasture. The Old
woodchuck-hoary and SCARED vet
eran that he was-had wonderful
stories to tell-stories of marvellous adj
ventures, of narrow escapes, of battles
<ith cruel dogs and Of thrilling ex-
periences that were altogether new to
his wondering listeners. Meanwhile
the red-headed woodpecker's eggs in
the hollow maple had Matched. and
the proud mother had great tales to
tell of her baby birds-of how beauti-
full and knowing they were, and OF
what good noble birds they were going
to be when they grew up. The yellow
bird, too, had four fuzzy little babies
in her nest in the lilac bush, and every
now and then she came to sing to the
little boy and Fido of her darlings.
Then, when the little boy and Fido
were tired with play, they would sit in
the rowen near the fence-corner and
hear the flower tell story the dew had
brought fresh from the stars the night
before. They all loved each other
the little boy. Fido, the old woodchuck,
the red-headed woodpecker, the yellow
bird and the fiower-yes, all through
the days of spring and all through the
| summer time they loved each other in
their own honest, sweet, simple way.
But one morning Fido sat on the
front porch and wondered why the lit
| tie boy had not come to the fence cor
| ner and called to him. The sun was
high, the men had been long gone to
| the harvest fields and the heat of the
early autumn day had driven the birds
| to the thickest foliage of the trees.
Fido could not understand why the lit
tie boy did not come; he felt, oh! so
lonesome, and he yearned for the sound
| of little voice calling google, Cog
gle. google.
The red-headed wood-pesker could
not explain it, nor could the yellow
bird. Fido trotted leisurely down to
the fence-corner and asked the flower
if she had seen the little boy that morn
ing. But no, the flower had not laid
eyes on the little boy, and she could
only shake her head doubtfully when
Fido asked her what it all meant. At
last in desperation Fido braced himself
for heroic solution of the mystery,
aud as loudly as ever he could he
barked three times-in the hope, you
know. that the little boy would hear
his call and come. But the little boy
did not come.
Then Fido trotted sadly down the
woodchuck about this strange thing.
The old woodchuck saw him coming
and ambled out to meet him.
''But where is our little boy?" asked
the old woodchuck.
II do not know" said Fido. Il
waited for him and called to him again
and again, but he never came"
All, those were sorry days for the lit
tie boys friends, and sorriest for Fido.
Poor, honest Fido, how lonesome he
was and how he moped about! How
each sudden sound-how each football
startled him! He he sat all those days
upon the front door-stoop, with his eyes
fixed on the fence-corner and his rough
brown ears cooked up rs if he expected
each moment to see two chubby arms
stretched out toward him and to hear
a baby voice calling google, google,
google.
Once only they saw him-Fido. the
flower, and the others. 1t was one day
when Fido had called louder than usual.
They saw little figure in a night-dress
come to an upper window and lean his
arms out. They saw it was the little
boy, and, oh! how pale and i'll he
looked. But his yellow hair was as
glorious as ever, and the dimples came
back with the smile that lighted his
thin little face when he saw Fido; and
he leaned on the window easement and
waved his baby hands feebly, and cried:
Google! goggie!' till Fido saw the lit
tie boys mother come and take him
from the window.
One morning Fido came to the fence
corner-how very lonely that spot
seemed now-and he talked with the
flower and the woodpecker; and the
yellow bird came, too, and they all
talked of the little boy. And at that
very moment the old woodchuck
reared his hoary head by the hole Of
the pasture. and he looked this way
and that and wondered why the little
boy never came any more.
Suppose" said Fido to the yellow
bird, suppose You fly to the window
way up there and see what the little |
boy is doing. Sing him one of your
pretty songs. and tell him we are lone |
some without him-that we are wait |
ing for him in the old fence-corner.
Then the yellow bird did as Fido
asked-she flew to the window where |
they had once seen the little boy, and,
alighting upon the sill, she peered into
the room. In another moment she
was back on the bush at Fido's side.
He is asleep" said the yellow bird
'Asleep!' cried Fido.
Yes" said the yellow bird, ''he is
fast asleep. l think he must be dream
ing a beautiful dream, for could see a
smile on his face and his little hands
were folded on his bosom. There |
were flowers all about him, and but
for their sweet voices the chamber was