Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-01-11
"A Pair OF Wooden shoes.


would the children of America say il
they could see them?"
1t was pleasant afternoon, and little
Rollo and his Uncle Toby We're stand
ing on the street in Antwerp, looking
at the strange sights passing before
their eyes.
The one which had led to the boys
words was the odd one partially de-
scribed, a boy and dog harnessed to-
gether, and drawing cart filled with
vegetables. Such scenes are not un-
common across the sea, and Rollo had
met with several such during his tour.
The boy was a ruddy little fellow of
ten. He was bareheaded, and had o
pair of wooden shoes on his feet. The
dog was nearly as tall as he, and was
industriously pulling his share of the
load.
Come here, Wooden Shoes" called
out Rollo in his Dutch tongue.
The cart came to halt, and the boy
looked in establishment at the we'll
dressed little foreigner who had spoken.
Yes, mean you," continued Rollo,
holding out his hand. II would like
to talk to you q moment"
wooden Shoes" spoke to the dog,
and in little while the funny team
stood before Rollo and his Uncle Toby.
"Do you like your work 2" asked the
American boy.
1--WE don't get very tired, do we,
Wasser?" was the answer. And the
Antwerp boy patted the big dog gently
on the head.
What does your father do?"
He is in your country, boy"
I'm America? And why didn't he
take you along?"
He did not have the money. Wasser
and l are trying to earn enough to pay
our passage" And the boys eyes
seemed to brighten with anticipation.
1--WE take vegetables to the market for
people, and when night comes we drop
a little money-it is not very much
into our strong box. Every penny
helps, you know. After while we
may have enough to go to father in
your country. There, Wasser and I
won't have to pull together"
Would you like to go now?"
The boy clasped his hands with de-
light; and Wasser, as if he understood
IL
"Uncle Toby and 1 are on our way
home, Wooden Shoes" continued
Rollo. "We expect to sail next week,
and if you can get ready, you and
Wasser shall go along. l have enough
TO pay your passage, and [ want you
to grow up in the great country love. !"
The Joy Of the Antwerp boy cannot be
described He poured out his thanks
to Rollo and would have kissed his
hand if he had suffered.
cit may be bread cast upon the
waters, Uncle Toby" said Rollo, when
the boy and Wasser, with their cart
load of vegetables had disappeared.
This boy has nothing to bind him to
this land of odd scenes and odd pco-
pie. His only relative is in our country
trying to get home, and he may need
She strong arms of his little boy.
Little Hermann shall go with us when
we go. like his blue eyes and-his
wooden shoes
1t was just week later when ship
left the shores OF Holland. Two bows
stood on the deck, and watched the
quaint gables and steeples of Amster-
dam fade from view; and when one
turned away with moistened ewes.
there sounded the tread of wooden
soles.
The Antwerp boy, accompanied by
his dog, reached New York with Rollo
and Uncle Toby, and was put on the
cars for the distant State where his
father was.
"What do you think of Wooden Shoes
N
the cars had steamed out of the gri at
BUSTING depot
II am sure 1 shall be proud of him.,
was the reply. HE is not harnessed
to Wasser any longer, though they are
companions, and some day we shall
hear from both.
1t was quite a long time before a
|; tier came, and then it was So badly
written and 81 elltd by young be-
g:nner i'll English that Rollo worried
!, long time with it before he made it
out.
Hermann and Wasser had found the
Dutch settler IN new country, and all
were happy. The boy was going to
school, and his letter to Rollo was his
first attempt to write the new tongue.
Then came another silence, and after
that another letter, little better than
the first. "The wooden shoes We're
taking longer steps, said Rollo to his
Uncle Toby one day. "By and by they
will walk like man. Then Won't /
be proud OF the boy brought across
the sea-"
Several years went by at last, with
hardly word from the Antwerp boy.
Rollo wondered often if he had forgot
ten him. Perhaps Hermann had NOV
ed farther West, and was too busy to
think Of writing him.
Il fear you have lost the wooden
shoes" the uncle said. "Boys forget