West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-01-03
a Pair OF Wooden SHOES.

Pair az Wooden Shoes.
Here comes Wooden Shoes again !
DO look nt tho funny team, Uncle
Toby! A boy and dog harnessed Co.
gother and drawing cartl What
would the children of America say il
they could see them?"
lt was pleasant afternoon, and little
Rollo and his Uncle Toby were 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 tho odd ono partially de-
scribed, boy and dog harnessed to.
gether, aud drawing cart filled with
vegetables. Such scenes are not mn
common across the sea, and Rollo had
met with several such during his tour.
The boy was n ruddy little fellow of
ten. He was bareheaded, and had n
pair of wooden shoes on his feet. The
dog was nearly as tall as he, aud was
!ndustr.ously 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 astonishment at the we'll
dressed little foreigner who had spoken.
Yes, / mean you," continued Rollo,
holding ont his hand. "I would like
TO talk 10 you moment"
Wooden Shoes" spoke TO the dog.
and in n little while tho funny team
stood before I,ollo and his Uncle Toby.
DO you like your work ?" asked the
American boy.
We don't get very tired, do we,
Wasser?" was the answer. And tho
Antwerp boy patted the big dog gently
on the head
What does your father do?D
iie 10 Al yvas country. boy. ("
In America? AND why didn't ha
take you along?"
He did not have the money. Wasser
nnd are trying 10 earn enough TO pay
our passage" And the boys eyes
seemed TO brighten with anticipation.
1--WE take vegetables TO tho market for
| people, and when night comes we drop
little money-it is not very much
into our strong box, Every penny
helps, you know. After n while we
may have enough TO go TO father in
your country. There, Wasser and /
won't have to pull together"
"Would you like TO go now?"
Tue boy c'asped his hands with de-
light; and Wasser as II he understood
the question, gave n joyful bark.
Uncle Toby and i are on our way
home, Wooden Shoes" continued
Rollo. 1--WE expect to sail next week,
and if you can get ready, you and
Wasser shall go along. 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 aud would have kissed his
hand if he had suffefed.
1t 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 o bind him 60
this land OF odd scenes and odd peos
pie. His only relative is I'm our country
trying to got d home and he may need
the strong arms Of his little boy.
Little Hermann shall go with us when
We go. ] like his blue eyes and-his
wooden Shoes"
IL was Just week later when n shin
left the shores Of Holland, Two boys
stood on the deck, and watched the
! quaint gables and steeples Of Amster.
| dam fade from view; and when one
turned away with moistened eyes,
there sounded The tread OF wooden
| soles.
Tho Antwerp boz, accompanied by
/ his dog, Reached New York with Rollo
aud Uncle Toby and was put ON tho
cars for the d slant State where his
father was
What do you think of Wooden Shoes
now, Bollo" asked the uncle, whom
/ the cars had 80 amed out Of the Rr a,
busting depot
81 am sure ] shall be proud of him, d
was the reply "He is not harnessed
90 Wasser any longer, though they are
, companions, and some day we shall
hear from both
10 was quite long time before a
letter came, and then 10 was 50 badly
written and spelled by q young be.
/ g.nner ia English that ROllo worried
q long time with 10 before he made II
out
Hermann and Wasser had found tho
Dutch settler ia new country. and an
we're happy The boy was going h
school, and his letter 20 Rollo was his
iirst attempt TO write the new tongue.
Then came another silence, and after
that another letter, little better than
tho first "The wooden shoes were
taking longer steps, said Rollo 10 HE
/ Uncle Toby ono day. "By and by they
viii walk like n man. Then won't ]
be proud Of the boy ! brought across
tho soaf"
Several years went b. at last, with
hardly q word from the Antwerp boy
kollo wondered often II he had forgot
ten him. Perhaps Hermann had NOV
ed farther West, and was TOO busy {,
think Of writing him
II fear YOU have lost the woodei
J shoes, the uncle said Boys forge