The Springdale news., 1889-12-13
FOR LITTLE PEOPLE.
MY CHUM TEDDY.

'1'eddy C'RourlIe's my chum, you see An how it happened was, him an me Was down at the dock with the rest that day, A-loollin' fur somethn to come our way, Fur shines, tell ye, was precious few, An We thought We could pick up a dime or two Along with some of the other chaps, Luggin feller's valise, perhaps.
 Tt was time the boat was a.gittin' in, An of all the crowd on the dock. who'd been Waitln' fur friends. none took our eye Like two who was standin just close by lady. if ever was one, guess
 You could tell as much by her way an dress With little girl who had bout the looks or them kids you see in the picture books. With her b 2 blue eyes an her hair like gold l spose she was four or five years old. An best If she doesn't tell Ted an me How her pas on board an how glad she'll be When he is home with 'em both again, An Teddy he sees the boat just then. "Well, the boat swings inter the slip at last, An, while they're busy a-makin' fast With the passengers ready a'most to land, The little girl loses her mothers hand, When every ones crowdin' an pushin' hard. An blamed if she doesn't fall oyerboard- can't exactly tell how she does Cause fore knows it, why, there it vas An then there follers great, big splash As Teddy goes after her in q flash! ''TalS about swimmin'. now, Ted kin swlml Not one of the fellers l knows tops him, Stay under the longest you ever see; Dive about twiet as high as me, Go out so fur you'd be seairt clean through; Why they ain.t thing at he dassent dol More like duck, guess you'd say T. ever you saw him Tn, some day An, though the tide is arunuin strong, He strikes right out, an it air so long Fore he's clingin' with her 10 the slippery
 sples.
 An she's SqJe-an' he just looks up an smiles "Then they git the little girl up all right, An there nothin' the matter with her 'cept
 fright,
 While Teddy unhelped climbs up the beams With the water a-runnin' from hm in streams An, while he's shiyerin kind Q, there, The little girls ma don't seem to care At all fur the people a-standin by, But gves him q kiss an begins to cry; An the little girls pa ain noways slow In grabbin' hls hand-an' he won't let go; While every body upon the pier Just whoops her up iii a buStin. cheer, An one Of em yells out, after that
 Come, chip ill, all Of ycu Here's the hatt An didn't they? Well. now, they just didi Teddy was alers a lucky lld, An, while around with the hat they goes, Every one reaches GoWn m his ctu eS. An. you'd laugh 10 see how the ol' plug fills With dimes an quarters an halfs an bills, Till at last it's a-h0ldin' so much tin Lookss fl the crown would just bust right in; An they takes the money at they have rig, An they goes to Teddy an says it's his. "What2' says Teddy. This aint all mnee An you oughter have seed his black eyes shine, An l feels so good 'at gives him a shove, Fur knows just what he's a-thinkn' of It's about his mother, who's purity old, An that sister Of his'n the doctors told If she only could go fur a good long spell Out in the country she III Hht git we'll An every one laughs cause he stares so hard, While the little girls pa takes out card That says where Teddy to call next day, And they goes in a hack Of their own away, While some one tells Teddy to seoot home
 quick,
 An change his clos so he won't git sick. That's about ail-'cept Teddy O.RourSe Has got q chance, and has gone to work h the little girls pas bis dry goods store, An he amt a-shinin' 'em up no more; An now he's a-goin to free-school, nights, An he's learnin' 50 at he reads an writes, While l tells him 10 keep on began away, An he Il be blg duck hissef, some day An me- Oh, Teddy'n look out fur me Teddy O,Rourtes my chlns you see -
 -Maleolm Douglas, Ill St. Nicholas.