New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1890-09-24

; ~ is
Presently he came down, and GO
ing up to his mothers wheel, asked
| eagerly:
Mother! can't | have whole day.
| tomorrow to go somewhere? Do
say yes, mother!''
Mrs Hill looked down intoSsthe
boys earnest face, so like that of
his dead father, and, remembering
his disappointment, said, Yes,
Johnnie.
And may take something toeat
and stay till dark?''
Mrs. Hill hesitated, but Johnnie
was a trustworthy child, and there
seemed little danger in letting him
have his own way. Probably he
merely wanted to fish in the brook
near by, and surprise her with his
| fish, as he often did; or he wished to
work in the toy fort he was building,
unmolested by Kitty and Patty, so
she gave her consent.
ct me do, too, Donny,o cried lit
| tie Hitty from the back door. where
she had been listening.
Bring me some gum, won't you?"
asked Patty. But Johnnie only
laughed and shook his head.
Mrs. Hill was very glad that John
ME had got over his disappointment
SO easily. Early in the morning she
put him up a generous lunch of rye
pancakes and homemade cheese,
and kissing him good-by bade him
be home at dark
Johnnie ranswiftly into the woods,
and when out Of sight of the two
pairs OF inquisiNve eyes whic! he
knew were watching him from the
window, he knelt and drew from be-
meath a juniper bush the precious
bundle he had hidden there before
the Others woke that morning.
Opening it he took out his Sunday
jacket and hat, also the breeches he
had fashioned the day before, and
hastily put them on, concealing his
every day clothes in their place.
This done, he set out through the
woods, in the direction ofthe village.
Johnnie's brisk walk soon brought
him tohis destination. and his heart
beat rapidly as he heard the roll Of
of the big drum and the shril scream
of the fife. Trembling with excite
ment, he took his place among the
crowd spectators, and gazed in
speechless admira ton at the long
line of men with their shining BAY
onets.
1t would take many pages to tell
the wonders Of that eventful day.
Johnnie gazed with delight on the
gay troops and their proud horses,
and his little heart swelled us he
watched the different companies
march and charge in the mimic com
bat, and as he listened to the stirring
music he longed to be real soldier
and carry a shining musket.
But the browning event of the day
was when the great genenal whom
Johnnie had watched with awe all
day actually patted our little hero
on the head and asked kindly, yet
with queer twinkle in his eye, who
made your breeches, my little MANI"
Johnnie dotted his hat and replied
proudly: ~ made them myself, sir,
all alone, cause I hadn'tan to wear
to muster"
.'rhat is a brave lad. said the gen
eral, laughing;
Night came at last, and a oood-na.
tured neighbor took the tired boy
home in his wagon.
just as Mrs. Hill had looked out
for the hundredth time and wonder
ed where Johnnie could be, he rush
ed in, flushed. tired and happy.
80 mother!" he cried, GIVE been to
muster. You said I might if | had
some breaches, so I made me some
and VENT
Mrs. Hill advanced step, then
paused, holding up her hands in as
tonishment at the funny little figure
she beheld
(. "Why, Johnnie!" she cried, sswhat
have YOU got on?' Then falling in
to a chair she laughed long and
loud, for Johnnie was arrayed in two
Of her priced linen towels sewed to-
gether for breaches.
Il didn't hurt them one bit!' said
Johnnie, almost in tears at his
mothers merriment, "and am sure
10y WV e.3 ~ OoO.y dso 1ny VI Ulc DOyS 8
breeches! Even the General asked
mo who made them"
No WONDER" replied Mrs. Hill,
still laughing, ':and now, Johnnie, I
am not going to scold you, for you
have shown spirit of perseverance
and determination which ! like; so
now take off your new breeches and
come To c,1nnn,. -
Mrs. Hillexamined Johnnie s stitch
esand praised theWork, while she tried
to make him understand how wrong
it was to take her towels without
permission.
When Johnnie grew to manhood
he saw many a real battle and
marched many. a weary mile to the
sound of fife and drum, for he was a
soldier in the revolution, and, al
though war did notprove as delight
Jul as he had thought it when he was
boy, yet he did his duty well, and
when the war was over he often told