The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1903-07-03

tLey NJ glad .nriSt was born. IN sure
| be. an SOS your father"
"Say, ma, is pa a good MANI"
John Markham, ef you're ever half
as good as
"Ile don't 20 ter church"
"He done his churchgoing early. He
loves God, an he loves his neighbour
There amt a better man walks this
footstool'-
"Say, I'm glad he's pa" said Johnny.
"SO'm l." said his mother, IAN
wisht he was ter hum this minute. It's
gittin reel thick outside, an he'd orter
he'd his travis set long ago. | didn't
feel ter let him 20 anyhow wen l see
II sed fallin' weather an the wind
risin'. WAL, he knows all they is
about a boat, an, as he says, he allus
has come in"
Il guess pas all right, ma" said Jim
my, pushing back his chair and coming
and putting his arms round her neck.
''The sen amt run yit that's goin' ter
swamp him."
you're mas great boy, amt you,
jimmy said the little woman, lean
Ing her cheek down on the rough hand.
"She do know where she'd be 'thout
you"
can 'thout mew said Davy, his rosy
face peering over the other shoulder
"An' me, MAJ cried Johnny, spring
ing into her lap, while Sis ran to get
there first.
without any one o you" she said,
half laughing and half crying.
you're the best mother l got.' cried
Johnny.
81 declare" she said then, You amt
half ct your suppers. An it's time the
lamp was lighted. The dark shuts down
like dish cover these days. If you're
goin' ter see Sis up ter st. Pauls you'd
better be off, though. An you wait an
come home with her, Jimmy. You put
on your comforter now. You got your
artics, Sis? Yes, do wisht your father
was IN. There's the light ter the point
ter blow! You all be home early now
or III be reel worried"
Don't you fret, ma" said Jimmy.
"We'll take care o Sis"
Bring her back fer Christmas pres
ent," echoed Johnny.
"We1l be home in time fer the
stockin's," called Dave, but their gay
voices came back 10 her on the eddy Of
the wind that pulled out her light as
she held the door open. You 20 right
IN. ma. You'll ketch cold" Jimmy
shouted back.
AN | guess that's all pa IL ketch," y
Johnny added, walking backward.
She watched them a moment in the
twilight, trudging on with the wind be-
hind them, scuhing the snow, pushing
one another, tumbling down and rolling
over and up again and filling the air
with their happy cutlery, and she
caught a little Of their jollity as she
shut the door and relit her lamp and
went about her tasks.
But the jollity presently grew faint.
"He certainly d orter be in now" she
said, going again and again 10 the win
dow. where under her shading hand
the flakes whirled and scared and fell
and slanted by like sparks of fire. 81
do know. | declare I'm main fright
ened. | never felt jest so shaky an
limp In my life" she said. "Oh, Joe,
Joe, eff you don't come back
She went into the bedroom presently
to find the stockings, and as she darned
a small hole she thought of Sis up at
ST. Pauls among the green boughs and
felt a little awe as she saw her helping
at the last wreaths about the chancel,
with the old aisles like the aisles Of
some dim, sweet wood, all green and
dark and spicy. IL guess | know how
mothers feel wen their sons are
priests" she said, and then suddenly
the bell rang out. the old cracked bell,
giving a glad rolling peal on the full
of the gale That's my Jimmy" she
thought. He's jest maxim that bell
praise God. My! 1t jest takes me
right inter church. 18th the hemlocl
boughs an all the woody, cool green
things there"
And then another bell, one much
more close ut hand, rang out like n
roaring echo. It's the Old SOUTH
she exclaimed. Il yum, | believe them
boys have elm the Old South belfry
in spite O. me! My, my! That's the
North church-no; it's the Oldtown.
My soul ter gracious, it's both o them.
That's my Johnny, then. An that's
Dave. l suppose the sexon's let 'em,
an they've got some O the other boys
along"
Precisely that had happened, for
when the sexton Of st. Pauls began TO
tell Jimmy what TO do the other boys
crowded round, jostling and pushing,
and Jimmy gave Johnny kick, and
Johnny transferred it to Dave, and
Dave hit out all round, and a scufiie
/ and scramble followed that would have
ended in open disgrace if the sexton
had not ordered them all out and away
without benefit Of clergy.
And at this Jimmy. remembering that
there were other bells in town, had in
stantly organized several rival bell
ringing parties. and they started at full
run to get into the meeting houses the
best way they could and make the