The San Francisco call., 1910-12-11
TIME
WHEN MOPNE TOOK A THRILLING RIDE Bel

MAk-AA y hb wA
yes IT'S an rndianl It has a tommy
hawk in its hand and it's coming
straight toward you. But uoh "iVN''
Don't"
with cry of terror Jan jumped into
the air and then hid himself behind
Mopsie She stood her ground. me
noise had startled Mynheer Won
Schnapps, the old clock maker VINO
came tumbling down stairs He was
funny old fellow, dressed exactly IKE
little Jan, but looking bigger and
older.
Here, what's this?" he cried an
grily. Jan, why are you not at schoolE
This is no hour to be here"
IL was showing cousin Metje how to
tell time" said Jan, looking rather
shamefaced at Mopsie.
your cousin Metje can tell time bet
ter than you. Be off to schools! an
swered Won Schnapps.
Eyes, uncle" And Jan bounded out
over the Dutch door, which was nan
open. Mopsie heard his wooden shoes
pattering on the brick walk.
'rYour cousin is a worthless boy,
Metje" said the old clock maker IL
never make clock maker of him.
Mopsie felt no surprise at being called
by the quaint old Dutch name. Like
person in a dream she heard herself
saying:
''Why don't you let him be a soldier,
uncle? He's always drilling and fight
ing and beating a drum!
Soldier! That's a worthless life.
Think how much better it would be to
know how to make clocks, as his an
cestors have done for generations. He
can then make his living anywhere
But Governor Peter says the Eng
lish may come any day and we need
soldiers" ansewred Mopsie II don't
think Jan would be good soldier
He's a coward. Let him try 1T for
while. Then he'll get enough OF 1t and
be glad to settle down and be good
clock maker, uncle"
"Eh?" said her uncle. THAT sounds
we'll! You're a wise little woman,
Metje. Herel You're forgetting. you've
let the handsome new clock run down.
.Eh Eth! That's bad!"
Mopsie suddenly felt as guilty as Jan
had a moment before She looked about
for her companion. Seated inside the
clock, he was so colorless that she
could hardly see him.
Mopsie caught at the weights and
pulled them. There was a whirring
sound and she found herself seated be-
side the little sboemaker, whose face
was shining with delight and whose
hammer was going so fast that the
There" he said we've passed the
day when old Petrus Stuyvesant signed
the province over to the English!''
'fYes, and there are the boys in blue
and buff, who are driving the English
out!" cried Mopsie in her excitement.
"Gracious, how fast we're travelling!
There goes De Witt Clinton to open the
Erie canal I thought I heard Jennie
Lind singing a minute ago. We must
be past 1850 by this time. Hurrah.
We've caught up at lasty'
There was bump, and Mopsie sat up
with a start. 1t was dark on the land
ing, but mother was standing over her.
Wake up, dear" she was saying.
Its supper time"
Bridgets voice came out of the dark
ness:
II guess I frightened the child" she
said. THE clock run down and 1 was
winding it up in the dark, never seeing
the child sitting there, and l bumped
into her and scared her"
Mopsie rubbed her eyes in amaze
ment. The clock was ticking away, but
the little old man had disappeared. TN
too hungry to think of any more
rhymes" she said, but I'll call him
back some other day"
Whatever does the child mean?"
asked Bridget.
Perhaps Mopsie's mother understood
She smiled quietly
"She means it's supper time" said
her mother.
And the clock ticked on, and nobody
but Mopsie knew what was behind the
regular little beats.
The White Ants