The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1911-02-05

~UDDLES stood In the middle OF
III the mud puddle looking about hope
IN lessly. He knew he had done
0something naughty and was won
dering how be might make amends.
He had waded-wilfully waded--into
deep mud puddle. And he had on new
pair of pretty top boots, boots Grandpa
had had made for him to order. "All
boys should have boots" Grandpa had
said. And now all boys wear shoes
Just like girls" And then 1t WAS that
Grandpa had gone to a queer, jolly old
shoemaker, who could make boots In
most beautiful style, and ordered him to
measure an old shoe of Cuddles' that he
had "sneaked" from under Cuddles bed
that morning.
And in due time the shoemaker had
the pair of red-topped boots done, and
Grandpa was highly pleased with them.
Just like l wore when l was a little
shaver" chuckled the dear old man And
straightway he took the boots to Cuddles.
And, what do you think! 1t was Cud-
dies birthday! And Grandpa must have
remembered 1t was Cuddles' birthday, for
when he put the boots beside Cuddles'
chair at the breakfast table, he said
to the little fellow: Now, jump Into
those old topples and let us see a man."
And the way papa and mamma did
taught And Cuddles laughed merriest
Of all. And dear jolly grandpa grabbed
up Cuddles and gave him six spanks,
and then another to grow on. Now
you're ready for the day." Grandpa had
cried.
Well, 1t was after breakfast that Cud-
dies decided to explore the yard in his
new top boots. The sun had been shin
ing warmly for several days, and huge
snowdrift that had doomed mountainlike
In the back yard had melted all away,
and where it had stood there lay little
lake of shining mud
When Cuddles reached the edge of this
mud lake he stood irresolute for a mo-
ment asking himself: Can boots carry
one through 1t bettern shoes? Shoes are
so short at the mud just gets all over
their tops and muddes ones stockings.
But boots And he glanced admir-
ingly down at the blooming red tops of
his new footgear. 'Grandpapa knowed
what to get for his Cuddles," he OBJ
served. Then he waded bravely into the
very deepest part Of the mud puddle.
And suddenly he noticed that the mud
stained the red tops of his boots and
ruined their pretty color. And then it
was that he stood wondering what to
do. He feared his boots were ruined
forever, and that Mamma would chas-
tise him for having been naughty. Nam
ma had SO often forbidden his wading
into mud, for she told him 1t would
spoil his shoes and stockings. During
the summer time she allowed him to
wade into both mud and water, for he
went barefooted in warm weather. 1t
made him strong and hardy. Papa said,
to rough IT."
When Cuddles saw that his pretty new
boots were all mud-stained, he began to
feel like n very bad boy. He had not
thought about the mud running his pretty
new boots. He knew 1t spoiled shoes,
but he had never had boots before.
III have to get out" he observed
Then he walked out upon dry land again.
The warm sun made the damp boots
send forth steam. "Oh,' said Cuddles.
this will dry them. Then maybe they'll
turn red again."
But after half an hour the boots looked
worse than at first. The mud became
uglier and uglier on them, for 1t hung
about in dry Jumps and patches. all
Hello, sonny. VI ere you been?" 1t
was Grandpa who MS calling to Cud-
dies. "Well, upon my word-you'ye been
in the mudl' And Grandpapa whistled
surprised note. well. and SO those
pretty boots look worse than old shoes
Well, wei. well. What will Mamma
sayr