The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-09-26
A LITTLE BOYS STORY.

u
1.-THE baby did it. Everybody says
30, and baby doesn't deny 1t. She
only tucks her fingers in her mouth
and says, 'Goo!' Now, when baby
says 'Goo!' she means Yes, every
time.
Every one else had tried. Least
ways papa had brushed his coat and
gone through our new neighbours tall,
iron front gates. He came back be-
fore we'd begun to look for him.
And he didn't want to talk bout his
call.
Then mamma tried Now mamma
has a way Of making us men-papa
and me-do just whatever she wants
us to. Without making any fuss
about 1t, either. But the new neigh
Dor was .gruff an ungen'lemanly to
mamma, and 7 wanted to go over and
settle it out with him, right off. But
If l am most a man, I'm only but six
years old, an he's prob-ly- Well,
l thought I'd wait awhile and grow
some more.
Sister Nellie just loves that beau
tiful old garden of his, and fore he
bought it she used to take her sums
and sewing over there and-and her
pet friend, Edna Long-on the long,
sunny afternoons. Now, Sister Mel
lie just happened to be standing un-
der our old black cherry tree when
he came to give orders to his man
about the garden fence.
First, he didn't see Nellie. When
he did she bowed little, and begged
his pardon, and told him how glad
she was that his beautiful big place
was next to our plain little one
cause twas such a pleasure to look
at it.
Our new neighbor stared at Mel
lie. Then he said Good morning!
very loud and hard, as if he were
driving nails with his voice. And he
went right on giving orders to make
the fence very tight and high.
Nellie came in to mamma and
baby and me. There were tears in
her eyes. Isaw 'em, and they shone.
The new neighbor is bear!' she
said. 4 didn't suppose-really,
didn't quite-suppose that he'd be SO
kind as to let me go in there as
used to; but the fence is to be
twelve feet high and there isn't going
to be a gate through from our place
Just tAink of it! The old bear!'
Dearest said mamma. But
could see that mamma felt quite as
badly as Nellie did.
Now, since I'm such big, strap
ping fellow-six years old a whole
month ago-I noticed that mamma
do something. 1 was just thinking
how nice it was that my birthday
came before our new neighbor did;
and how kind the old caretaker-
William, his name was-used to be
"'Your birthday, Master Rodney
your birthday! And six whole years!
My! And party to-a boy and q
girl for each year. Your mothers q
keen woman to think of that fol
you!' And what do you suppose Will
liam did for the party? Why, he
brought the little gray-nosed donkey
in from the stable, and he let US al
take turn riding him.
"'Course William had to leat
Bronco, cause he said if we rode
alone he might kick up and throw u:
head over heels, you know. WASH
it nice of William. Most makes me
sigh to think he's gone. Our new
neighbor won't have any Of the ole
people about the place, cause he's
'fraid they'll make friends with folk,
and let them do things. He doesn'
like folks and-and he Just cam
bear boys-William told me fore b,
went. And he said I'd better not 81
round.
But when you're six years old ant
the only boy in the house, and your
fathers busy-why, you just have tt
do things. So when the big fenc,
was most finished and I saw for sure
: that there wasn't going to be an.
gate through, and it made our plac'
look so teeny-weeny. why, I felt SORT.
for Sister Nellie and mamma, Gauss
they couldn't even look in. I dom
mind, cause we've got one tree. yol
know-the old black cherry tree.
can climb that and look over ever!
minute of the day, Il want to.
$50 I just thought and thought
After a good while whispered some
thing to baby and asked IL she'd d.
it. She just blinked her pretty eyes
and said Cool