The Athena press., August 20, 1909, Image 2

" THE PATRIOT.
This la my country's natal morn. My
heart with rapture thrills.
Tt bought a gun for little John, the
kind that sometimes kills.
And Susie has a pistol, too. She'll burn
herself, I fear. .
But what's the difference If she does? It's
only once a year;
That I in patriotism lack It never shall
be said.
The baby has some crackers now that
might blow off his head.
They're somewhat dangerous; they're
filled with dynamite, I hear.
But shoot them off, my darling child;
'tis only once & year.
t
I've heard that rockets have been" known
to put out children's eyes.
Of course in every childish sport some
danger lurking lies. ,
We'll have to take our chance of that
they mustn't stand too near
For we must celebrate the Fourth; 'tis
only once a year.
Bo, though the baby's blown to bits and
Johnny's lost his sight,
Though Susie's hair is all burnt off by
time that it Is night,
I'll sing "My country, 'tis of thee," In
accents loud and clear,
For I have kept the glorious Fourth,
which comes but once a year.
Llpplncott's.
TheFlagof I
District Seven
. Naturally It was dark and still
about District School Number Seven;
why not, when the eight day clock on
the wall Inside marked nine forty-five
p. m., and was ticking on toward ten
as fast as it could go. "Time for all
honest folks to be in bed," the Doc
tor's grandfather would have told
him. The Doctor was supposed to
have gone there an hour and a half
before.
But the Doctor had a matter on
hand which he felt required caution
and the Bhades of night; therefore he
and Jlmlny crept stealthily out from
their respective homes, met where the
road forked, and stole across lots, tak
ing advantage of every bush and
clump of weeds, though it was as dark
as the Doctor's pocket. At last they
were crouching close against the
southern wall of the brick school
bouse. . .
Said the Doctor In a stage whisper:
"This here shutter Isn't really shut.
I stuck a wad of paper In the hinge,
and Miss Colwell pulled like forty
trying to hook It. It's 'the only win
dow where the lock doesn't catch.
Now, I'll boost you up, and then you
can haul me."
"No, slree," said Jlmlny promptly;
"I'll boost and you haul."
"But you're the heaviest," urged the
Doctor. "It's easier to boost than to
haul."
"I don't care. I don't go In there
first. You're the fellow that's doing
this. I just come along for coin
Dan y."
"You're an old 'fraid cat."
" 'Fraid cat yourself."
"Well, here boost away," said the
Doctor, and up he went. It was dark
' outside, but as he sat astride the win
dow sill somehow It looked a good
deal darker within.
"Give me the lantern." It was un
lighted, but the speaker was well pro
vided with matches. "Now, catch hold,
quick." He reached his arms out of
the window, making a heroic effort to
conquer the queer, creepy feeling that
Something might reach out of that
awful blackness behind and catch hold
of him.
"It won't need two of us to go up
Into the loft," waB whispered from be
low. "You Just light the lantern and
put It on the wtndow-slll, and I'll
watt here till you come down. Ouch
quit!"
For the Doctor came down then and
there, landing Bquarely on top of him,
and though Jlmlny might weigh a few
pounds more, everybody knows that
momentum countB for more than
weight. The Doctor had momentum
to spare.
"Say, are you comln' along like a
white man, after promising and prom
ising so 't I wouldn't ask any other
fellow? Say, are you akk you, Jlm
lny Neebles?"
"Yep! Get oft'n me." The dark
achoolhouse was a possible danger, the
Doctor a positive one. Jlmlny went
In first that time, but he speedily
Jerked the Doctor In after him, and
the latter was daring and reckless
enough to close the shutter before he
struck a match.
The first lost Its head, the second
sputtered and went out, the third fla
tted and did the same, By the time
the tiny flame threw gigantic shad
ows of themselves upon the celling,
both conspirators were In a quiver.
"There's nothing and nobody here,"
said Jlmlny, looking fearfully about
him.
"Who said there was?" bravely
scoffed the Doctor. "Now for the step
ladder."
It stood In the closet where the
girls hung their hats and cloaks. The
two brought It out, somewhat hinder
ed In their progress,- not only because
the ladder was heavy, but because
they seemed to feel obliged to carry
the lantern with them wherever they
went. Wheu the ladder was at last
firmly planted under tho trap door
loading to the loft, the Doctor, with
an air of being nonchalantly willing
to shure the honors of the expedition,
luquired: "Well, who goes up?"
"You," Jlmlny replied with prompt
ed, basely unmoved by ambition for
hip. The Doctor gave a con
temptuous snort
"All right. I'll take the lantern
with me then." He snatched it from
the desk where It stood, and was half
way to the ceiling before Jlmlny got
his mouth open to remonstrate. The
Doctor shoved the trap aside, swung
the lantern slowly about his head as
he took a comprehensive survey, then
set It down, and drew himself up. The
Instant he cleared the opening Jim
iny's head popped through It, his legs
swiftly following.
The loft was the store room for dis
carded books and wrecks of furniture,
piled about in disorderly fashion. Ofi
a box near the trap lay the object of
their quest; a package carefully wrap
ped In burlap and brown paper. As
the Doctor laid hands on it, Jlmlny
snatched the lantern and dived down
to the ladder. He thought he saw
something stir back In among the
piles of books. . It might b a rat, It
might be almost anything. At the
foot of the ladder he cried, "Hurry
up!" The Doctor was Just emerging
from the trap, and although not anx
ious to linger, he took time to drop
his burden carefully on Jimlny's up
turned face. It pleased him to hear
Jlmlny sneeze, gag, and try to spit
out the dust.
But his smile only lasted until he
had untied the package, when It
changed to a prolonged stare, accom
panied by a melancholy whistle. "He's
got It after all, Jlmlny," he said;
"he's gone and got It after all."
"You've got the wrong bundle." The
Doctor shook his head in somber and
assured negative. "There wasn't any
other; there never has been. And
how do you s'pose these got up there
if he didn't put 'em there to cheat?"
He held up an object that threw Jlm
lny back In convulsions of mirth. .
"Breeches his old work breeches!
Oh, Moses and we've been thinking
It was the flag! Oh, s'posin' we'd
tried to run them up to-morrow morn
ing when the folks were all here!"
and Jlmlny rolled on a desk quite
helpless.
The Doctor did not laugh. He re
garded the garment with his chin
resting on his hands, while a perplex
ed frown drew his brows together.
"That's what he was up to. Let's see;
this Is how he said it: 'We've got to
have your flag for the Fourth.' Not
'May we have It?' civil like. But
'We've Got to have It.' And I tells
him: 'Our flag's going up here on the
morning of the Fourth of July, be
cause here's where It belongs,' says I.
'Give you a treat all round for the
use of It,' says he. 'No, sir,' says I.
'Ice cream, cake and lemonade,' says
he. 'No, sir, says I; 'maybe you can
have It In the afternoon, for you did
give a couple of dollars toward get
ting It, but we gave the most and It's
ours.' 'All right; keep your old flag,'
says he, but I knew by the twinkle In
his eyes that he was bound to get it
somehow, If we didn't hide It away
from him, but I didn't 'spect he'd be
after It before to-night. I've been up
here 'most every day, and it looked
all right. Just his smartness to stick
his old breeches there and make us
Xhlnk 'twas safe till we started to run
it up; I say It's mean of him if he Is
my uncle."
"Dad says he's Trlckey by name
and trlckey by nature," Jlmlny was
venturing on delicate ground. Uncle
and nephew were not so many years
apart in age, nor altogether diverse
in disposition.
The Doctor scarcely heard him; he
was doing some hard thinking. The
lantern light shone on his red hair,
and revealed gathering resolution In
each freckle. Red hair and blue eyes
can bo trusted to take care of them
selves, red hair and brown eyes to
look after other people, red hair and
gray eyes beware! The Doctor had
gray eyes.
"Jlmlny," he said, pounding the
desk he sat on wth his fist, "we'll
have our flag on our own flagstaff if
we have to chop theirs down. Now,
you listen. He and Nick Fielding and
Joe Strayer and a lot of the other
flreboj'8 '11 stay up till midnight to
blow off the anvil you know they al
ways do. Then they keep up a racket
for a while, run up the flag and go
home for a nap. When they go home
for a nap this time, Jlmlny, we'll Jerk
our flag down In a hurry."
"Moses! we'll have to hang round
and watch them all night."
"Who's carln'? I'd 'liever Btay up
ten nights than have Harry Trlckey
keep our flag on his old pole."
"I don't believe we can haul It
down by ourselves."
"Pshaw, It's just like pulling It
down here, only the ropes are long
er." Particularly dear to the heart of
the Doctor was District Seven's new
flag. He had been the originator of
the plan to purchase It, the most per
sistent beggar of contributions, and
despite rooted objections to manual
labor, had even dug and delved to add
to the fund. Therefore he felt a spe
cial proprietary right in the banner
that was to float over the school house
during certain patriotic exercises on
the morning of the Fourth.
But the village of Amadan, near
the outskirts ot which the school
house stood, had a park, a flag pole
and a Are brigade. The park was a
pretty shaded green where the vil
lagers and people from the surround
ing country were wont to gather on
high days and holidays. The fire bri
gade was composed of youngsters still
In or Just out of their teens, and
Harry Trlckey, the village mischief,
was assistant foreman. The pole was
In the park, and the fire brigade were
responsible for It, and for the flag
that usually floated from It.
On the previous Memorial day this
bad been ruined by a sudden fierce
storm, and as the Fourth drew near
Mr. Trlckey suggested that the brig
ade borrow District Seven's for the
Amadan celebration. He argued that
"the kids" could forego Its use, as
they and their parents would come to
the park at the close of the school
exercises and remain there for the
rest of the day.
The soul of the Doctor flew to arms.
In vain his youthful uncle urged rela
tionship, contributions, the larger
needs of the village, and even offered
bribes. It was a case of Greek meet
ing Greek. Young Trlckey mentally
determined that the flag should fly
from the Amadan pole; the Doctor
that it should float over District
Seven.
"'Twill be awful tejus hangln
around in the dark all night," Jlmlny
repeated with a cavernous yawn.
Indignation made the Doctor's eyes
snap and his freckles stand out In
bold relief. "I wish to goodness
that I'd asked some feller that is a
feller to come 'long o' me," he ejacu
lated. "I bet you'd never catch Phil
Thompson, nor Dick Stebblns, nor
Phil Jones whining 'bout the dark and
stayln' out all night." . " , ,
"Who's whining?" demanded Jlm
lny, bringing his Jaws suddenly to
gether.
In a silence that was eloquent the
Doctor dragged the ladder back to Its
place in the closet and made his exit
through the window. The only con
cession made to the fact that he had
a companion was when he permitted
Jlmlny to hold the lantern, while he
pulled down the sash and closed the
shutter.
"What you going to do with It?"
Jlmlny referred to the bundle from
which the Doctor had never relaxed
his hold.
"Never you mind what I'm going
to do with it." The Doctor extin
guished the lantern by a sudden sweep
of his arm, took a few steps forward
and turned to say impressively:
"If you abe going with me, Jiminy
Neebles, you've got to promise 'deed
and double, honest Injun, cross your
heart, that you'll never open your
head about what we do. Harry
Trlckey'll be fit to mop up the earth
with us If he finds out."
"Who's going to open his head?" de
manded Jiminy, and the Doctor was
satisfied. Jlmlny had his faults, but
he was a boy of his word.
Had the assistant foreman of the
Amadan Fire brigade been less busily
engaged the night and dawn of July
third and fourth, he might have
noticed that In the outer ring of faint
est light cast by the bonfire In front
of the smithy, he sometimes cast three
shadows Instead of one; that wherever
he went he was as closely watched
and followed as ever any foredoomed
captive of Sleuth or Sherlock Holmes.
One of the shodows, with hands In
pockets, yawned cavernously and
often, but It stumbled doggedly on
In the tracks of the other, that, armed
with persistence, an unlighted lantern
and a bundle, never for one Instant
faltered In the pursuit.
Having begun the celebration of the
Fourth early, and intending to con
tinue it late, Mr. Trlckey sought his
couch an hour or so before dawn, and
slept long past the breaklast hour of
the rest of the family. In truth he
did not waken until half the villagers
were mirthfully cognizant of what was
announced by him by a shout under
his window.
"Trlckey, Harry Trlckey, come down
and salute the flag! Trlckey, Trlckey,
Trlckey! come and see what's happen
ed to your flag!" .
"What is it what's up?" the assist
ant foreman asked, rubbing his heavy
eyes. He was answered by adjura
tions to come to the park and see for
himself.
Long before he reached the green,
however, an amazingly transformed
standard fluttered Into view. The bi
furcated garment he had folded care
fully into the wrappings of District
Seven's flag, chuckling meanwhile at
the discomfiture of a certain "big
headed kid" nephew, kicked gayly at
him from the top of the flagpole.
"The little cuss!" muttered Trlckey,
recognizing at once the fine hand of
the Doctor. And when he reached the
foot of the flag staff, and the laughing
crowd pointed out ' the halliards,
fastened on the top of a tall tree
where only some one, lighter of weight
but as daring as himself, could have
tied them, he muttered again with a
reluctant grin, "The little cuss!"
On the stroke of ten that morning,
amid the cheers of the pupils drawn
up In a line outside, the flag of Dis
trict Number Seven rose majestically
to the top of the school flagstaff. The
Doctor, surveying It proudly after
handling the halliards with consum
mate skill, chanced to catch his young
uncle surveying him and turned aside
with an embarrassing cough.
Not until the exercises were over
did Harry get within speaking distance
of his nephew. They met with a
gravity befitting the occasion.
"Well, Mr. Monroe," said the assist
and foreman, and to the twinkle In his
eye the Doctor presented and expres
sion of almost wooden Innocence, "are
you willing to lend your flag to the
village of Amadan for the rest of the
day?"
The, Doctor took time to deliberate.
After a suitable pause, he rejoined; "I
don't care, If the rest of 'em are will
ing. You fellows gave two dollars.
'Course you'll be responsible for any
damage.
"Of course," assented his uncle, by
this Uuie In a broad grin. The Doctor'
face remained unmoved. 'He thrust
hls.hands Into his pockets and strolled
away to join the admiring Jiminy.
"Don't gawk so," he muttered, In a
fierce, admonitory whisper. -
BASK BOOKS OF SAVAGES.
Sumatra Island Cannlbala Hare Lit
erature Strictly Medical.
Cannibals especially those of 'the
Island of Sumatra, whose primitive
and only article of clothing has given
to our. language the familiar tern
"Sumatra wrapper" have a bad repu
tation as feeders, and are generally
classed as low-down savages. Yet, as
the London Lancet says, It Is only
fair to these despised people to point
out that they possess a literature, and
that their literature Is medical. Doubt
less they have cook books, also, which
will make mighty interesting reading
when deciphered.
The Battack manuscripts, of which
there are a few specimens in the
Marsden library at King's college
(University of London), are curious
examples of the most primitive form
of book. In his classic work on Su
matra, published in 1811, William
Marsden thus refers to thi3 literature
of the cannibals: "Their books are
composed of the inner bark of a cer
tain tree cut into long slips and folded
in squares. Their contents are little
known to us. The writing of most of
those In my possession Is mixed with
uncouth representation of scolopendra
and other noxious animals and fre
quent diagrams which Imply their be
ing works of astrology and divina
tion." M. Claine, reporting In 1892 on a
Battack manuscript, of which the late
Dr. G. W. Leltner reproduced a copy
in photogravure In the Imperial Asi
atic Quarterly Review (1892), de
scribes it as referring to some plague.
The book was submitted to Pundit
Janardhan, an eminent Valdak phy
sician of Lahore. The writer of this
article was at the same time busily
employed in unearthing the Battak
manuscripts in the Marsden library at
King's. These, with Capt. Cook's orig
inal diaries and other treasures of
price, were soon found In a large box,
which had never been lost, but which
had suffered ' neglect owing to Its
very obviousness. In no long time
the learned Pundit doctor of Lahore
replied In the pages of Dr. Leitner's
Review.
Medical scientists In England had
been possessed by the Idea that the
Battak bark books contained a definite
adumbration of the theories of Pas
teur. The little twiddles, painted In
some black pigment on the bark, were
held to be what were then called
"germs." Dr. Janardhan entirely con
firmed this theory, but he pointed out
that the Battak illustrations were bor
rowed from ancient Hindi books, from
which the Battak cannlbala copied
with an Infinite neatness: "Whatever
people may choose to say about the
discovery of bacilli and microbes as a
new thing (In 1892) in medical
science, it Is quite evident that the
principle of this discovery was many
ages ago given In the Sanskrit books
of medicine, and the details, elaborated
and tabulated, can be produced to
prove this statement."
But the Sanskrit illustrations In
question really refer to worms, not to
germs. In India diseases are often
traced to -a "klra" or worm, and the
Battak pictures really depict a num
ber of these.
GIBBON'S HISTORY OF ROME.
Conceded by Scholars to Be the
Greatest Historical Work.
Although the Idea was conceived
when Gibson was 27, he was 31 before
he set himself seriously at work to
study his material. At 36 he began
-he composition, and he was 39 when
In February, 1776, the first quarto vol
ume was published. The history had
an immediate success. "My book," he
wrote, "was on every table and al
most on every toilet; the historian
was crowned by the taste or fashion
of the day." The first edition was ex
hausted In a few days, a second was
printed in 1776 arod next year a third.
The second and third volumes, which
ended the history of the western em
pire, were published in 1781, and seven
years later the three volumes devoted
to the eastern empire saw the light.
The last sentence of the work, written
In the summer house at Lausanne, Is:
"It was among the ruins of the capl
tol that I first conceived the Idea of a
work which has amused and exercised
near twenty years of my life, and
which, however inadequate to my own
wishes, I finally deliver to the curi
osity and candor of the public."
This Is a brief account of one of
the greatest historical works, if ln-
ded It Is not the greatest ever written,
says James Ford Rhodes In Scrlbner's.
Let us imagine an assemblage of En
glish, German and American histori
cal scholars called upon to answer the
question, Who is the greatest modern
historian? No doubt can exist that
Gibbon would have a large majority
ot the voices; and I think a like meet
ing of French and Italian scholars
wild Indorse the verdict. "Gibbon's
work will never be excelled," declared
Niebuhr. "That great master of us
all," said Freeman, "whose Immortal
tale none of us can hope to displace."
Bury, the latest editor of Gibbon, who
has actually criticised and carefully
weighed "The Dally Decline and
Fall," concludes "that Gibbon Is be
hind date In many details. But In
the main things he Is still our master,
above and beyond date." His work
wins plaudits from those who believe
that history in Its highest form should
be literature and from those who cold
that It snould be nothing more than
a scientific narratlv.
THE WEEKLY
V 31
Www
1637 Pequot Indians slaughtered In
their fort in Connecticut.
1644 John Endlcott was chosen Colo
nial Governor of Massachusetts.
1668 First Assembly of New Jersey
met. i
1743 American Philosophical Society
founded by Benjamin Franklin.
1774 The General Court of Massachu
setts met at Boston to elect Coun
selors. .. .The Boston port bill
went into operation.
1779 Stony Point evacuated by tho
Americans.
1785 John Adams, the first American
Minister to England, presented to
the King.
1787 A national constitutional conven
tion met in Philadelphia.
1790 The Rhode Island convention ac
cepted the Federal Constitution.
1813 British defeated the Americans
at the battle of Sackett's Har
bor British frigate Shannon
captured the United States frig
ate Chesapeake.
1844 Telegraph made practical be
tween Washington and Baltimore.
1845 Sir Franklin sailed from Sheer
ness on the last Arctic expedition.
1848 Wisconsin admitted to the Union
, as the thirtieth State General
Wlnfleld Scott publicly welcomed
In New York.
1850 Mormon temple at Nauvoo, 111.,
burned.
1855 The Pottawatomie executions
took place in Kansas.
1857 Dred Scott and family emanci
pated In St. Louis.
1861 The psrt of New Orleans block
aded by the sloop-of-war Brook
lyn. 1862 Confederates under General
Beauregard evacuated Corinth,
Miss Battle of Hanover Court
House, Va.
1863 The Federals made an unsuc
cessful attack on Port Hudson.
1864 Slavery abolished In Louisiana.
1865 The Confederates in Texas, un
der General Kirby Smith, laid
down their arms.
1866 Fenians crossed the Canadian
frontier and took possession of the
village of Fort Erie.
1875 Seventy-five lives lost by burn
ing of cathedral at Holyoke, Mass.
....Charlotte Cushman made her
last appearance on any stage at
Easton, Pa.'
1885 World's Exposition at New Or
leans closed.
1886 Haymarket anarchists indicted
in Chicago for murder.
1889 More than 2,000 lives lost in
flood at Johnstown, Pa.
1892 The "High Water Mark" monu
ment on Gettysburg battlefield
was dedicated.
1893 Montana's silver statue unveiled
at World's Columbian Exposition.
1894 Presbyterian General Assembly
convicted Prof. H. P. Smith of
Lane Seminary of heresy.
1895 Monument to Confederate dead
unveiled in Oakwoods cemetery,
Chicago.
1896 Emperor and Empress of Russia
crowned at Moscow.
1898 Naval battle off Santiago da
Cuba.
1901 Senators McLaurln and Tillman
of South Carolina resigned their
seats in the Senate, but their res
ignations were not accepted by the
Governor.
1903 An earthquake in the vilayet of
, Van, Turkey, caused the loss of
800 lives.... Tornado swept over
Gainesville, Ga., with loss of many
lives.
1904 Celebration of the bicentenary
of the founding of St. Petersburg.
1905 Lewis and Clark 'Exposition
opened at Portland, Ore.
1908 One thousand dead In Chinese
typhoon .... International Polar
Congress met at Brussels The
body of George Clinton, first Gov
ernor of New York, was removed
from Washington to .Kingston,
N. Y.
Skipping; Rope May Kill Her.
While trying to "pepper" at skip
ping rope longer than any of the other
girls, little Bertha Snow, 10 years old,
of Sioux Falls, burst an Intestine. She
lay unconscious for four days and
may die.
Greatest Vein of Radiant.
Recent dispatches from Lisbon. Por
tugal, confirm previous reports of the
discovery of extensive deposits of the
rare and costly element radium in the
bed of a stream near Guarda on the
Paris-Lisbon Railway. The discovery
was made by a British mining engi
neer who had heard of the health-riv
ing qualities attributed to the stream.
The substance is found In the form of
uranlte phosphate crystals.
CRUMPET CALLS.
Ram's Horn gonads a Warning; Wot
to tho Unredeemed.
To do as Christ
did we must love
as He did. '
Once get a maa
right In his heart
and his feet will
will not go far
wrong.
Above the black
est cloud there Is
plenty of light.
God never changes His mind.
What men often call excuses God
calls lies.
Faith without works Is like a watch
without hands.
Truth never stops chasing a lis
around the world.
Give the Lord a chance and He will
will give you a chance.
Our needs can never be greater thaa
God's promises for their supply.
The man who delays to do the right
thing is not likely to ever do It
The 'preacher should not forget that
the devil always goes to church.
Not what we can do but what we
can bear Is the real test of character.
If there is a time when God Is espe
cially close to us it is when we are la
trouble.
Following Christ ought to consist In
something more than wearing a red
button and going to church In pleas
ant weather.
The man who looks toward the well
watered plains of Sodom with a long
ing eye will soon be wearing out shoe
leather In trying to get to them.
I A MISTAKEN PURPOSE. X
"Yes, dogs may be all right,' re
luctantly admitted the nervous man,
"but somehow I always was scared of
'em, and they all seem to realize the
fact. This business of conquering a
dog by looking him straight In the
eye doesn't always work out the right
way. I never cared to test the matter
myself, but I knew one fellow who
did. He lost part of his coat tail.
And there is a foolish saying that ,
barking dogs won't bite. Another
fallacy. I once knew an old shepherd
dog that would bark and bite at the
same time. I still carry a scar on my
shin as a proof.
"I was farming at the time, -out In
Kansas, and the dog belonged on the
next farm.' The old fellow who owned
him said he wouldn't bite. We had
just moved down from the city, you
know, and it was necessary for me
to call at the old farmer's house for
milk. '
"At first Shep wouldn't allow me to
enter the gate. Shep was the dog's
name. I tried all sorts of lnduce
men'cscalled him by name in the
friendliest tone at my command, or .
threatened him with imaginary stones.
Finally the old farmer would relieve
the situation by escorting me into
the yard, with Shep sneaking along
about two inches in the rear of my
legs. Very comfortable.
"But as time went on I became bet
ter acquainted with the shepherd dog,
and as long as I wore overalls and
toted my milk pall, .he permitted me '
to enter the front gate without chal
lenge. On these occasions he assumed
a benevolent air, as if he was' really
granting me a large favor. It was a
favor.
"But one time I called on the old
farmer on a matter of business, and
had discarded the overalls and milk
pail. As I entered the gate I saw a
book agent marching boldly up the
yard. The poor fool didn't know about
Shep, and he failed to see the dog aa
he came tearing up the lane.
" 'Hey, there! ' I shouted, In a warn
ing voice. 'Climb that "tree quick or
that dog will chew you up!'
"But the poor chap didn't have time
to budge, for Shep was traveling like
a Kansas tornado. I shut my eyes for
a moment, from sheer pity, and then
opened them again to view the trag
edy. That dog had passed the book
agent entirely, and was still coming,
He was after me."
His Postscript.
It was Saturday, and Mrs. Cushman,
having arrayed Bobby In his Sunday
best, was endeavoring to keep him
occupied while she dressed hurriedly,
pending a visit to the photographer.
"Write mother a letter on your cellu
loid tablets," she coaxed.
Bobby looked out of the window and
across the street for inspiration and
found it His fingers moved briskly,
and In less than three minutes he was,
displaying his letter and pressing It
upon his mother attention.
" 'Dear mother,' she read. 'The boys
across the street in the Lothrop's
yard are playing a new game. I
should like to see it May I go? '
" 'Your affecshonate son, Bob.'
"That Is rather short, Bobby," she
said, still coaxing him, with a glance
at the clock. "You go back to your
room and write mother a little post
script." Bobby departed Joyously, but when
the last refractory hook had yielded
and his mother, drawing on her
gloves, hurried to his room, It waa
empty.
On Bobby's desk lay the letter, with
the desired addition:
"P. S. I have went Bob."
Men have their troubles the same aa
women, but they have less to mar
bont them.
There are as many sides to a store
as there axe people who tell it