The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1866-04-11

A
"Don't be donkey" I says; and then
hugs the plane up tight, and walks on; but
I'm blessed If everybody didn't. seem to
know where was -goin', and KEEP staring
ut the red hankercher, when they wouldn't
have took bit O. notice IL had carried the
plane in my hand, open like.
"Now for it." l says; for I'd made my
mind quite up, and meant business, when
meets policeman, and he looks at me, aud
l looks at him; and / don't know how
chap feels that has stolen plane, but if he
feels half as bad as did that afternoon,
why, the sooner he turns honest, and earns
the tool instead, the better for him.
| knew I was fool TO mind, and KEEP
telling myself SO but it wasn't no use, bless
you, for before I'd got dozen yards past
the policeman, if L didn't turn round to
look, and as n matter Of course, there was
he turned round too, and staring at me-
Talk about q look ! why, his eyes went
through me like mortice chisels in door
jamb
turns round again, and scufiles on,
meaning to rush into the shop, "Now for
it," / says again; and believe I should
have done it, if chap hadn't have come
out at the same moment, with his hand in
his pocket chinking some money, and we
nearly ran against one another, and started
back, for he knowcd me by sight, and |
knowed him, through having worked few
benches of one another up at Cubitt's.
We just mods, and he was gone like q
shot; for he knowcd could tell what he'd
been in there for, while, of course, put it
to you now, couldn't 60 in then, could !?
On goes ever 80 far up the lane. and then
back once more, and this time, although l
knowcd everybody was looking at me, /
blunders right into the shop, slips off the
Handkerchief, and bangs the plane down on
the counter.
"Lend me five shillings on this for a
week." I says; and two or three people in
cupboards like reaches round to see who
made such noise; but as there was four or
| five more people in the place, nobody takes
any more notice O. me and there l stands,
hot and savage, till skinny little chap
with penholder across his mouth, like a
bit, because he was vicious, comes up and
turns my old plane over, and then he mum
bles as we'll as he could for the PEN
How much ?"
"Twelye and SIX" says; for thought
he meant what did give for the plane.
He gives it push and shakes his head,
and was just going to spe X, when feels
hand on my shoulder, and looking round,
there was the policeman l met, and he
says
"where did you get it from, my man +"
Bought it," says |, in o regular furry.
"Where ?" says he.
"Charing Cross" says; and, to make a
long story short, had to let him walk back
to my lodging with me, and see my basket
of tools, and then he only seemed half salts
fed; while half an hour after | reused up
| and went out, quite savage. swinging the
plane in my hand, and sold it at q marine
store shop for two shillings.
| II was hard work to comfort the wife
when she knew that she was going to be
left alone: for 80 Tom" she says, "the
poverty 9 hard enough to bear without hav-
ing to be separated But | promised her
that I'd take lodging, and get her down
with me az soon rs | found the work likely
to last; but next morning at breakfast
saw more than one tear drip into her tea
cup.
But it was bright morning, and I'd been
doing all could to cheer her up for | was
mt going to start till nine so gave young
Tom a treat.-washed his head for him, and
rubbed ON the soap till his little mob was all
white.
"Now sloosh, faryer," he says; and
/
in his eyes, nor yet up his nose, which
wasn't surprising, seeing what little chap
he was then, and no nose at all to speak of.
WE'LL at last had my tool basket ready.
and hammer through the handles to swing
it over my shoulder. There were three
| clean aprons inside and some odds and ends
should want; and then there was nothing
else to do but say good by. But there,
| won't tell you about it, for she took on q
| great deal, as it was the first time had
been away from her.
"You will write, Tom :" says she.
"Why, of course l says.
"And I've put four sheets and some en-
velores in she says, $50 that you needn't
write on the back Of the sandpaper with
your pencil, for it's SO hard to make out. !
And then, after five minutes silence,
bolted out, and wouldn't look behind till
was out of the court.
Why, of course was sorry to leave her
behind; and I went along with my heart
feeling as heavy rs lump of lead, and
everybody meet looking dim and weary,
which should think must have been indi-
gestion, or something Of that kind: but it
soon went off, and the clear sunshiny morn
ing seemed to brighten one up, till felt 50
hearty and CHEEKY that | was ashamed OF
myself, for felt rs though l ought to be
miserable, like knew the wife was ut home.
But there we were, several of us, along with
carts full Of scatfold-polcs and material, and
before long we we're out in the open country.
Out in the open country-God bless 1t -
with the birds twittering in the trees and
hedges the blue sky overhead, with now
and then light cloud slowly sailing across !;
the soft wind smelling that delicious, that
we opened our mouths and drew in great
long breaths, as though we should never be
tired. There were flowers everywhere,-
lilac, laburnum, and may; orchards full Of
pinky apple blossom; while as to the green
Of the fields in the golden sunshine. All it
was sight to men who had been coored up
in close London courts, without knowing
where the next days bread was to come
from
Out in the open country, with fresh beau
ties at every turn! Why, we were like 80
many boys, running by the carts, larking,
shouting, and making regular fools Of our
selves, which must, Of course, have been
owing to the light, free air. Eve heard
talk of prisoners, and sick men, and their
delight ut being out once more but they
could not have felt happier than We did. out
in the open country, on that bright May
day.
Every now and then, though, something
dull would keep coming over me. and ! was
nj sorry when it did, for what business
had to be SO happy and cheerful, knowing
how miserable had left some one at home!
But so it was and the bit o blackness wore
off, and was rs lively as the best of them