The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-05-31
Chr Aaneosk Ssffsrsoaian
The Squile's Apple Tree,

room he saw it, always in mischief, }
It was not apretty face--not hand
some face--not an ugly one IL was
bright, and dark, and rosy. Tipped,
but it was so old, so full of segacity---
so thoroughly able to look out for
itself.
la fact It's owner, Mike Morgan,
had looked uu. tor himself tor srv
cral ycars-earned bread and lodg
ing by doing odd fohs. and kept him
self at school in the Winter season.
He was only twelve, AMI had no re
ilations on earth "a far "a he knew.
At this moment lie was leering most
wickedly.
Walk here sir said Mr. Atweil.
Mike walked there.
What we're you doing under that
deskY
'Tyin my shoe SIR
'He warn't' piped small voice,
he was eatin' my lunch. Please sir,
may come and show you the bite?'
you may not. Mike how dare
you?-a little girls lunch too. |
blush for you
Didn't do it, SIR
And Mikes ears were boxed, and
he was sent back to his seat without
confessing. No one ever made Mike
confess yet.
Whatever he did he denied doing.
Yet Mike had more sense than q doz
en- of the others put together. lie.
never missed lesson; never made q
fool of himself and brought disgrace
on himself and the teacher before
the Committee, and he was useful in
carrying messages. lie generally
had two or three OF confidential
nature to do for Mr.. John Atwell
each week For be it known, Mr..
Atwell was in love, desperately in
love with a daughter OF one of the
most malignant and overbearlng old
gentlemen who ever had the gout-I
the rich man of the village, yclept
Squire Tooker, who not only despised
ohm for being poor, but detested him
for having voted for the candidate
whom he opposed at certain cleo
ton. Consequently the courtship
was carried on in secresy, and Mike
was postmaster.
On this very day which had wit.
messed the abstraction of Lucy Slo-
GUMS lunch, Mike sat down on the
school porch and whitfield a long
branch into nothing, despite all in.
ducements to play offered by the
other boys. He knew that the mas.
ter was writing a letter, and that he
should be asked TO carry il ere long:
and truly, before many minutes had
passed the voice OF the teacher was
heard calling:
ANY one there:
Me- said Mike.
Come here
You take this letter
TO Miss Tooker, and. .it there is
an answer wait for it, It's very i'm
Iportant'
Yes SIR said Mike.
He took the letter gingcrly, wrap.
ped it in a piece of silk which he had
made into a kind of bag, and put it
in his ragged cap. Ifitc had known
what the letter contained. Alas,
alas, that it should he so-lovers
will have quarrels. Tiliy and John
had one, and tor at least one whole
week they had been strangers to each
other Now John penitentlv desires
forgiveness, and the letter was to
that effect. A heart of stone must
have been touched by it.
III you can pardon me dear lilly,
send me a line in answer-only a
! Iline-If | don't hear from you ! shall
shoot myself or go to sea. What |
have suffered no mortal tongue can
tell. Answer me for heavens sake
by the bearer
/ Remember he said to Mike again,
! If there Is an answer wait for It.
! Mike promised.
The schoolmaster went home AT
an early next morning he hurried to
the school house. No Mike was
there. The school assembled, Mike
came not. At half past ten the mas
ter had given him up; at eleven he
was in dispar. Just then the door
opened and the truant entered, but
not alunu. The Squirc--Squirv Took.
} er himself--held his collar The
teachers knees tremblcd. Had his
messenger been detected?
I've fetched this here lad, said the
Squire in voice husky with rich
living, 'fur to enter complaint
When ! WAS eddicated we used to
be teached the ten commandments
Seems as tho you had left that there
of. You must hook nuthin is one
of en- said the Squire. This here
boy I've just caught at my apple tree
l caught him there once last night
and again this mornin.' ! want him
logged
+, Mike, Mike, I'm ashamed OF you,
said the teacher. Don't you know
u better than to steal-steal Squir,
2 lTooker's apples? Oh Miker
IS Il didn't said Mike.
Didn't climb the treeY'
al Not fur to hook apples, ! swer
|. did not
81 Mike said the teacher, Il dom
believe you
You might said the boy. 'Lool
= there, / don't lie this time, and dom
you whip me. amt going to pu
up with being whipped for the truth
l didn't want no apples-I didn'
}. take none
What else could boy want in al
!. lapple treef' asked the teacher.
, Don't you ask said the boy
~ l'Just don't whip me, that's ALL