Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-11-16
Eben's Coed Joke.


We see low, weather-stained farm
house shut in by mountains which rise
behind, before, and on each side OF it.
Their western tips already glow in the
rays of the setting sun, while black and
awful shadows settle fast upon the forest
which clothe their sides. 1t seems
picture indeed, till down the winding roa0
came party of boys, talking very earn
estly all together.
They stopped while before the farm
house trying, as it seemed, to make ar
rangements for nutting expedition. Ore
made one proposition, and one another;
had the fate of the nation depended on
their plans they could not have been more
earnest or excited So engrossed were
they that they did not perceive that an
addition had been made to their number,
until question, thrice repeated in a low,
hesitating voice, made them look around.
"Will YOU show me; / cannot find
where widow Potter lives?'
The speaker was a man of middle age
decently clad, but with the wandering.
vacant EXPRESSION of countenance, which
at once told of the darkened mind little
able to control or guide the body in which
it dwclt. He looked helplessly at the
boys, not apparently recognizing them,
though they knew him well, as the imbe-
I.:I ~ <1r,v hIl
little war distant hidden only by turn
in the roao. But to the boys it seemed
excessivelr droll that the poor fellow
should be ost so near home.
"Old Tmmy's uncommonly cracked
to-day" sid one; and "Why, Jimmy
howlidy YOU get SO far from home?" sol
emnlv asIed another, while the others
chucEled 1t Timothy's increased dismay
''Yousee, Timmy," continued the last
speaker, if you want to get home to-
night youmust just turn round, and go
right straight back the way you came,
and if you keep OH long enough you will
be sure to get there"
A sorrowful look came into the poor,
foolish face, but the man turned away
without any more word, and began teebly
to retrace his steps.
THAT is good joke, Eben," said one
of the boys, with :. laugh; then they
finished their talk, and separated, Eben
going into the farm house, and the Other
bows to their various homes along the
road
Eben Pratt was bright, active boy
good -natured too, in the main, though h'
could never resist the temptation to play
Joke on another. Tonight, with the an
ticipated pleasures of the nutting party Oh
his mind, he speedily forgot Timothy, at
hasty supper, and began to make read.
bag for his next days expedition.
Mrs. Pratt had cleared away the SUP
per things and was knitting drowsily il
her own especial corner; the boys, Ebe
and Seth, were chattering over thei
strong bag which it seemed was IN nee
of new strings, when the house-doo
opened softly, and little girl, the grant
l. child of their ncighbor, Mrs. Potter, cam
into the room.
20, Mrs. Pratt, oh Ebcn," she said hui
riedly, "havc you seen anything of Uncl
Timothy? He went out for little wall
e and he hasn't come back he never stay
s 50 late, and gandmother's dreadful wo
{ ried.'
e Mrs Pratt began to make inquiries {
I the child, rs to whittier her uncle meaI
q to go, but little Seth quickly said:
T. "Why yes, Eben, don't you remembe
< you told lim when he was most hom
he must 'urn back and go the oth'
l. way"
. Eben's Sce was scarlet To his mott
IL cr's quick, indignant questions he an
wered, 81 only meant it in II joke. l d
X not supposs he would go, and then l TO
'e got all aboIt it,
70 "And how long ago was this:" ask'
e. his mothS,.
u Pretty near two hours" replied Ebe
y now thoroughly alarmed at the result
IN his folly.
"Eben Patt," said his mother in slo
~ grave tones your joke may cost Tirr oil
III hif life. Pet the saddle on Whitefat
" and ride after him as fast as you can; t
u and overtake him before he gets to t
N ford" ......,... n
&c Eben's face was white enough, rs
be hurried away to do his mothers biddir
rs, 1t was quite dark without, for the mig
sets in early in those narrow valleys, a
're the moon had not yet risen. With tire
'm bling fingers Eben saddled the hor
while Seth stood by holding the lante
anu encouraging him with:
40. Eben, it is awful dark-dont y
wish you hadn't said that? Do you 81
-ie pose Timmy knows about the fordi
ny place."
Eben answered never word, but to
the lantern snd rode away into the da
ness. Poor Timmy's discouraged lo
M W and wary, uncertain gate, came back
y him wildly low, though he had not
40 ;iced them much at the time. He thouI
not of him going on, on, at every step furt
mo from home, ind he wondered what he
doing now. Suppose he had strayed
into the wooos! And there was the TO
suppose he vas drowned! Eben s h he
II stood still at the thought, and there CT
lb into his minl the awful words, as II Sc
one behind him had spoken them,
Timmy is dead, ] am a murderer"
But Timmy was SO feeble, perhaps
would tire bsfore he came to the II
r., and Eben looked carefully on each sid
M, the road, BY the light of his lant
fire hoping at every turn to see the poor
sitting there waiting. But he saw
-, one, and he knew that he was fast