Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-09-12

had received and laid away in the old
| Bible. Big Dennis, the head man on the
/ farm, looked upon her as an heiress, and
was ready at any time 10 begin house
! keeping in the way talked of by Alice
I but Ann, like many another heiress, was
afraid he loved her money better than
herself, and still held back from answer
| ing his question.
! Johnny rode with them next morning
as far as the ford, and watched the wagon
safely through, wondering meantime
where the bridge had gone, which in the
spring freshet had tloated off.
| Don't go far from the house ~ his
| father called at the last moment
"All right :" Johnny shouted tack, al
most wishing something would happen so
| that he could ring the big bell, and call
! Dennis and the other men from the dis,
! tant field where they were ploughing for
winter wheat Then he walked slowly up
to the house, going into every room and
/ banging every door hard as he came out
/ 1t seemed very lonely and silent, though
I the sun streamed in and everything looked
| just as usual. But Johnny had his own
| plans, and going to the barn, he picked
out two big pumpkins and carried them
into the kitchen, stopping moment to
watch big Dennis, who had come up for
spade.
"There is a wagon on the prairie, camp.
! ing, " he said. Il wonder it don't go on,
such fine day as it is,
Maybe there is somebody sick" John
ny said, remen bering the baby that had
died near the camping ground year be-
fore.
"I'll go over at noon an ak them"
Dennis said, walking away.
Johnny logged his pumpkins to the
kitchen, sat down on the floor, and was
soon busy digging them out for Jack.o'-
lanterns.
1t was hard work, but he refreshed
himself by thinking how fine they would
look, one each side of the great gate,
looked up, thinking he heard a sound as
if somebody were trying to open a win,
dow; but those in the kitchen were wide
open, and AIMS he knew, was fastened
down by big nail. The pumpkins were
followed out, and Johnny was intent
upon the eyes, when a step behind made
him Jump up and cry out, as he was
caught and held tight by dark gypsy
looking lad, seventeen or eighteen. John
ny screamed loudly, but in a moment was
silenced by handkerchief stuffed into his
mouth and another tied over it.
"Thatll keep you quiet long enough, |
reckon said the boy, looking around
uneasily, as if fearful some one might
come. Now, you little varmint, you
see that knife! If you stir or move, I'll
cut your throat as easy as I'd cut pigs
know what | want, and I'll help my
self"
johnny kept his place on the floor, half
Choked, but so frightened he could not
stir while the boy, first boiling the
kitchen door so that no one could come
in that way, and fastening down the win
dows, went into AIMS room, took out
the nail and opened the window, from
which he could step into the orchard,
and then turned to the closet. Theupper
shelf was too high for him, and, after
reaching up for II moment, he brought a
chair; mounting upon that, he threw
down the various bags and bundles which
Ann had piled over the old Bible, till he
had it in his hand and began to turn over
the leaves
Now the door of this closet had been
taken from log house used in the old
Indian days, and had not only lock and
key, but two heavy bolts at top and bot,
tom, never used now, to be sure, but
strong rs ever And as Johnny sat there,
his senses and courage coming back he
saw what should be done, and did it at
once. With bound so sudden that the
thief had not time to turn, he dashed into
the room, threw himself against the door,
and turned the key Then, as a kick
came which might have burst the lock
alone, he shot the lower bolt climbed in.
to chair and did the same by the upper
one, and then, Cropping from AIMS win
dow, ran like mad to the field where
Dennis was at work, tearing oil the
handkerchief as he went
SEQ to the house !" was all he could
gasp, when once in the fields and Dennis, I
thinking it must be fire ran, with the
three men after him
Johnny sat down in furrow moment
to recover himself, then sprang up and
and after them.
g YOu'll have to get in at the window"
he shouted, as Dennis, finding the kitchen
door locked. ran around the house
AIMS window is open. Look in the
closet ~ he added, as Dennis pausing
outside to hear the storm of kicks and
blows on the door, turned TO the men and /
remarked as he jumped in, "Shurc an
the divl himself is shut up in AIMS
room WHATEVER We are, ye're in an
can't get out he went on; 80, Johnny,
me boy, there's time enough for you 10
be telin' what it is.
" It's not that'll be lettin' We out y
he shouted with a responsive kick on
the door, when Johnny had finished his I.
story. BE asy now, honey Yen get |
all We want when the masther comes, an
in the name time we'll have a quiet
pacable time kaping We company outside, .
For fear though, We may make flinders
Of AIMS clothes, I'll just tie We Bit
That was scene when Dennis open
ed the door, and the four men were kept
busy for few moments, while he wound
the rascal up with two CIothesllnes, and
Johnny danced and screamed with ex-
citement. Then Dennis laid him back
among the bundles, picked up the money
and Bible, and again bolted the door.
Mrs Catly who had seen the men run
ming, came over. Johnny, crying now
Historically, was placed N her care till
his mother should come loule, and was at
once put to bed and fed with Cat-nip tea
But he was up again when at five 0 clOck
the big wagon drove into the yard, and in
the children's excitement lived it all over
again The emigrant wagon was nowhere
to be seen, and it was not till some weeks
afterward, when the boy was brought up
for trial, that he confessed to having
stolen away from it, intending to rob Mr.
Carriers hen-house, and, hiding in the
shed, had seen the money which tempted
him.
johnny at once became hero in the
neighb0rhood, and indeed in Ottawa, too,
where he had to 20 as witness. But the
proudest day of all was that on which the
-, rad in ka Mt