Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-09-18

time to begin housekeeping IN the way
talked of by Alice but Ann, like many
another heiress, was afraid he loved
her money better than herself, and still
held back from answering his ques-
ton.
Johnny rode with. them'next morning
as far as the ford, and watched the
wagon safely through, wondering mean.
time where the bridge had gone,
which IN the spring freshet had foated
off,
"Don't go far from the house !" his
| father called at the last moment.
"All right" johnny shouted back,
almost wishing that something would
happen so that he could ring the big
| bell. and call Dennis and the other men
from the distant field where they were
1ploughing for winter wheat Then he
walked slowly up to the house. going
into every room and banging every
door hard as he came out It seemed
very lonely and silent, though the sun
streamed in and everything looked lust
as usual But JOHNNY had his own
plans, and, going to the barn, he pick
ed out two big pumpkins and carried
them into the kitchen, stopping a mo-
| lu6Gu W NdGCi1 us CCIiilo3 WHO 1ldC
come up for spade.
"There is a wagon on the prairie,
camping" he said. wonder it don't
go on, such fine day as it is
L" Maybe there is somebody sick"
JOHNNY said, remembering the baby
that had died on the camping-ground
| before.
ct II go over at noon an ak them"
Dennis said, walking away.
johnny lugged his pumpkins to the
kitchen, sat down on the floor, and was
soon busy digging them out for Jack
o'-lanterns.
Tt was hard work, but he refreshed
himself by thinking how fine they
would look, one each side of the great
gate, when all come home. Once or
twice he looked up, thinking he heard
a sound as if somebody were trying to
open a window; 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 step behind made him Jump up
and cry out, as he was caught and
held tight by dark gypsy-looking
lad, seventeen or eighteen. Johnny
screamed loudly, but in moment was
silenced by handkerchief stuffed into
his mouth and another tied over it.
"Tnat III keep you quietlong enough,
[ reckon, said the boy, looking around
uneasily, as If fearing 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 myself"
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 i'll that way, and fastening down
the windows, went into AIMS room.
took out the nail and opened the wind
ow, from which he could step at once
into the orchard, and then turned to
the closet. The upper shelf was too
! high for him, and, after reaching I'D
! for a moment, he brought chair:
mounting upon that, he threw down
| the various bags and bundles which
| Ann had piled over the Bible, till he
had 1t 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 bottom, never used now, to be
sure, but strong as ever. And as Johnny
sat there, his senses and courage com
ing back, he saw what should be done.
and did it at once, With a bound so
sudden that the thief had not time to
fTIrT hn HaChn1 MT hn
himself against the door, and turned
the key. Then, as kick came which
might have burst the lock alone. he
shot the lower bolt, climbed into a
chair and did the same to the upper
| one, and then, dropping from AIMS
window, ran like mad to the field where
Dennis was at work, tearing off the
handkerchief as he went.
eco to the house /" was all he could
| gasp, when once in the field and
Dennis, thinking it must be fire. ran,
with the three men after him.
Johnny sat down in furrow mo-
ment to recover himself, then sprung
up and after them.
" You'll have to get in at the win
dow!" 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
| storms OF kicks and blows on the door.
turned to the men and remarked. as he
Jumped In, "Shure an the devil him
! self IS shut up III AIMS roomi What
1Yer ye are, we're IN an can't get out, -
he went on; 50, Johnny, me boy,
| there's time enough for Won to ha tel
| In what it is.
&" It's not that III be lettin' We out ~
he shouted, with a responsive kick on
the door When Johnny had finished
his story. 'FBe aisy now, honevl
Yell get all we want when the masther
comes, and In the same time We'll
have quiet pacable time keeping We
company outside. For fear, though. We
may make flinders of AIMS clothes. IN
just tie ye bit,''
That was scene, when Dennis OPEN
! ed the door, and the four men we're
kept busy for q few moments, while he
wound the rascal up with two clothes
lines, andJohnny danced and screamed
with excitement 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 running, came over,
Johnny, crying Historically, was placed
III her care till his mother should come
home, and was at once put to bed and
fed with catnip-tea. But he was up
again when at five O'Clock tile big
wagon drove into the yard, and in the
children's excitement lived it all over
again. The emigrant wagon was no.
where to be seen, and it was not till
some weeks afterward when the boy
was brought up for trial, that he CON
fessed to having stolen away from it,
intending to rob Mr.. Carter's hem
house, and, hiding in the shed, had
seen the money which tempted him.
Johnny at once became hero in the
nelghborhood, and indeed in Ottawa,
too, where he had to go as witness.
RI1t tha nToI1HaCt Clav Of oil uy,c th of