Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-09-12
time whore the bridge had gone,
which IN the spring freshet had floatod

time whore the bridge had zone.
which IN the spring freshet had floatcd
of.
Don't 60 fur from the house !" his
father called ut the last moment.
"Au right" JOHNNY shouted back,
almost wishing that something would
happen so that he could ring the b,p
bell, and call Dennis and the other men
from the distant field where thew 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 the sun
streamed in and everything looked Just
as usual But JOHNNY had his own
plans, and, going to the barn, he pick
Cd out two big pumpkins and carried
them into the kitchen, stopping a mo-
ment to watch big Dennis, who had
come up for spade.
There is aswagon on the prairie,
camping" he said. 81 wonder it don't
go on, such a fine day as it u.s.
"Maybe there is somebody sick, {"
JOHNNY said, remembering the baby
that had diea'on the camping-ground
before. -
II II 60 ovssnt noon IN 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.
/ It 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 lookednp, thinking he heard
sound as If somebody were trying to
open window; but those in the
kitchen were vide open, and AIMS, he
knew was fastened down by . big nail.
The pumpkins were followed out. and
Johnny was intent upon>-the ewes,
when . step behind made him Jump up
and cry out, ss he was caught and
held tight by q 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.
"That II keep you quiet long enough,
I 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 AZ easy as I'd cut q
pigs. know what I want, and I'll
help myself"
Johnny kept his place on the floor,
half choked, but 30 frightened he could
not stir; while the boy, first boiling
the kitchen door 30 that no one could
come in that way, and fastening ;dpvn
the windows, went into AIMS rom,
took out the nail and opened the wind
ON, from which he could step at once
into the orchard, and then turned to
the closet. The upper shelf was too
high tor him, am, after yeaching mn
for q moment, he Sbroukhtsa chair;
mounting upon that, 6e threw down
the various. bags and bundlea which
Ann had piled over the Bible, till he
had 1t in his hand and began p, turn
over the leaves.
Now the door of this closet had been
taken from q leG house used in the old
Indian days, a1dahads not odly5l60k
and key, but two heavy bolts at top
and bottom, newer used nov, 20, be
sure, but strong a. ever. And as Johnny
sat there, his senses and courage com.
ing back, he saw what should be done,
and did it at onoaa r. With a bound 10
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 into q
chair and did the same to the upper
one, and then, dropping from AIMS
window, ran like mad to the field where
Dennis was ut work., tearing of the
handkerchief as he went.
"Go 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 a. mo-
ment to recover himself, ther,, sprung
up and after them. (: 80
":You:l 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 .clUset!"''. 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 in AIMS. room! What
liver ye are, we're In ans can't get out. !"
he went on; so, Johnny, me boy.
there's time enough for you to he tel
I'm what it is. :: =. .r:.a~ 49,.
z, It's not that II be lettin' ye out i"
he shouted, with responsive kick on
the door When Johnny had finished
his story. "Be aisy now, honey !
Yell get all ye want when the mast6er
| cQmea, and in the same time well
have a quiet pacable time keeping We
company outside. For fear, though. We
may make flinders of AIMS clothes, IN
just tie ye bit," .r'..t -
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 clothes
lines, and Johnny 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 hysterically, waS placed
in her care till his mother should come
home. and was ct once put to bed, and
fed with catnip-tea. But he was M
again when at five O'Clock the biz
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 tho bov
was brought up for trial, that he con-
tessed to having stolen away from it.
intending to, rob Mr. Oartssse~heu:
house. and, hiding in the shed, had
seen the money which tempted him.
Johnny at once became q hero in the
neighborhood, and indeed in OTTAWA,
too, where he had to 20 as witness.
But ths proudest day Of all~wss that
on which the whole trial appeared In
the county paper; and johnny felt
that Napoleon Bonaparte was small.
and Wellington aciper, when compared
with him. He is older and wiser now.
aud yet l doubt If he will ever do 4
drawer thing than his run against the
door on that September day. Il
= r HELEN 9. WRrks.
4 Novd Way Of Settling . Lawsuit.
: :. from ths West Bend Democrat.]
John Werner sued Charles Knrtb ~