Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-04-11
TOMMY'S "APRIL FOOL"

"Say, Tommy, did you know it was
mysteriously.
t'No. What for?" asked Tommy, great
ly puzzled.
"Oh, to fool fellers," said Billy; "you
put things around for greenies to pickup,
and pin strips of newspaper on to their
coat-tails-but I'll tell you the best go.
You tie string to pocket-book and put
it on the sidewalk, and hide behind the
fence, and when fellers go to pick it up
you yank it back and holler April Fool
at 'em."
Tommy saw the joke, and laughed lit
tie.
'sYou c'mover, an We'll try it," said
Billy.
mo" said Tommy, suddenly growing
virtuous, 81 can't 'sociate wild you," and
he walked away from the crestfallen
Billy.
All that day Tommy was meditating
on the mystery of "Aperil Fool" He
quite forgot it at beu-time, but the next
morning, as Uncle Jim was looking from
the window, Tommy heard him laugh
heartily, and, squeezing in before him,
saw a very pompous young gentleman
struttlng down the street with along strip
of white cloth dangling from his coat,
while couple of ragged newsboys danced
and capered in silent delight
"He's tored hisself," said Tommy, but
just then the cry of "Aprl Foop rang
out, and Tommy understood.
While Uncle Tom was adjusting his
gloves Tommy made hurried search in
his mothers wo: k-basket, and found a
whole piece of magic ruffiing, the end of
which he managed to secure to button
behind his uncle's coat, and in moment
had the satisfaction of seeing the long
white ribbon-yards and yards OF it
| fluttering down town in the rear of Uncle
Jim's new spring suit. His delight and
astonishment were so great that he forgot
to say "April Fool" until it was alto
gether too late, so he turned his attention
| to another trick. He had no pocket book,
but of coulse there was his pretty red
savings bank, that would do as well or
better, and while mamma was searching
for her ruffling to finish baby's aprons,
and wondering what had become of Tom
my, that young gentleman was in the very
middle of a tangle of lilac syraDga, and
arbor vitae, holding fast to one end OF his
red and white lines, and wondering why
somebody didn't pick up the bank. The
| lines lay like gay little path across the
sidewalk, leading through the fence to the
clump Of bushes, where Tommy's eager
face was plainly visible, and the sell was
so very transparent that people passed 1t
with laugh. AT last big boy came
along. He had his hands in his pockets
and was whistling "Shoo Fly" but when
he saw the bank he stopped, set his ragged
boot firmly on the red and white lines,
picked up the pretty red bank with all Its
| jingling contents, and walked rapidly
away.
Tommy was so intent upon getting
ready to say "Aperil Fool' that he did not
| comprehend what had happened until the
boy disappeared around the corner, and
then he started for the gate, screaming:
Bring it backI Iwant my bank"
'April fool April fool" shouted some
| bows across the street, and Tommy ran
sobbing to mamma to tell her the SORROW
full story.
"Weli," said mamma, "Fm sorry about
the bank; but if it teaches you not to try
such silly tricks again, shall be willing
| to have you lose it. See here, Tommy, J."
and mamma lifted her hair and showed
him great ugly scar just above her tenn
| pie.
"Ohr' said Tommy, in a Mortified tone,
''did an Injun scallup it wild his choppen-
hawke"
"No," said mamma, "a boy did that; a
boy not much bigger than you, who want
ed to play a trick on April FOOLS day"
"Id shutted him in a jail, If I'd been
there" said Tommy, fiercely.
"He tied string across the walk, said
mamma, Gin such way that it lay on
the ground, but could be tightened by
pulling at one end, and then this little boy
hid behind the fence and waited for some
one to come along. Two little girls came
by, chattering and skipping, and never
looking at the ground until quick as
flash their feet struck the string. One ol
them rolled over and over in a funny lit
tie heap, and jumped up laughing. But
the other lay with her poor little head on
the curb stone, and her blue eyes shut as
fast as if she had been asleep. She wasn't
asleep, though, and when they lifted hel
up there was blood all over her yellow
curls, and blood ran down her white face
Somebody carried her home, and the little
boy who had done all the mischief follow
ed after, crying dreadfully. The doctor
came and shaved off the pretty curls, and
looked very grave, and there were days
and days when nobody could tell wha'
would be the end of it all"
Mamma saw the tears in Tommy
eyes, so she said gaily but after all, the
little girl got well, and the yellow curis
grew out again, and here she is this very
minute, but you may be sure she never
wants her little Tommy to try any Aprl
Fool ricks."-Little Corporal.
| ~
Toms aGOId DuSt.o