Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-05-23
AUGUSTA
Tales aud Sketehes.
A NOVEL SPOILED.
TcoNTINuED FROM YESTERDAY.

Murraypn A little blue dress was. crushed
against the fence, 4 pair of tiny hands
grasped the pickets, and from under
white sun bonnet merry brown eyes laugh
ed at Billy.
"Cause-I guess-I'm thinkin' what III
do" he responded with slow gravity, neith-
er disturbed nor astonished BY her sudden
presence.
"What you do when you're big? know
all that now, and guess l won't wait to
grow either~ ratified the little damsel. her
nimble tongue crowding in the words so
thick and fast that she contrived to utter
dozen in the time Billy would have re-
quired for one.
What" asked Billy, slowly, but with
an awakening gleam OF curiosity. s
keep a toll gate--that's what. know
all about 'em, for me and papa rode
through in a carriage and did see it my
own self You have a gate clear across
the road, so folks can't get through, and
then they pay you TO open it: and you
don't have anything to do but just live in
nice funny little house. and get lots of
money. ea
Biliy's blue eyes frightened. Down
gaining earth's shining, he came as readi-
II guess III do that, too" he announc-
ed.
Long of me p
Yes" said Billy accepting the partner
ship as condescendingly as though the pa
tent right for the invention had not belong
ed to the other party.
"Well, let's do it now, proposed the vi
vacious small lady, anxious to be making
her fortune at once. II guess lot Of folks
90 long the road down by the end OF
the lane, and if we have it there then
they'll have to pay u.s."
Yes said Billy, once more, and lift
ing the latch of the gate he slipped out.
Maggie had ears for nothing that morn
ing but footstep that did not come, and
Aunt Polly was too busy in looking after
the whole of creation to pay any special
attention to her own small corner of it {: so
there was nobody to observe the new firm
as they trudged off to seek 4 favorable To-
cality for their enterprise. Itwas nolong
search, however, since the road at the end
of the lane was the only one they knew
anything about; moreover it was narrow,
and well suited to their purpose in tina!
way.
II don't know how We'll stop it up,
though" Billy remarked, surveying it
doubtfully. But Garlic was fertile in ex-
pedients. Her quick eyes rested upon an
old unused cart, standing little distance
up the land, and she proposed that they
should draw that down across the road.
to begin with. 1t was hard work, with
all their united strength and most vigor-
Gus efforts, but they persevered until the
task was accomplished ar
II thought it was big enough to reach
I 4 - 4 .-,.1 ~
appointedly. "Anybody could just go
around the side of it. if they wanted to,
and never pay cent"
Billy expressed valiant determination
to "knock any feller down that tried it."
but Charlie was unsatisfied. Presently 4
pile Of beam poles in neighboring lot sng-
gested an idea of relief, and the children.
in high spirits once more, proceeded to
appropriate them. They could carry but
one at once, but gradually they piled them
up, with one end upon the fence and the
other resting upon the cart. quite forget
ting, in their zeal for a thorough barri-
cade to make any arrangement for OPEN
ing their gate when the required toll
should be paid. 1t was slow. toilsome
building; but the two little faces, though
flushed and perspiring. were also trium-
phant as they gazed upon the completed
structure, with its last pole standing near
ly upright against the cart. Partly for
GOODNESS to herself. partly by way Of Or
nament TO the ediiice, Garlic removed her
bonnet from her head and hung it up
on this highest point. .
bet nobody can't get through that ~
exclaimed Billy pantingly. ''How much
do you s'pose wen make ?''
dollar, may be" replied the sanguine
Garlic, her eyes growing round with the
stupendous prospect. I'm too tired to
build any little house to live in, to day !;
let's stay outdoors
Out t-ofdoors was very pleasant. They
sat down on the soft grass that edged the
road, and curled the long stems of dande-
lion while they waited for their fortune to
come growing ~ interested in their oc-
occupation at last, that they were waiting
for anything, when horse and rider came
dashing down the road, and Tom Clifford
with barely time to reach the village in
season for the city bound train, rode full
upon the barricade. For a gloomy and
desperate suitor, bent upon rushing to the
ends of the earth. TO be stayed in his
course by an old cart loaded with bean
, poles, was certainly exasperating. New
ertheless, he could not go on and as the
two beaming ana satlsneu iaceS Peere"
out at him. he demanded in yeXed aston
ishment l.tavH
What Oh earth have You got here."
We're oll-gate. explained Miss Car
lie, with dignity. ME and Billy made it,
and we II let you through it,
But the statement OF terms was cut
short. The horse at that moment espied
the fiuttering white sun-bonnet. and seiz-
inp so favorable an ODDOrtunity ia he
frightened, sprang very suddenly to
one side, flung his unsuspecting rider to
the ground, and sped up the road again.
Tom rolled over and sat up in bewilder-
ed sort of way, got upon his feet slowly,
brushed the dust from his clothes, and
looked after his retreating steed with
long whistle. aaam s
well, it isn't likely that anything will
stop him now until he gets home, 80 |
might as well stay and pull this thing
down What possessed YOU two iyogng-