American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-09-13
Don't Be Too Certain.

Somebody's taken my penp' said Fred
one morning, just as he was starting of
for school. II left it here on the table
Jamie's been meddling with it know"
"No amt eiver," said Jamie, II never
touch it tall"
Grossly. "Now we're going to write to-
day, and want it; come, where did you
put it2 Own up"
II amt never touched it, I say, you
| forboking ole fingr replied Jamie, quite
| indignant.
Fred couldn' stop to answer, for it
wanted five minutes to nine, SO he ran off
muttering to himself:
| "Ill see to you at noon"
Nothing was said at noon, however,
about the pen, and at night Fred's mother
asked him: "Have you found your
pen ?"
eyes, managed to find it at last,s was
| the reply.
"Where was it?"
"In my drawer. 1 had to put it away
| where Jamie couldn't find it, and then /
forgot it,"
'sAnd vet you blamed Jamie for carry
ing it off? Oh, Fred!"
"Fred, where's the hammer?" asked his
father that evening as he was bringing IN
the wood.
"In the Toulouse, sir.''
mo, I've just Deeu LOOKING IOT IL anu IL
isn't there
"Oh, know it ISL said Fred, II saw
it not half an hour ago"
"Well, if you saw it, it must be there of
course; suppose you go and fetch it."
Fred went, and presently returned with
Ratchet in his hand.
at was this 1 saw" he said. "The
handle was sticking out of the nailbox.
l thought it was the hammer"
I'll haf ro toin nnxyff y
said his father.
-"But 1 really thought l did see it,
father'
'Ah, don't you see there is great diff.
ference between thinking you saw it and
really seeing it? Don't be too sure"
They're building new brick church
down on Holden street, said Fred, few
nights after, when he had just returned
from ride with his sister Clara.
"Brick, Fred? Why no, it's stone
church; the outside is almost done, and
it's built of stone," said Clara.
II beg your pardon" replied Fred, 81
knoo it's brick, took particular notice."
"Well, there's no use in disputing with
such boy as you are, but next time you
"You see if it isn't brick ?" was replied.
Erred took a secret walk down there
the next day on purpose to convince
Clara, and behold twas stone!
MIR Harris, Frank Pierce has got my
knife" said Fred, standing up in school
one day.
mo, faint his knife either, my cousin
gave it to me ever so long ago."
cit is my knife, too" answered Fred,
81 lost it the other day, and you've got it,
you know you have"
Bring me the knife, Frank" Said Mr..
Harris, "and both you boys remain in at
recess" Then upon closer examination
Fred was forced to admit that the knife
did not belong to him.
A few days after there came heavy
fall of snow, and before the paths were
up from town one night after
dark. He came rushing into the house
much excited, exclaiming:
"Oh, father, there's man lying dead or
frozen in the snow, down by the long
bridge; he was half covered up with
snow, and as soon as l saw him l ran as
fast as could. Get lantern and go af-
ter him, father"
"Oh, pshaw," said Clara, Il don't be-
ieve it's man at all; most likely it's an
Did stump or something; Fred's always SO
certain"
ayes, tits man, too" replied Fred,
"Guess know a man from
4 stump He had on an old felt hat and
saw one of his boots 4"
Meanwhile their father had put on his
boots and overcoat, and, taking a lantern,
nc and Fred toiled up through the deep
NOW half mile to the long bridge. No
nan was to be found, but decayed log
ay Just where Fred had seen it..
"Sold again, Fred" said his father,
linking best not to scold him. But Fred
the lesson, and finally cured
himself of fault which was beginning
O make him very disagreeable to every
,ody.-Young Folks Rural.