American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-09-26
TWO SIDES OF A JOKE.


TOMMY came home from school one
| summer afternoon and went out into the
woodshed to do some carpenter work.
| He had a few pieces of board, some
nails, saw, Il hatchet and a jack-knife.
| He worked industriously for some time,
| until, after much labor and bruised fin
| gers, he succeeded in fashiOning a sort of
rude box with IA movable top or lid.
| Having done this he stopped for a mo-
ment and viewed his work with great
satisfaction; then picking up piece of
| soft pine he began to white. Present
| ly Millie came out for a basket of chips.
"What are you making?" she asked.
putting down her basket apd looking at
| the box.
making squirrel-trap," answered
Tommy; going to set her down in the
| woods This is the trigger I'm making
| now to touch her OFT, you know. Oh,
| there! Plague on't."
"Why, Tommy Jennings." exclaimed
Millie, severely. "You oughtn't to talk
that way. Mamma said you must never
talk slang"
THAT isn't slang; but then l cut my
finger replied Tommy, holding up the
wounded member as an excuse didn't
cut it much, though" he added, as he
| discovered he was more frightened than
hurt. Pm glad it wasn't my jugger-
naut vein.'
What's that?"
"Oh that's a vein way up in the neck"
answered Tommy, in a patronizing way.
eff you cut into that you're goner,
sure l heard Uncle Hiram tell about
it,
Millie was just going to ask another
question, with IA view to obtain more in
formation, when Bridget's voice called
from the kitchen door:
"Come, Millie, it's mesilf is waitin'
for thin chips to be maxim the fire"
Mile hastily filled her basket and
hurried into the house. She came back
Immediately, however, and stood watch
ing Tommy as he worked.
g That kind of trap isn't d bit like the
one Jack the Giant killer made to catch
the giant in" she observed, as Tommy,
after finishing the trigger, began to place
it in position.
"Ho! of course it isn't" answered
Tommy. Jack the Giant killer just
dug deep hole and covered it over with
sticks and leaves. You couldn't catch
squirrels in such a trap as that; they'd
just jump out as soon as they fell in
"Mebbe, though, if we made one
down in the woods we might catch Il lit
tie Indian girl, or IA little bear, or some
thing" urged Milne. Wouldn't it be
real nice if we could? I'd like best to
catch IL real live little Indian girl,
wouldn't your" And the blue eyes
sparkled under the big sunbonnet at the
thought.
Tommy shook his head doubtfully.
g don't believe there's any Indians or
% They're all gone long ago. But then
Oh! Milliei i know what We'll do; We'll
make one anyhow he added with a sud
den thought.
Millie did not reply; she only looked
up with IA questioning glance. for she
felt perfectly sure that whatever Tommy
proposed must certainly be just the thing
to do
"Why, you see" exclaimed Tommy,
"wc'll make Il trap down in the path that
leads up from the factory, and then We'll
hide in the bushes and see the factory
boys and girls come along, and they'll
tumble into it like everything. ltll just
be lots of fun, won't it,"
when will we do it.' asked Millie.
"Why, right away; well have plenty
of time before the factory stops" an
swercd Tommy, SO full of mischievous
plans that the squirrel trap lost all inter
est just then, and he ran away to the
barn to hunt up the spade.
Now l think Tommy and Millic did
not intend any wrong; they simply did
not stop to think of what effect their fun
might possibly have. And right here ]
would like to give you little boys and
girls piece of advice. Whenever YOU
think of playing Il joke on any one, ask
yourselves this question: - W ouid be |
willing to have the same Joke played on
me." If your answer is no, then you |
NAV consider it tolcrably certain that the |
PLAYING of that Joke would be wrong.
Tommy soon found the spade; then he !
and Mile hurried down toward the |
grove, through which small tootpath |
wound up from the factory to the village |
1t WAS somewhat difficult finding IA good |
spot t. dig, for the ground in the path |
was so hard that Tommy's small strength |
could hardly make any impression But |
after several trials they found place |
they thought would do, and then Tommy |
began to work very industriously |
so, | think, than he would had it been |
some good, useful work-and at last |
completed "A hole about two feet deep.
There" he exclaimed, throwing down
the spade and wipin% very red lace /
with his Jacket sleeve, 81 guess thatll |
do Now well get the sticks and things /
\ quantity of sticks and leaves were |
speedily brought and placed over the |
hole covering il from sight, the loose
dirt was then removed, and every trace |
of the ground having been disturbed |
carefully concealed. They were none
too soon however. for Just as they had |
finished their work the factory bell rang |
out for six o'clock, and groups of men, |
boys and girls were seen hurrying along |
the path
Come, we must he quick or they'll |
see us" said Tommy, catching hold of |
Minnic's hand and pulling her into
clump of bushes near by. Now lust
keep real still and see EN- fall in N.Y.
but won't they be scared"