The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1874-11-06
Thornton's Chestnuts.

when he fancied that he saw some one
gliding stealthily through the under
brush rs though seeking to avoid OBJ
servation. He stopped and looked more
closely but now there was not so much
as the rustic of a leaf to betray the pres
ence Of another. He turned into a mar
row foot-path. and at that moment a
boy sprang up from behind a clump of
bushes.
els this you, Cray ?" lie exclaimed.
"What on earth are you here for at this
time of day, and what have you got in
your bag?'
I'm going home, and I've got chest
nuts in my bag" was the reply.
"But I thought the chestnuts were
all gone"
"They be. They was most gone when
Ibegan to pick. But Mr.. Oliver said L
might have what was left /; and SO I've
been in the woods every day this week.
I've got every one there was"
CAL right. But what made you
skulk along SOP"
because -because-I was afraid
somebody'd see me, and tell father. If
they should, he'd sell them for rum.
There don't nobody know, only mother.
You won't tell will you, Mr.. Weston"
"Not a word, Cray. You needn't be
afraid OF my getting you into trouble.
What have you done with your chest
nuts? {"
"Mother hid them somewhere, and,
when Mr.. Waters m along, she Is
going TO buy me some shoes with them.
1 haven't got any shoes"
$50 that's it. Well, you need the
shoes; and if you don't have quite
enough, tell Waters I'll make it up.
He'll trust me, if 1 do get drunk once
in awhile"
"Oh, Mr.. Weston !! I wish you didn't.
You'd be so good if you didn't; and per-
haps father'd be good, too, if he didn't
drink rum"
Gle ought to, with such a boy as
you are. If my Jimmy and his mother
had lived, / should have been different
from what I be now" As he said this,
Mr.. Weston brushed tears from his
eyes. "You won't meet your father
tonight. He's got some money to
spend before he'll come home so hurry
along to your mother, and good luck to
you both"
The speaker was n of those mel
who are usually described as "good'
hearted, kind and generous" He had
a true Yankee genius for the Yankee
trade Of tinkering, and wherever he
might go, was reasonably sure of being
welcomed as the very person whose
presence was most desired. He might
have been rich and yet he was poor,
living in a bit of a house on the further
edge of the wood.
After he parted from Cray Thornton,
he walked slowly and i~rresolntely
sometimes stopping for a moment, a
he thought sadly Of his wasted life
He was never ill.natured or quarrel
some, but he was his " worst enemy
and this he knew so well that he needed
not to be reminded of the fact.
4 week had passed, when he saw
Gray Thornton's father enter the miser
able groggery which, by compliment
was called the %"corner store" H'
quickened his steps, and rushed in JUS
in time to see the bag of chestnuts car
ried by Mr.. Thornton, poured into
half-bushel measure.
"Hold on, therer !" he exclaimed
"Them chestnuts are stolen property
and l can prove it. I've done SOM
mean things in the way of drinking, bu
never got SO bad as TO steal from
boy. Thornton stole them from Cray
know he did and if there amt enougl
here to see fair play, it's a pity. era.
hasn't got a pair of shoes to his feet
and he picked them chestnuts, one b.
one, after everybody else got through
Thornton, you're a brute, if you Sc.
them for liquor. I never abused m
boy ; and if he'd lived, he shouldn
have gone barefooted such weather a
this. Ii you've got human feeling
you'll stop drinking, and take care c
your family"
You're a fine fellow to preach,