The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-01-21
CHuDREN'S CORNER.
How Bob Watched the Orchard.
BY C. A. G..

Lie CillIOItI 1O tiIIlo Lac ILIio
autumn, when the forests looked Like
giant boquets of scarlet, yellow and
brown, and the orchards blushed with
rrddy fruit.
They made a daily expedition with
Pegleg, the hired man, for for wlndfalls
in the ''far orchard" lying a mile and a
half up the hillside, and looked forward
with delight to the time when the regu
lar apple gathering should begin. The
t'near orchard" was close 10 the house,
and contained many choice young trees
just coming into bearing, Uncle Blair
was very proud of this fruit, and Bob
sympathized with him so heartily as to
almost feel that the apples were par
ticular credit to himself. So his wrath
was great one day when he heard Peg
leg saying.
''Well. Squire Blair, them Squantum
hill boys have got an idea OF the near
orchard this year. Seems they stole the
best part of the high bough sweets last
night"
s'That's very bad. What did the poor
fellows want to plague me so for?'
|"Cause your apples are best IN town,
I expect" drawled Pegleg, and Bob ex-
claimed:
cts q blazing shame, uncle! Won't
you put them in jail?'
cit would be difficult to prove what
boys were guilty, Bob. We must be
patient and keep a closer watch on the
trees" said his uncle.
Bob thought this remark too easy, as
he rushed away to tell Jamie the bad
news.
''It's stealing, and aufully mean,' he
said.
''Maybe they don't know any BETTER
said Lima, who hated to hear any one
blamed for any cause whatever.
"And every body dosen't call it steal
ing to take fruit, said Jamie, who al
ways sided with Lima. Don't you re-
member Sanford Miles said the college
boys used to go out and rob peoples
orchards Just for joke?
''Then I'll never go to college if it's
going to turn me into a sneak
and a thiefp' hotly replied Bob,
who had valiently attacked the Latin
Grammer last term at school, and looked
with admiration on the first class, who
were to enter Yale next year. anyhow,
] should not think you'd excuse those
Squantum hill boys. when they were
Uncle Blair's applesi'
Bob pleaded to share Pegleg's watch
that night, but whether the rogues sus-
pected trap, or whether they had 9th
er trees on hand, they came no more
them, nor for several nights.
Scared, maybe" said Pogleg.
SID scare 'eIrl, If you would let me
have your gun and sit up, said Bob.
'sAnd shoot yourself? that wouldn't
pay" answered Peleg, proyokingly.
81 can fire a gun; papa taught me,
and I'm not such q noodle as to point it
at anyone, rrnloaded or not, - said Bob,
rather grandly. 'sDly father believes III
teaching and trusting his boys"
But zeal burned in Bob's heart to dis
ting1lish himself and discomfort the
Squantum boys, who, he felt sure, had
not made their only raid on the near
orchard. 30 one night when he tossed
wakefulIy on his little white bed, think
ing of it, it came into his mind to get
up softly, and just look to see if all was
right. To think was to act with Bob.
He slipped into his clothes and crept
down stairs, and let himself out at the
back door.
A few steps onward the fence of the
near orchard loomed up IN the starlight.
All was still, the trees stood shadOwy
and dark in the gloom, and Bob was just
returning back when he heard a rustic
and stealthily approaching footsteps. 1t
was a moments work to dash to the
house, up into Peleg's room, and shake
that worthy man from his first slIlInbers.
''Wake up-the near orchards steal
ing the Squantum boys-get your shoot
and gun 'eml" roared Bob, dancing
about in excitement.
''Ugh eh apples? yes, sir - grunted
Peleg, but in less time than it takes to
write it he was awake, dressed and hur-
ried out, closely followed by hob the
bold. 4 dark figure ran along under
the trees, and climbed the farther fence
just as Peleg came up.
''Ho stop there!" he shouted, giving
chase at once and Bob knowing that
his legs wouldn't be sufficient for the
race, clapped his hands III glee and went
back to explain matters to the awakened
family. It was an hour before Peleg
came back.
''Did you catch him?" asked Bob,
eagerly. ssCatch him III catch you,
began Peleg, fiercely; and tLen good
nature overcane wrath and he uttered a
peal of sonorous laughter.
1T was old deacon F'ales, going home
across lots from seeing the sick Well
mans up on the hill, he explained rs
soon as he could speak. ''He thought
my yell was some squantum roughs and
was scared. So he ran, and / after him,
humping up against trees, sloshing into
the muc-there such chase you never
saw. Finally / collared him, and we
Were just the slrprisedest pair then, I
had to go clear home with him, for poor
old man was all beat out running"
There was great laughter over Peleg's
story and the result of Bob's zeal.
81 should think you could have told
deacon Faless broad back from Sguan-
tum boy, if it was dark, said Bob, full
of mirth
meyer mind; I'll he even with you
yet, said Peleg, and with this mystic
rlous threat he went to bed again, and
so did the others, though Rob awoke
Jamie twice by laughing over the mis-
taken chase