The Hickman courier., 1877-06-01
THE STOLEN SPOONS.

4 44A IA O4<64N eS4 OOAN0
Mrs Hartman WAS in the dining
roem arranging a basket of beautiful
flowers in a bed OF soft green mos
Roses, heiotropes, great flaming scarle
geraniums, and plenty Of smilax in lon
graceful wreaths; how dainty and deli
cate it looked, and it was to 60 to th
Whitsun festival.
Nan and Harry were on the Piazz
steps, eating the first strawberries of th'
seasen-ten napiece-mamma had counted
them out in saucer and given them
little sugar and cream to eat upon them
to keep them qIiet until she could sc
her basket filled, for she had many in
terruptions in her work, and it wa:
nearly time the children were dressed
Grandpapa had brought two little
baskets of berries up from the city for
treat southern berries of course, he
said, but better than nothing, and
Nan and Harry were going of into little
exclamations of delight, making many
and deliberate pauses over each mouth
full, and comparing sensations. when
they looked across the lawn and saw
their dearest friend, Flossie Sheppard.
coming up the road bearing big basket
-Flossie was to 60 10 the festival too;
probably she was bringing her flowers
for Mrs. Hartman to arrange and
down went both spoons and out rushed
the children, leaving the berries and
dashing down the path like little luna
tics. There was so 1much to tell Flossie,
They had not seen her in two whole
days, and, O dear the things that were
happening all the time
Very soon they came back, chatting
and laughing, all three of them. Flossie
had the loveliest flowers and lr0uH Nrs
Hartman arrange them ?-Ohow funny
here was boy, a bareiOoted boy, and
pray what did he want? The children
stopped, after the fashion of children, to
find out. A little browD-iaced urchin,
barefooted and very ragged was standing
irresolutely by the piazza steps He
didn't care for the flowers or the festival
all he wanted was something to eat.
Go around 10 the kitchen door and
ask the cook said Nan; and then the
children ran in to display the floral treas
ures to Mrs. Hartman, and ask her if
she would be so good, and, if she wasn't
so very tired, would she please lust make
up one more basket and two bouquets
Finally they subsided into quiet, drop
ping into chairs and watching Mrs. Hsr-
riman complete her pretty work, until
Nan suddenly remembered her straw
berries. How stupid of her TO forget.
'Flossie, don't believe you have had
a single strawberry yet, have you? she
inquired.
No, dear answered Flossia, with
her chin on her hands, and her eyes fas-
tened npon her exquisite basket.
4 left two or three in my saucer, and
if you won't mind eating what Pve lett,
I'd like to give them to you. Yes,
want you to have them; it's only q taste,
but they're so good .
She flashed out on the piazza, and
picked mp the saucer; but where were
the spoons, She thought she might
have thrown them on the lower
step, but no-they were not there. She
called Harry, and then mamma, too,
came out to look but though they hunt
ell everywhere, the spoons were not to
be found. Both were gone, together
with the three or four strawberries;
nothing but the remnants of cream and
sugar were left in the two saucers. 1t
was the most surprising thing And
then Nan began to cry. Her spoon was
so bright and pretty, and it was her own;
papa had given it to her for birthday
present only about six months before.
What should she do?
Suddenly the ragged boy made his ap-
pearance, coming around the gravelled
path from the kitchen, with good-sized
piece OF bread and butter in his hands.
He was evidently very hungry; for he
was swallowing the food as if he could
not eat it fast enough. Nan felt sure her
spoon was safe in his pocket, 1t wasn't
20 much matter about Harry was
old but her new spoon Aud she flew
down the steps after the boy.
What made yeu steal my spoon p she
began without a moments hesitation,
laying a OBTAINING hand upon bis ragged
sleeve. You are 4 very wicked boy.
Give it back to me this minuteP
'Haint got no spoon, said the beggar,
ooking at her with round-eyed wonder.
The woman, she give me nice bread
put haint seen no SPOON
20 mamma, do come heren cried
Nan. Don't let him go; he's got my
pretty spoon that papa gave me--the
,ad, wicked boy Make him give it up
10 come and make him give it up! why,
10 you know looking at him with sud-
len solemnity, that myPapa could put
you in Jail for doing such a thing p
Mrs. Hartman came out, and the
cook hearing the noise, followed her; and
soon the whole family were gathered
about the boy, who started from one to
the other,snd whimpered that he didn't
know nothing about spoon.
Mrs. Hartman talked 10 him kindly.
and the cook and grandpapa searched
him thoroughly, turning his worn pock-
cts inside ent, and promising not to do
anything with him if he would only give
back Mans spoon; but to no avail. If
was not on him. He had literally moth.
ing but his rags and the thick slice of
bread and butter, which be contrived to
swallow somehow between his sobs
There was no use IN threatening, brib.
ing, or scolding. The child only reite-
rated, he didn't know nothing about no
teaspoon and Mrs. Hartman, fairly