The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1877-06-23

den solemnlty, tnaG my papa coaiu put
you in Jail for doing such 4 thingP
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 n to
the other and whimpered that he didn't
know nothing about a spoon
Mrs. Hartman talked to him kindly,
and the cook and grandpapa searched
him thoroughly, turning his worn peck
cts inside ont, and promising not to do
anything with him if he would only give
back Mans spoon; but to no avail. 1t
was not o n him. He had literally moth
ing but his rags and the thick alice OF
bread and butter, which he contrived to
swallow somehow between his sobs.
There was no use in threatening, brib-
ing, or scolding. The child only relte'
rated, he didn't know nothing about no
teaspoon and Mrs. Hartman, fairly,
puzzled as to what steps she should take
to recover her property, let the boy de-
part With many misgivings. she was
quite confident that he had disposed Of
the SPOONS in some way; but as they
were not to be found about his person,
she toll the cook to watch him, and see
what he would do, and where he would
20. To her infinite surprise she came
back. and reported that the boy did not
know where to 60. He waa tired, and
had DO home, aid wanted to sleep all
night in the woodshed or barn-he didn't
care where-only he didn't want to go
away, and had they found the spoons
YETI
The cook was completely in the boys
sympathy, and said he was an honestlittie
chap. and she guessed he wouldn't carry
off the woedshed III the night; SO a COM
Portable bed was prepared for him, and
there he stayed, not only that night, but
many subsequent nights. Mr.. Hartman,
when he heard Mans story, and had
talked with the boy himself. had come to
the conclusion that the spoons were not
taken by him, mysterious Is the case GER
tainly was, and there the matter was al
! lowed to rest.
The children had their Whitsun festi-
val, and the Trinity season was nearly
past, and still small Bob hung around the
Hartman farm, helping the men in the
field and running errands for the fat took,
who took a great interest in the child,
now. He had donned some old clothes Of
Harry's, and, when his face was clean and
his hair combed was not at all a bad
looking boy but, although Nan was q
good-intentioned little girl, she had never
quite recovered from the loss of her pretty
filver spoon, and in her heart of hearts
thought Bob ought to know all about the
matter.
One day when Flossie Sheppard and
her cousin Ned Golding came G to
spend the day at the farm, the mystery
was solved in the most unexpected man.
ner. Ned was from the city, and moth
ing suited him better than hunting for
eggs, climbing trees, peeping into birds
nests, and racing I've the whole place.
2 q rre qawhile he rushed in from the
barn int g. HTSfsf ont Come here,
every one of you; I've found out the
oldest kind of an old curiosity shop
come out to the barn.
Bob, who was drawing a pail of water
at the well, looked up SO wistfuily that
Ned said Small boy, you can come along
too. It's a jolly good trick on somebody.
And then he led them UP through the
hayloft, where they could look down
through the root of the harness room.
There sat Jack, the household pet, the
tame Grove that was almost as much of g
pet in the house as the children, on
hugh nest Of hay, that was evidently his
treasure house-his Safe Deposit build.
ing.S He was talking and chuckling tc
himself in an odd sort of way, and the
first thing he pulled out wa a long string
of colored beads, that belonged to Mans
doll. Ever and ever so long ago she had
missed them, and thought that the
string had probably broken some time
when she did not know it.
The naughty old thiefi' she laughed
the bad, old Jack Give me back my
beads this minute, airi
At that all the children clapped theil
hands and laughed and down few Jack
scolding fnriously. Nan ran after him
and caught him in her arms, and Rugged
and scoIded him all in one breath fol
what do you think there was in the nesI
beside the string of beads7 Why, an old
broken doll, a tinsel head dress, and taot
sslrer spooRs-one very bright and new,
the other with Harry's name on the
handle. Nan screamed outright with joy,
but Harry ran into hehouse and brought
his mother and the cook, and everybody
looked pleased, thouaheverybody laughed
to see how sulky Jack looked, and how he
RULED his feathers and put on little in.
jqred airs when his property was taken
from him.
But Bob skunk into a corner and had
not 2 word to say. And Nan, who ran
after him, found his eyes full Of tears.
didn't put the spoons there he
said when she questioned him.