, 1877-02-09

he, "but he will find me too wide awake
to be caught in this trap. Catch me
trudging off to New York on a FOOLS er-
randi Does he think l haven't cut my
eye.teeth? DR.. Scroggings don't know
this child. he don't!'
But still the idea haunted him that he
might be loosing something by not
needing the letter, and that damped in
some degree the pleasure he expert
enced in having been too sharp for the
doctor.
Five or six months afterward Top, be-
ing in the city on business, happened
to meet DIR. Scroggins.
How are you, doctor?' said he,
grasping the hand of the physician, and
smiling one Of the smiles peculiar to
his face when he felt that he had played
a capital joke on somebody.
II am well. And how are you Mr..
Top?" said the doctor.
"Firstrate, " replied he with irrepres-
sible glee. You wasn't sharp enough
last April, Doctor"
"What do you mean?' asked the doc
tor.
"You didn't succeed in getting me
to the city on FOOLS errand."
81 don't understand you, Mr.. Top" "
said the doctor, gravely.
"W. & P's., Wall street-something
to my advantage"
The doctor looked puzzled.
"You needn't look so innocent doctor;
1 sent you to New York in April, eigh-
teen months ago, and it is but natural
that you should. wish to pay me in my
own coin. But was too wide awake for
you to catch me-"
"You are certainly too wide awake
for me now. Will you please explain
YOURSELF" said DIR. Scroggins.
"April before last you received a let
ter to the effect that if you would call
in Wall street you would hear some
thing to your advantage"
81 did" replied the doctor.
"Well?"
ST called accordingly and did heal
something to my advantage" "
WHAT" Top looked very much sur.
prised and disappointed at the same
time. "And did YOU not write me g
similar one last April?"
"I am above such cold-hearted cruel
ty, sir" said the doctor, in tone thai
marked his real feelings. 1.-The person
who could do such thing must have
something bad about his character
and I W. Int to have nothing to do Will
him."
ssGood morning, DOCTOR" said Mr.
Top.
The two gentlemen bowed stify, and
parted. Top felt very uncomfortable
He finally decided to. call at the place
referred to in his letter. Thinking il
might still be an April fool trick, ht
made few purchases for his store and
gave his name.
benjamin Top, said the person with
whom he was dealing. "Do you reside
in the city?"
Top told him the name of the village
in which he lived.
''Did you never receive letter from
this house?"
"I did; but as it was dated the frs
day of April, Thought it was an Apri
fool trick, and never replied to it"
"Far from it," answered the man
can old gentleman from Ohio came
here about that time, and said he had (
brother living in this State, and he wai
in search of him or his children. We
heard that gentleman by the name o.
Benjamin Top lived in your village, and
dropped him line; but as no answer
came, we thought the information mus
be incorrect"
Where is he now?" asked Mr.. Top.
dead. Your sister, Mrs. Jessup
who resides near this city, answered the
letter we wrote her in person. She tool
him home with her, and short time
after arriving there he died, leaving hel
the whole of his property amounting tC
fifteen thousand dollars"
."He was my uncle" said Top.
'eThen by not attending to our letter
you are the loser of at least one half hii
property"
Top went home sadder man than ht
was when he left it. He knew that i
would be in vain to appeal to his sis
ter's generosity, for she was a widow
and when poor, with five children de
pendent upon her, he had treated hel
with unhndness and neglect, and there
was little likelihood Of her sharing hel
good fortune with him.
Top was, after all, the real April fool
and SO great was his disappointment
and chagrin that never afterward was ht
known to send an April fool letter, or tC
play trick on one Of his friends.
A LITTLE squint-eysd boy praneed VI
I