The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-01-03

drawn by a lean gray horse, came up
over the hill. The wagon looked like a
big black box with a window in it. In
front was a man driving, and this man
seemed rather peculiar too. He had a
long, pointed mustache and very curly
hair. He was not a cigar and candy
peddler, mol a patent medicine man, nor
a machine agent, for Jim could recognize
any of these in a minute. The curly
haired man stopped directly in front of
the gate.
"Good morning." said he.
"Morning," answered Jim, shutting
up his knife.
"My name 8 Leatherbee," continued
the curly-haired man.
els it.?" said Jim, unconcernedly, and
then slid off the gate-post and started
for the house. F.,
"Hi boyl"
Jim turned quickly.
"Ask your pa whether he wouldn't
like to have his house tookP' called out
the stranger.
Jim nodded, and went across the grass
plot meditating upon what the man
meant by proposing to take the house.
His father was in the sitting-room writ
ing a letter.
"Papa," said Jim, leaning up against
the table, "there's a man out there in the
road that wants to take the house."
"Wants to take the housel !" exclaimed
Mr.. Wood, making a blot in his astonish-
ment.
eyes," continued jim, "and has the
funniest-looking wagon you ever saw In
your life"
"Ahw said Mr.. Wood, I" I understand
now; he wants to take some photographs,
l suppose. Well, tell him l don't want
any" and Mr.. Wood went on with his
letter, while jim proceeded across the
front yard again. He noticed his pony
over in the orchard. Although struck
him, and he wheeled around and went
back into the sitting-room again in some
haste.
"Papa," said he,S " can't I have the
pony taken
"She won't stand still long enough"
answered Mr.. Wood, sealing up his
letter.
"But, papa, can't the man tryf"
pleaded Jim.
Mr.. Wood. thought for a minute,
Then said:
eyes. He may try"
Jim galloped across the front yard in a
second.
"Wellp said the curly-haired man,
raising his eyebrows.
"Papa doesn't want the house. TAKEN
said Jim, with some dignity. "But can't
you take my pony over there in the
orchards"
The man looked at Baby, who was
calmly crunching harvest apples under
the trees.
"Purty little beast" he said, getting
out of his wagon and leading his horse
up to the fence.
"Can you take her 7" asked Jim again,
anxiously.
"Course / kim" answered MI. Leath.
erbee. He then It'd his horse to the fence
and lifted his apparatus out of Che
wagon, and arranged tin the orchard.
The pony Immediately kicked up her
heels and trotted off to a far-away cor.
ner. Mr.. Wood came out of the house
and talked to the photographer, while
Jim, after chasing around FOR some time
trying to catch the pony, went to
the stable and put a quart of oats in
a measure. AS soon as Baby spied
that round, yellow box under Jim's
arm, she trotted up to him with a gentle
neigh. He caught her by the ~fore-toI
and led her to where Mr.. Leatherbee
was standing.
"Just put her there" said he, point
ing to a place under a big tree. Jim led
her to the place and held her while Mr.
Leatherbee made all his arrangements
"Now we're ready" said he.
Baby looked pleased at this announce
ment, but waved her tail wildly.
Mr.. Wood smiled.
"Tell Baby to keep perfectly quiet
said he to Jim, land ask her to lower
her chin a little, cast a pleasant expires
sion around her eyes, and breathe
gently"
Mr.. Leatherbee laughed at this. 81
did Jim; for it was exactly what the
photographer always told him when hi
had hi spicture taken.
The pony thought this all very pleas
ant, but she wanted the oats, and, con
sequently, was trying to thrust her most
through Jim's backin her efforts to ger
at the measure.
The photographer looked despairing
"Here, I'll fix it," said Mr.. Wood
stepping up to the pony. "No, Jim
stand back; MI. Leatherbee, are yor
readyw
eyes," answered Mr.. Leathefbee
with one hand onthe velvet that covered
his Gamers
Mr.. Wood poured the oats on tn,
ground and let go the pony's head. For
while Baby grabbed the oats up in grea
haste, but finally she stood with her nos,
to the ground quietly eating. MI. Leath
erbee drew away the velvet from tn,
camera, and looked at his watch fol
: some breathless minutes. Then he slip
ped the velvet on again, and said:
/ "That's all right"
Jim drew a long sigh.
, Will it be good, do you think 2" b,
: asked, anxiously.
"Not adoubt of it" said Mr.. Leather
bee, in such a cheerful tone that Jim i'm
mediately made up his mind that tn,
pony should have an extra quart of oat
all winter for her fine behavior. He ex
: pected the picture would be done RICH
away, but Mr.. Leatherbee said he woul,
s have to send the plates to Poughkeep psi
to his partner, and the picture woul,
come soon by the mail. Mr.. Leatherbe
l then putall his apparatus in his Wagon
E again and logged on as he had come.
For the next four days Jimmie wen
to the p~ostofice about two hours.
"Expectin' a love-letter said oil,
Mr.. Holloway, the postmaster At thi
all the loafers who were sitting on tn
counter laughed loudly Jim made u
his mind that Mr.. Holloway was a YER
unpleasant gentleman, and vowed al
5 sorts of threats against him. His re
t vengeful plans melted away, however
when.Mr. Holloway handed Kim a bi,
$ envelope, and said: "Here, Bub. We
letters come"
Jim tore it open, and six photograph
dropped out all alike, all Representing
Baby eating under a tree. He priyatel'
2 showed one t, her that afternoon. Sh
evidently thought it very handsome, fo
s, she delicately chewed it up out of Jim
hand, to his great amazement. He saw
e nothing about this when telling how til
pony's picture was taken.-G r q