The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1879-01-16
DROPS DOG.
BY MRS. ANNIE A. PRESTON.

"Say, mother" spoke up Barney Drop,
with his mouth full of delicious cream
toast, as the family and their guest Miss
Topliff, who had arrived on the early ex-
press that morning, were sitting around
the bountifully spread breakfast table,
"I've Just been down to the brook to see
if there was a muskrat in my box-trap,
and l saw more'n q hundred striped
snakes summing themselves on the green
grass of the side-hill back of the barn.
"Is it possible that your beautiful farm
tiles p exclaimed Miss Topliff. II shall
not dare step outside the door while
am here, and have counted on such de-
lightful rambles over your green fields p'
60 they won't hurt you" explained
Barney, patronizingly. They're not
there now; the old cow came along and
ate them all up"
Dear mel" cried the astonished lady,
with little shiver, 81 never heard of
such thing as COW devouring snakes. !"
Didn't your asked Barney, in tone
of pitying surprise. THAT is queer, Why,
it is only the last of April now, and our
old cow has eaten more'n a million al
ready this spring, since the snow went
off 1t makes her give lots of milk,
can tell YOU" and the small boy passed
his plate for more toast.
AS his father handed back the replen-
ished plate, he nodded his head sugges-
lively toward the corner of the room,
where stood stout whip. Mrs. Drop
also, with her face as red as the Bohe-
then handing to Miss Topliff, gave her
ten years old son a sharp look, while she
went on making some inquiries of her
ouaSE copcerOiDo q her iOurDaV
That lady evidently made a great effort
to appear interested in the conversation,
but it was noticeable that she ate no
more of the toast, forgot to taste of her
amber coffee, rich with golden cream,
and, after inquiring whether Mrs. Drop
wet up her bread with milk, and being
answered in the affirmative, she finished
her breakfast with dry cracker without
butter
For day or two poor Miss Toplif felt
uncomfortable enough. She did not dare
to step out of doors for fear of encounter
ing a snake, and did not taste of anything
into the composition of which butter OR
milk had entered.
Finally Mrs. Drops love of hospitality
overcame her motherly pride, and, with
doleful face, many signs, and some tears,
she told her guest that ever since Barney
haG begun W talh no nau toiIh tI46 Lncat
absurd wrong stories.
"In fact" said the mortified mother,
"the child cannot speak the truth. 1t is
impossible to put the least dependence
upon a word he says. Punishment
doesn't have any effect in the premises,
and | am afraid he will grow up to be
the most obnoxious of all human crea-
lures, a liar.
Miss Topliff was duly surprised and
srieyed to hear that any boy, most of all
q deacon's son, should develop such an
evil propensity. But presently, as she
was refreshing herself upon bountiful
lunch of bread and milk she said:
II have plan that will, I think, re
suit in Barney's complete cure You
must send him to my brothers family
school for boys at D.. His number is
limited to eight but Adam Hall, the col
onels son, you know, is to leave the first
of May, and if you would like to have me,
I can secure the vacant place for Bar
ney."
The preliminaries were soon arranged,
and the untruthful yet kind-hearted boy,
who had never passed a night away from
his father and mother, was nearly heart
broken at the idea of being separated
from them. His parents endeayored to
impress upon his mind the reason they
had for sending him away, and promised
that as soon as ne became cured of the
bad habit be should return to his home.
Barney tearfully reiterated his inten-
ton of trying to do better, but his father
was inexorable in his resolve to send him
to the school.
AS the deacon and Mrs. Drop bade
their little weeping son and Miss Topliff
eood-by at the door of the car that was
to take them to Orchard Homestead, the
name of the school, they felt that they
themselves were making a sore sacrifice
for their boys future good.
After day or two Barney wrote home:
az m SO homesick | can't eat tarts-and
that's pretty bad. But, if l cry, Philip
Hess-he's the red-headed boy-calls me
rain drops and Barr-he's the boy with
checked trousers-calls me dew drops,
and the boy with the red neck bow, that
they oil call Twigg, says, See the tear
drops dripping.
Il like the crooked nose boy best; they
call him Bean Though, to be sure,
when | was cross one he called me vine.
gar-drops.' When | treated them all on
The candy brought, from home they call
ed peppermint drops and 1emon-drOps-
The names of the other two boys are
Witt and Pace. They've all got first
names, but they don t use them. We all
like the master; he calls me Drop. He
talks about how wicked it is to be wick
ed, especially to tell lies, and am being
| better"
Mr. TopliH, the teacher, wrote to Dea
con Drop glowing accounts Of Barney
good behavior, and said he had not beer
caught in a wrong story since he hac
been with him.
Mrs. Drop sent her little son weekl!
letters, portions OF which he always reac