Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-06-09

We say I" "She Is net sharp enough
for that" And then she continued
while the scholars watched her hands
as their lips aadlbly followed the mo-
tions of her 6ngersi "Tommy White
house, you had better leave that blrd''
neSt alone Herbert Waite, CONF
here and let mo see II you have gut
your spelling lesson correctly writer
on your 'cui.
Amid the dismay aud sympathetic
looks Of the school, Herbert arose
and with head down walked up TO the
desk, where Miss Davis very quiet,
showed the scholars n fair sample o.
his hand writing on the paper cuff Oh
his left hand. Without spoken word
Oh the subject, the teacher proceeded
quietly with the recitations as though
nothing had happcned-but she motto
ed that frankie and Annie did not
cast any more "shcep's eyes" aud that
four hundred fingers took q rest
II was q week after this that Annie
Bordman and frankie and Mamie
Smith were going home from school
one afternoon. The Smith mansion
was q fine modern establishment, back
from the road and surrounded by trees.
1t was about two miles from town.
where their father and mother had
gone to pass the day, and would not
return till after dark, so Mary the
hired girl, had improved the opportun-
ity to visit her cousin, and the house
was left alone. The nearest neighbor
lived nearly quarter OF a mile away
Annie and Name stopped by the
side of the road to pick raspberries
and exchange condolences, while
frankie, feeling that he was not want.
ed just then slowly sauntered toward
the house. He gave the croquct ball
a kick that sent it over among tho
pansies, and then paid n visit to his
rabbits and guiena pigs at the back OF
the house. lie pulled a few heads OF
overgrown lettuce from his own garden
for their benefit, and then thought he
" ould fake bis books into the house,
get a TIN pail and go back and fill it
with raspbcrries for his mothers son.
lie knew where the key was always
left for him when the folks were gone
away, under the mat at the rear door
Of the shed which opened out into the
garden. AS he passed around to the
door he was astonished to see the
dining-room window open, What
did it mean d? The door vas still lock.
ed, and the windows were always
tfastened when the family
were away.
"That was mean of Mary to 60 Oft
and leave the house this way" said
frankie, as he lightly hoisted himself
into the window Oh a tour of investi-
CATION, "and anybody could have
climbed in if they had liked"
"That's a fact" said voice in his
ear, while a coarse hand was slipped
tightly over his mouth. frankie
struggled in what seemed to be the
grip Of giant, and managed to turn
about sufficiently to see that man
with mask was the individual who
had so unexpectedly and unceremon-
iously introduced himself to his at
teLtion
"Masked robbers y was the thought
that flashed through Frank.es mind.
But he "didn't scare worth cent,
as the boys say.
"Let's see what's coming next" said
he to himself. He soon found out.
Pulling out revolver the burglar
pointed it at Frankie's head. Snow,
you young rascal said he, "the most
thing for you to do is. to
keep about as quiet as you know how
If you make any noise or try to get
away I'll put hole through your
head before you can say scat ! But II
you will show me where your father
put the money he got at the bank
Yesterday you shall not be hurt"
"Take your hand off my mouth"
frankie as we'll as he could
through the fingers of the man, who
had mewhat relaxed his hold.
"Now remember what / said, young
man 7 releasing frankie as he spoke.
He was never cooler in hls life, and
never thought SO quick, save once
when he was drowning. But he did
not want daylight put through his
Uranium, neither did he want bis
fathers money stolen.
"IfI can only get him into the
,t,,s,t that fastens from the outside,