The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-02-04
THE TORCHLIGHT BRIGADE.

Tt was the number twenty-five that
did the mischief. If 1t had been twenty.
or thirty, or thirty-ive, or forty, Phil
would never have got them all into
trouble.
The Torchlight Brigade-newly or
ganized and as yet unequipped-
been having picnic, a nutting picnic
in the Bear Hill woods. 1t wanted two
hours of the time set to return home,
The nuts were all gathered, the games
played out, and the boys were strolling
aimlessly about when Phil stumbled
over low stone wall and went head-first
into pumpkin-patch.
A pumpkin patch in the midst of the
woods-what an ideal No other signs
of cultivation were visible-just this one
little spot partially cleared and the
pumpkins growing thrifty.
Phil sat up, rubbed his bruised knee,
and absently counted them.
Twenty-Five pumpkins: which instantly
suggested twenty-five iack-a-lanterns;
and there were just twenty-five members
in the Torch-light Brigade.
"Bo-oysi" shouted Phil.
"Wha-at?" called back the boys.
He-ere," cried Phil, and down they
all noisily trooped
HolloI' exclaimed Willie Bruce, as
he saw the vines.
What is it, PHILIP asked Ben Ham
mond, hurrying up.
"What have you found, Phil?" IN
quired half dozen others.
Jack-a-lanterns. fellows" he an
swered, "iust twenty-five, one piece"
Hurrah! Good for you, Phil" And
dozen of the thoughtless youngsters
were among the vines-half the pump
kins plucked off-and one or two in
process of Transformation, before boy
among them had ventured this sage re-
mark:
"See here, they don't belong to us.
"Who do they belong TOP" asked
Phil.
Nobody knew.
"Who do the woods belong to?"
Nobody knew that.
We'll, any way, anything we find in
the woods is ours"
rs it?" laughed Willie Bruce, ''then
I'll keep this jack-knife-I just found
it,"
Anything growing, I mean," cried
Phil, quickly demanding his property.
II guess these sprang up here, just like
the nut trees
Nonsense" said Willie Bruce. ''You
can see the pillow tracks, These pump
kins were planted and tended; see the
line round them. We've no right to
touch Them
Findings are havings," said Phil,
obstinately. "Come, fellows, pitch in. /"
And he rushed for the biggest one, try
ing to stife his conscience by adding:
Pumpkins are not worth much this
year, anyway"
His bad example was quickly followed.
The ruthless band soon despoiled the
patch-Willie Bruce, I am sorry to add,
unable to withstand the temptation,
yielding at last and taking one too.
"Now,' said Phil, GIVE just twenty
five cents. I'll make yours, Ben Ham
mond, as soon as mine is done, if you
will run to the village, and get twenty
five candles. Make them throw in
bunch of matches, too"
Off went Ben and to work went the
boys. IF their fathers and mothers had
given them such job to do at home in
two hours, how they would have groaned!
How the chips flew! How the seeds
were scooped out and scattered! Some
did double duty for those who had no
knives, and those who got through first
went for poles.
In little more than two hours the
| iack-a-lanterns were set upon the poles
and the candles wedged safely in, ready
for lighting They hid their bags Of
nuts and waited till dark. Then the
grotesque procession marched through
the village, shouting and hurrahing
and cheering for the presidential candi-
date.
Massey sakes!' cried old Aunt Betsy
Leeds "Look at them boys! what q
wicked waste of good food.
90, pumpkin or two from patch is
not missed" said the minister, kindly.
II like to see them enjoy themselves.
Hurrah, boys-that is right! cheer for
honest men like honest boys!"
An uncomfortable twinge of consci-
ence smote their hearts, I am glad to say,
and they felt themselves unworthy to
cheer for honest men. However, they
kept up the procession till their candles
went out, and then broke up.
When the fun and excitement were all
over and they were alone in their re-
spective homes, they wondered, with
misgiving and qualms of conscience,
who was the owner of that patch in the
woods, and wish they had not robbed
it.
The next day Phil and Willie returned
to Bear Hill to get the nuts they had
left there AS they drew near the place
they heard a most mysterious sound
Leaving the cart they had brought for
the nuts, and creeping cautiously for
ward they soon discovered the cause
On the ground near the plundered vines
lay Minnie Shaw-the minister's pretty
little daughter. Her face and hands
were buried in tuft of moss, and she
was crying and sobbing in a most pitiful
manner; herwhole attitude showed hope
less grief.
"Why, Minnie, what is the matter?''
cried ! FIJI, anxiously, ''are you hurt?"
"No-o-o," she sobbed.
"What is it then?"
SO-my-pumpkins -areal--g one!"
''Your pumpkins?" cried both boys in
a breath.
eyes. WANTED II to take-music
lessons; and papa couldn't afford it, and
Mrs. West said if Cuthburt would plant
her some pumpkins, she would give me
lessons all winter, and Cuthbert planted
them for her and I tended them. and
they were all good, and just-ready--t
pick, and now-they-are-al gone"
And smarting under her grievous disap-
pointment, her sobs redoubled after this
confidence.
The boys stood abashed by shame.
Minnie refused to be comforted, and
what could they, the despoilers, say to
comfort her? They saw tall Cuthbrr
| coming up through the fields, and fear
ing his wrath, gathered their bags OF
| nuts and fled
1T is too bad. I wish we hadn't done
it, said Willie, contritely.
$50 do ], . said Phil I'm awful sor-
| ry; feel as if it were all my fault. The
rest of the fellows would never have
thought of it, if it handn't been for me. F."
"We all knew it was wrong" said