Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1881-02-12
THE STOLEN PILLS.
a True story.


SMALL Miss Rachel Winchester was
snapping-eyed Puritan of seven years.
She knew the shorter catechism and the
longer catechism; and if there had been
any middle-sized catechism, like the
"middle-sized BEAR" you know, she
would have had that at her tongues
end. She meant to be pretty good
girl only the catechisms had not had
time to strike in. Her brother Nah, as
all called him, did not know even a
"kittenchism," and was not a bit
ashamed of it. Rachel and Zephaniah
lived with their grandfather, doctor
in Albany.
Rachel had friend, Scotch Margery,
with wide-open blue eyes. One day
she came to see Rachel, who could not
play until she finished Rer 'stint" five
rows of knitting around a sock.
Then they went around to grandfath-
er's office to see him get ready to go
away. Being forbidden ever TO enter
without permission. they sat down on
the doorsteps with Zephaniah and
looked in.
1t was charming place. A dusty,
hollow-eyed skull sat on q shelf, and in
the corner was a chest holding-no-
body knew what. which was awful, you
know. Grandfather was making up
powders, getting ready "blue mass, "
assafetida and "green and yellow"
mixtures for his circuit around the coun-
try. Before he put them into his old
leather saddle-bags he looked over am
other wallet that made shivers run up
Niahs spine, Here were nippers,
pinchers, cutters, clashers, scissors,
tooth pullers and wringers. Re-
membering certain poor tooth in his
possession, Niah now arose and "melt-
ed into the distance" as artists say.
The little girls sat still until grandpa
went away. When his big horse, Thun-
der, had kicked up cloud of dust and
hid his long legs in it, Rachel Winches.
ter, the small Puritan, whose ancestors
came over in the MAY Flower" she
forgot all the good in both catechisms
and said:
"Margery Campbell, lei as go Gn!"
"But your gran ther said we mustn't !"
That's Just why want to. What
is the use of always behaving wellF
Let's peek around a little bit-Niah's Is
out of the way"
Margery consented. In they went.
First they opened queer little drawers
full of cloves, spice, slippery elm and
alum. Then they took hold of hands
and took q respectful view of the skull.
what is in the inside of ii when il
is inside of usg' whispered Margery.
"Why, nothing! The skin and hail
cover its outside and then it is hollow
that is why your head rings when you
get your ears boxed" said Rachel.
"Where do our brains beP" asked
Margery.
"Oh-why--in our eyes, certainly
AS soon as you see something you begir
to think-your thinker is your brains
you know. Grandfather explains sucl
things to our family"
1--WE haven't got any grandfather.
"Oh, well, knew this without mine,
said Rachel, arrogantly.
They poked their fingers into every
thing sweet, sour, sticky or in any way
mysterious. They smelt of various
poisons and, for wonder, did no
taste. They put their tongues, how
ever, to laudanum bottle and ther
sputtered wildly into the air. At las
they found a nice clean vial full o
pretty white pills. They examined i
with delight.
"Now, just let's take the tin cup o
water" said the enterprising Rachel
"and swallow first one of these, an(
then drink and then Dutber, and Sc,
which can swallow the mostp
Margery agreed, and at it they wen
"a pill-a drink--a pill--a drink
pill-a pill-a pill-until the vial wa
empty. Now you have often heard tha
our Puritan foreiathers were very thor
ough-well, so were our little fore
mothers.
Perhaps if these children had no
taken so many, l might have had t.
end my story with a dreadful aceoun
of their funerals; as it was, they over
Edid the matter, and their folly save,
them.
Margery had not once winsed; bu
q Rachel did not takeltime to wink, an
so came out three pills and a chok
ahead Of her friend. When all wer