Sharp County record., 1881-01-13


"Oh, Fred Lathrop! You are afraid!
What nonsense! Girls never faint! |
am going into TIE orchard, too, and see
YOU pull that TOOTH" And she darted
after him.
When the children reached a shady
spot beneath the wide-spreading trees,
a new idea came to the little boy.
"Oh, now Eve got the very thing,
May" he cried, jOyfully, picking up
a smooth red apple from a low-hanging
limb. 81 know how to do it now! I'll
tie the thread around the apple very
strong and then we'll play catch-you
90 over there and I'll throw it to you
real hard. and away it will go and the
old tooth with it! Isn't that good
way?"
"Splendid!" returned May, dancing
merrily about. "Let's go and get jim
to help fasten the string.
And so away they went to the barn
where the hired man was working, and
with his assistance made the apple
secure at the end of the thread. Then
they ran again to the orchard. Hav-
ing taken their places, May held up
her hands and said
Nov throw it, Fred, and out it
will come! Throw it hardI"
Freddy drew back his arm Then he
stopped. =.
MAY, believe it's going to ache" !"
he said.
"What, now?' asked his sister.
Eyes, it feels like it," replied the
boy, earnestly. II shouldn't wonder
if it ached awfully before dinner time,
and maybe it will be so bad by night
that | cannot sleep"
Mays face clouded. "Oh, that's too
badr' Then bright thought came.
"But if you pull it nOU, Fred, it won't
ache! Throw the apple and be rid of
it,"
NO. said Fred, 81 mustn't. It's
very bad to pull tooth when it's just
going to ache. After it's through ach-
ing is the time"
"Oh. Fred Lathrop! who said so?'
"Weil, I've heard it," returned the
boy, seating himself upon the grass,
apple in hand. ANYWAY I'm going to
wait and see if it does ache"
You're a regular coward" cried
May, emphatically, land | know you
won't pull that tooth at all! I'm going
into the house, so there, sir" And for
getting her resolve to remain until the
operation was over, the little lady
turned away in disdain
"Ha, hah' laughed Freddy, throwing
himself at length upon the grass.
you're the one that's afraid. You're
scared of the blood Girls always arem
But May was gone, and the only an
swer to the boy remark was the dron-
ING of the grasshOppers in the wheat
stubble and the far away pipe OF the
quail in the corn. The air was soft and
warm, the wind still, the trees motion
less. All nature seemed to be at rest
or asleep, and, lying there with eyes
closed, Freddy, too, at last fell asleep
Whether he dreamed or not do not
know. A robin came and lit over his
head and sang softly and he might have
dreamed Of that; and bye-and-bye old
Bess, the COW, who was daintily pick
ing at the tenderest grasses in the
orchard, came slowly by and stopped to
look at him and wonder what kept him
so still, and he might have dreamed OF
that.
But the robin flew away, and old
Bess, after standing a moment close to
the quiet boy, moved steadily on, and
Freddy still slept. Once he started a
little when the COW was near him, but
he did not wake up; and it was not
until May came out to find and call him
to dinner that he opened his bright,
brown eyes.
Fred, dinners all ready, and why,
gOU'Uc puLieI y0Hr tO0th!'
Freddy sat upright in an instant.
"Pulied my tOOth--nO"
But it's gone! It's gonc!" fairly
shrieked May. "YOu must have
pulled it, and you've forgotten about
it because you've been asleep! Oh
Fred! You are brave after alln' And
May threw her arms about her broth
er'S neck and kissed him.
"But l certainly didn't pull it May
honest and true. It's gone now, but it
wasn't gone when l went to sleepm
And the boys face was filed with as
tonishment.
"Who coaIld have done it, > said May,
equally puzzled. II do believe it was
uncle Dick. Let's go and ask him"
The children ran to the house.
Mamma, papa and uncle Dick were al
ready at the table. Hurrying into the
room, Freddy told his wonderful story
and called upon his uncle to confess.
"You know you must have pulled it,
for didn't, and it was out when |
awoke. You owe me the ten cents
though, for you promised it even if you
pulled itn'
Uncle Dick laughed and drew a shin
ing dime from his pocket.
1.-The moneys yours, Fred, and fair
ly earned, for the tooth is surely pulled
but my dear boy, l did not do it for |
haven seen you since since you left
here this morning"
Freddy looked from one to the other
in spechless amazement. Papa broke
into hearty laugh.
"Well, well! This is a strange af-
fair! | wish that my aching teeth
might disappear in like manner while
l sleep. Some good fairy must have
done it, Fred. But never mind now