The Iola register., 1881-02-18
THE STOLEN PILLS.
A True Story.

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 a pretty good
girl-only the catechisms had not had
time to strike in. Her brother Nah, as
all called him, did not know even
kittenchism, and was not bit
ashamed of it. Rachel and Zephaniah
lived with their grandfather, doctor
in Albany.
Rachel had a friend, Scotch Margery,
with wide-open blue eyes. One day
she came to see Rachel, who could not
play until she finished her ''stint:" fve
rows of knitting around sock.
Then they went around to grandfath-
er's office to see him get ready to 20
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 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-
trv. Before he put them into his old
leather saddle-bags he looked over an
other wallet that made shivers run up
Niah's spine. Here were nippers,
pinchers, cutters, clashers, scissors,
tooth-pullers and nose-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" sht
forgot all the good in both catechism
and said:
"Margery Campbell, let as 90 i,sn -
s.But your gran ther said we mustn't t. ,
"That's Just why want to. Wha
is the use of always behaving well
Let's peek around little btt-Niah'
out of the way"
/. Margery consented. In they went
First they opened queer little drawer
full of cloves, spice, slippery elm an
. alum. Then they took hold of hand
, and took respectful view of the skull
!, ..What is in the inside of It when
, is inside of usT' whispered Margery.
"Why, nothing! The skin and hal
r cover its outside and then it is hollow
, that is why your head rings when yo
4 get your ears boxed," said Rachel.
"Where do our brains be?" aske
t Margery.
: "Oh-why-in our eyes, certainly
b As soon as you see something you begi
i to think-your thinker is your Brain
/. YOU know. Grandfather explains sue
n things to our family"
q 1--WE haven't got any grandfather.
> "Oh, well, knew this without mine,
q said Rachel, arrogantly.
They poked their fingers into ever.
Il thing sweet, sour, sticky or IN any Wa
% mysterious. They smelt OF vario'
t, pOisons and, for wonder, 0d N
,r taste. They put their tongues, hoy
st ever, to q laudanum bottle ana tht
,e sputtered wildly into the air. At Ia
Or thew found a nice clean vial full
is pretty white pills. They examined
10 with delight. -.
a "Now, just let's take the tin cup
1t water" said the enterprising Rache
al "and swallow first one OF these, Al
then q drink and then ,sutter. and
ID which can swallow the most!
ut Margery agreed, and at it they we
ne "a pill-a drink pill-a drink
At pill-a pill-a pill-until the vial "
d. empty. Now you have often heard tn
our Puritan forefathers were very tht
lie ough-wen, so were our little fo'
al mothers.
to Perhaps if these children had =
nd taken so many, I might have had
az end my story with q dreadful accor
he of their funerals; as it was, they ov
he did the matter, and their folly sav
'er them.
n. Margery had not once WINGED;
~ Rachel did not take time to wink, q
lar so came out three pills and che
fer ahead of her friend. When all VI
ew down they went out and sat down Il
- vacant lot near the house. 1t was c
-1ooeonf np6or tho fence. and III