Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-09-01

Ior the gap, me boys, and don't spill
your cherries over. Go, nowi''
They were all only too ready to obey.
Away they skurried. with long leaps.
Ike frightened rabbits, through the
orchard grass to the break in the wall.
But they did not 90 beyond it. Up rose
the Deacon on the other side, as COOL
SO Jerry Barker afterward said-as q
frozen cucumber. ~
"Good-evening. boys" said he. He
TOOK on his hat as he spoke, and by the
light OF the moon the boys could see
that ne was making a desperate. effort to
Keep his face straight. "Now Pm
Hold on there! Stopr'
For Con and Ike Harris had started
to run They stopped. however. There
was nothing else to do when the Deacon
spoke in that way. and they knew it.
Let's see,' said the Deacon, reach
ing toward Ned Rogers basket, which
was forthwith handed over to him with
great alacrity-" let's see how many
you've got"
de examined every boy load in turn
carefully and in silence, and all the
while the boys looked into each others
faces without speaking. Oh! if the
moon would but 90 under cloud!
When the Deacon had finished his
inspection. he spoke again, kindly, and
with pleasant smile:
"Now, boys, I'm much obliged to We.
I've laid out to 60 to town with load
O. truck tomorrow, an. was won
derin' how I'd get my cherries picked.
I'm RELY obliged to We, and I'll be more
SO if yen carry 'em to the house for
Not boy felt like disobeying. Not
one but silently picked up his burden of
cherries and marched along before the
Deacon to the house and into the porch.
''Set 'em right down here" directed
Deacon Cannon, cheerily, .an' I'll see
TO 'em fore long. Now, boys, we've
worked consider BILE hard, an you want
some supper Come in an have some
cherry pie an cheese"
Every boys face said he would rather
die, and there was sound of murmured
negatives,
"Yes you WILL" said the Deacon;
"You' We worked well, an deserve your
supper. Right into the kitchen now,
right in! Mothers a-waitin' for ye."
So size was-kind, motherly Mrs.
Cannon. And there was table loaded
with goodies waiting for them, too
sandwiches. and plum-cake, and cherry
pie. and cherry tarts, and cherries
cherries everywhere.
"Good-evening." said Mrs. Cannon,
beaming upon the boys.
'Take some chairs" ordered the
Deacon, behind them; sand set right
up and have some cherry pie and sech."
The boys wondered whether they
were awake or dreaming as they filed
shamefacedly past Mrs. Cannon, hats
in hand, and took seats at the WELL
spread table.
- Now help yourselves" said the Dea-
cons wife. And each boy in his heart
wondered if she knew. and hoped she
didn't But they helped themselves
readily enough; and at length, between
the Deacon funny stories and the deli
cious cherry pie, they came as near to
enjoying themselves as was possible un-
der the circumstances.
"You amt eat scarcely anything"
said the Deacon, when the boys fin
ished their meal. slave some cherriesa
No cherriesp Ho! no! hor
Now, father!'' expostulated his
wife, mildly; and then the boys knew
she knew.
81 don't s'pose I'd ought to-" said
the Deacon; and he walked to the head
of the table, and stood there looking
down at his young guests with queer
little smile. II amt much of a speech
ifier," said he, 'but want to ask you
boys question. Which would We rath-
er be, when we get ready to take your
fathers places, honest men or request"
Every boy caught his breath. The
old eight-day clock in the corner licked
painfully loud.
1.-The man'n be nigh about the same
as the boy" went on the Deacon.
" Now which'll you be, boys, rogues or
honest men?'
Hon-honest men," cried Con
O'Brien.
Later on he said he couldn't help it,
with the Deacon looking at him, and
the Deacon's wife wiping her glasses
in that anxious way; but he meant it all
the same. And they all followed his
lead, as they ever did, every boy.
That's right" said Deacon Gam
mon" that's just right; and we won't
say another word about it."
"No, DON'T" said his wife.
But, after all, it was Con o. Brien who
said the right thing in the right place.
as he picked up his basket, which wasn't
entirely empty, in the porch.
Whenever you want any help about
picking your cherries, Deacon Gam
mon, call on u.s." said he. "We'll be
sure to come when you sind for us.
and we won't come before, honest In
JUMP
That's right said the Deacon
"that's right.p e
Then his eyes twinkled, as the boys
fled out into the night. Edward
said he to Ned Rogers, tell your faith
er that's the best NOW of timothy ever
saw"
Its just the way thought" cried
the boys, when they got out of the Dea-
cons hearing, "just exactly. "-HGr-
per's Young People.