The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-04-19

I
a dislike TO him just because father Is
ALWAYS holding him up to me as model.
/ IT'S Just look at James Valentine or Il
wish you we're as much of gentleman as
James Valentine or i wish you had halt
of James Valentines application till, de-
clare, / was sick of his name"
@And no wonder" said Joe, with return
ing good humor. "but did he ever recon-
mend youto employ Jas. Valentines tailor3
| Nv consciencel what clothes that fellow
wearsl-that old coat of his might have
come over in the Msyfower from the out
landish cut Of it, and it's seedy as"
"Oh, come now Joe, none o that, inter-
posed Harry-"don't poke fun at fellows
clothes when he can't afford any better.
You know his mother is widow, and L
suppose they're awful poor"
ayes, awful poor drswled Joe, sheer.
ingly, '.that's another of their hypocritical
lodges. My Uncle Seth, who knows all
about Valentines SAID he die not fail poor,
and that there is plenty of money some
where. His wife keeps up pretense OF be-
ing poor so as to get rid ofpaying his debts;
but she's got money enough you bet. L
heard Jim say myself, that he meant to go
to college, and how he IL TO that without the
chink, desire to known
"That is So" assented Harry, theufht-
fully, it does take the money to go drought
college Ny brother Rob. spends sight,
1 know that; but l don't think my father
knows that the Valentines have money, for
for have heard him say that they must
find it very heard to get along"
ooh, we'll, your father may not know 1t
all, if he is judge" said Joe, with an i'm
portant air, as he adjusted his cap to the
side of his head and pocketed both hands.
LAWYERS like Uncle Seth manage to
pick up q good many bits of information
that other people are not supposed to know
about. But you needn't say anything about
this, for Of course uncle would not want it
to get out through him. It's
none % his funeral, he says, so long as they
do not owe him nothing"
"But how shall we go to work TO fool
Jim2' said Harry, feeling that they were
getting away from the all-important subject;
"if he Ia such an abominsble sneak as you
tell for, shouldn't mind paying him out
pretty we'll"
81 was thinking" said Joe, "that it would
be a rather rich thing to get together some
of the worst looking clothes that you can
fnd-make them up into the most business
like looking packages possible, and leave
them at the door this evening, directed to
Mr.. James Valentine. OF course he will
open it with great expectations, but when
he seees card addressed TO ian April fool
who would like to make fools of other pee
pie" perhaps he wont feel so topping"
Pretty good, Joe; just the tbiDgP ex-
claimed Harry fairly dancing with delight.
at takes you to plan; but where 1 am to
get the old clothes is more than know,
unless you can furnish them"
81 furnish them2 not muchp said Joe,
drawing himself Up. This is none O my
funeral,'' as Uncle Seth says; Il have only
been helping you to ideas"
"All right" said Harry; "Pm willing to
shoulder the thing; only see that you don't
step in and claim all the glory when the
joke is out"
"1 on may trust me for that" said Joe,
In a tone that Harry was not smart enough
to understand.
There amt any old clothes continued
Harry. "Mother bundles off everything 20
our washer-women as fast as / get through
with it, and sometimes faster. But our man
Mike has no end of old hats and boots al
gone to seed, up in the stable loft, and l can
take my pick Mother bought me a new
hat yesterday at Knspp's-one of those
new style, toney affairs, like Jack Whites,
and III take the box that it came in and
put in it one. of Mikes very worste specimens,
and pair of 'rale' old Irish brogsns, done
up in style, shall 90 with it. Oh, won't it
be richl wish we could see the things
opened"
Easy enough that" said Joe. Gall
you've got to do is to run around into PhilPs
orchard and climb the old apple tree close
to the fence, to have full view of all that
goes on in their rooms. The Valentines
never pull down that back curtain, and I
have looked in many a time and seen the
old nanny coddling her sonny-boY, pin
ming piece of flannel around his precious
neck, and kissing him good night"
Harry's conscience gave sudden twinge,
as he thought Of certain goodnight kisses
which were very sweet to him, but of course
it would not do to speak of this to boy
like Joe Wilson.
Il don't believe we had better do that,
said he, at length, "for it seems hardly the
thing to spy into other peoples houses"
GAIL right, please yourself" said Joe, "Of
course it is nothing to me. l only told you
what you could do if you wanted to, but I'm
going in here" said he, hating before g
second-class book. store; 81 want TO provide
myself with some reading matter for to
"Does your aunt let you read dime novels
on Sundsy2" asked Harry, who knew per-
fectly well to what style of reading matter
his friend referred.
MY aunt has learned to mind her own
p's and q's," said Joe, loftily; "she knows
have quite outgrown Sunday school sop"
Harry was far from feeling at ease when
Joe expressed such sentiments as these. His
own careful training had taught him that
they were wrong, and he felt instinctively
that Joe wilson was not good boy, nor a
safe companion for himself; but there was
fAcination about the older and stronger
minded boy which Harry could not resist,
and ridicule from Joe was something which
be was by no means brave enough to face.
"Stop at the house when you go back,
joe" called Harry, who had started on
down the street; "rll be on hand"
Joe nodded graciously and entered the
store.
Two hours later tall, handsome boy
called at the house of Judge Mason and
asked for Harry.
"What fine lookidg lad" said Mrs. Ma
son, who saw him as he followed the ser
wants through the hall.
yes, but wish could feel sure that Joe |
Nelson is as good as he Is handsome said |
Nellie Mason, Harry's older sister. 81 do
not think him good COMPANION for Harry, |
them together. Joe is dark and deep, and