The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-08-12
THE REVENGERS.


"Pop"
"Yes'm."
Take that big basket with the broken bale,
md dig me 'hou. a peck o. potatoes Look
lively, now. Don't stand there looking al me
like a dumb thing. Fly around"
"Yes'm."
Pop a thick set little fellow, black at the
ace Of spades, seized the basket Miss Faithful
Sharpe mad designated with her lean fore fin.
ger, and started out.
In the garden, Andy Miss Fai,hurs
nephew, and the cause of much of her tribu.
lation, was engaged IN wedding. He averaged
one weed minute AT that rate il would take
about three months of constant work to clear
the beds. Bat Andy didn't care lie hated
work, and it wouldn't have distressed HIM if
the garden had remained unwceded from the
beginning to the end of the year. His aunt's
example and her many maxims and long lee.
lures on the nobility of honest toll never had
any percephble effect upon him.
What ar you going to do, Pop?" he asked
as his CO sufferer, who viewed things pretty
much as MARS Andy" did emerged from the
house.
Coin to dig taters"
Digging potatoes had always been hateful
work in Andy's eyes before. But now it did
not strike him SO. Anything was better than
wedding.
Say, Pop, III dig the potatoes if you'll
weed some"
Pop shook his head
Cant, Mars Andy" he answered sole
Nj issus, she told me I'd got to go and get desc
yere tatcrs my own self, an no, stop foolin
roun' with nobody. She says she spec Mars
Andy gwine to AK me to weed, an 80 she tOle
me not to stop nohow."
This was delivered very glbly, for Pop hat
ed wedding as much as Andy did, and never
found any difficulty in framing an excuse.
"Oh, pshaw," SAID Andy who did not think
of doubling Pops veraclty, knowing as he
did his aunt's opinion OF his industry THAT
is the way she always talks; she don't mean
nothin'. Give the basket"
81 da7nt, Mars Andy" with well slmulat-
ed shiver of tear to the broken bail. "Ole
Mssus, she'd take an tar de head square
off N NE; deed she would"
She! Now, you know you're gassin', Pop.
There amt rs much fight in her rs she makes
out. But go long. believe I'd druther weed
anyhow said Andy, making the best of the
inev table. II only know one thing: you're
that mean a Jew wouldn't buy You"
Pop proceeded to the potato patch with
heavy heart. Andy's last words cut deep He
wondered how he could make peace, aud turn.
ed out the contents of his pockets, thinking
he might find something 10 propitlate the
friend whose friendship was so dear to him.
But nothing appeared of sufficient value to
serve As peace Otltring-an allisa,Or's tooth,
a rattlesnake's rattle, n big cone, a piece OF
string a core of turnip, glass button and
piece of rusty iron For none of these things
would Andy care. He had plenty like them :;
only better.
Two boys, in close conversation, came to the
rail fence, taking the road which led to the
river, half mile OIL Pop prlckcd up his
ears on hearing something one of them said
acd ran to repeat it to Andy, forgetting, in his
excitement, all about their recent difference
II say, Mars Andy, now's our chance. We
can get ebcn wild dat Bob Harris and Tim
Water for stealin' our clo'cs when we was in
swimmin las Sat'day. Dey's gone down now
to 90 IN deirsclves."
Good luck !" cried Andy. ii didn't believe
we'd get chance tor revenge so soon. You
get through your potatoes, Pop, and let's be
| off. Well show 'em that stealth clothes IS
trick we can play at, too"
Pop wasn't ten minutes digging the potatoes
Then he walked softly around to the kitchen
window, which was open, for the weather was
very warm, and succeeded in setting the bask.
ct on the deal without attracting the attention
lDl argus pNcu MISS L uillui ~ Illtle IdtCT,
when she went To the door to see how the boys
wedding progressed, neither OF the boys was
to be seen, and she screamed their names until
she was hOarse without ellciting any reply
from the echoing pine woods.
The boys proceeded with great caution as
they nearcd the river. In the middle of il lay
a small island almost ovcrgrOwn with bushes,
which afforded capital screen. On the other
side OF this island from where the boys were
the water was very deep, but nearest to them
1t was so shallow that they could wade across
with ease and perfect safety Very careful to
make no noise, they hunted around among the
bushes until they found two piles of clothes.
Hastily picking them up, they ran OIL with
them just as a shout was raised by some one
in the deep water
You know how it feels to have your clothes
carried of, now" sung out Andy, as he and
Pop waded back to the shore in great haste.
l"You'l let ours alone the next time we 60 in,
| reckon"
, They did not stop to hear the answer that
was shouted after them, but, hurrying home,
hid the clothes IN an empty bin in Miss Faith
ful's corn.sheu.
"I.et 'em get home as best they can" chuck.
=. led Andy. ave had good night TO take our
revenge"
Lessen us call ourselves the revengers,' "
, suggested Pop.
THAT'S the name for u.s." cried Andy.
l"You've hit 1t this time, Pop. Revenge IS
Isweet,' you know, and reckon we never felt