Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-12-26
HOW TOMMY WENT TO JAIL.


HOW TOMMY WENT TO JAIL.
1t was a hot morning in early June.
The sun shope brightly, the grass was
very green, and the saucy little dande-
lions looked like dots of gold thickly
sprinkled on the grass. 1t was all very
bright and very pleasant, but Tommy
got very tired of it ALL so he thought he
would go and see Carry Young, who
| lived Just across the church lawn and
the jail-yard, and in house that was
really part of the Jail, for her father
Sas the county Sheriff.
So off lie .rudged-a pretty little boy
of five years, with blue eyes and yellow
curls, wearing brown Holland dress,
with straw hat planted on the back OF
his head-a pailful of dandelions in orc
hand, and wooden shovel in the other.
He had tussle with the latch of the
gate, but at last he got out, and as soon
as he had tugged up to the top of the
church lawn, he saw Carry in the jail
yard, and he ran over, calling to her.
She was very glad to see him, and they
played together for long time, till
| Garry said she was tired and hot, and
So they both went indoors. Tommy
had never been in there before, because
his mother had always said that he
might play outdoors with Garry, but
must not go into the house. But, this
time, he had somehow forgotten that
Injunction.
The Office was a queer room, with
two doors that went outdoors, and two
doors that went indoors, and two moro
doors that were not doors at all, but
iron gates. Tommy went and looked
through one of the gates, and thought
it was the funniest place that he ever
saw in his life, for there was long,
long entry and big windows on one
side, and on the other many other iron
gates-only they were little ones, not
nearly SO big rs the one he was
looking through. He pressed his face
against the bars, and wondered what it
was all for. When he turned around,
Carry had gone, and Mr.. Young was
just seating himself.
would you like to go inside, Tom
myP" said Mr.. Young.
"Yes, sir, said Tommy.
So Mr.. Young took down big bunch
IF keys and opened the gate, and Tom
my went in, and Mr.. Young swung the
big gate together behind him and locked
i with great jangling of keys Then
Tommy was scared, and he puckered
up his forehead and mouth, and big
tears came into his eyes. Mr.. Young
was watching to see what he would do,
and seeing, the tears, said: "Oh! I'll let
you out whenever you want to come. !"
Then Tommy felt comfortcd, and
concluded that he would go and see
what sort of n place he had got into
for this little boy was very curious, and
always wanted to find out about
things for himself So he walked on to
The first little gate, and there he saw n
very little room with bed and chair
in it, and on the bed was man who
seemed to be sound asleep. Tommy
looked at him for little while, but he
didn't speak to him, because he felt
sure he must have headache, or some
illness, TO be lying down in the day
time. His mamma had headaches, and
then nobody ever spoke to her; so he
went on to the next gat1.
There sat n man leaning forward, his
eyes fixed on the floor, and he was
thinking so hard that he didn't hoar
Tommy at all rs he came softly up
and stood still before him. The man
had a sort of red cap on his
head, and long red dressing
gown, with cord and tasscl around the
middle. Tommy looked at him very
hard, and then thought to himself: He's
rs nice as my papa, and guess he's n
fhnu 1nnor
things"
The man sat very still, and Tommy
looked at him for what seemed long,
long time, and then he said: GOOD
morning, sir.
The man started so that Tommy
jumped, too, and dropped his shovel on
the floor. But he need not have been
scared, for the man had pleasant
face and pleasant, kind voice, and,
after looking at Tommy for minute
with very wide open eyes, he said:
''Why, how did you get in here, and
how do you dop"
I'm very WE'LL" said Tommy. "Mr
Young let me come in. l play with
Carry"
"Oh, you dol" said the man. "What
do you playp And what's your namep"
"Oh, lots o. things. Garry and me
has planted a garden. My names Tom
my. What's yoursP"
"MineP" said the man. "Well, /
haven't any just now"
They chatted on for q minute or two,
and then Tommy said: "Let me in there,
want to sit down."
A queer look came over the man s
face. II can't open the door, he said.
"You sit down on the floor"
"Why can't you open it?'' And
Tommy looked very much puzzled.
because it's locked, and 1 haven't
got the key" said the man; and then
he said, half to himself "Wish 1 had. :"
"I'll get the key" and Tommy turned
to go back to the big gate.
"No, no." said the man, in quick,
sharp way, and Tommy looked at him
and was half scared again. But by the
next minute the man looked as pleasant
as he had at first, and so Tommy sat
down on the floor in front of the gate,
with his legs crossed in front, his little
pail of fading dandclions on one side
and his wooden shovel on the other,
and, with little dimpled hand on each
knee, prepared to have nice talk
for Tommy was n very sociable boy.
He looked ut the man very intently
for minute, and then he said, with a
solemn look in his blue eyes: "Have
you been naughty"
The queer look came into the mans
lace again, and he said: "What makes
you think SOP"
"Cause once was naughty and my
mamma shut me up all alone ip The
nursery, and l didn't have nice door
like this. Ihada big, hard door, and I
couldn't sec out At all, and didn
like II. Have you been naughty-sayp"
WELL" said the man, Eyes; I'm
afraid have"