The Brookhaven leader., 1883-08-16

81 wonder if couldn't trick the old
fellow in the same way that the bows
fool him" thought the deacon He
looked about the yard cautiously His
sons were not in sight and he concluded
he would have laugh at David's ex-
pense. Crawling through the fence, he
reached the rock on which the bows
stood in their encounters with David
The ram had not seen him. When the
squire raised himself cautiously and
looked over the bank, David was watch.
ing the barn-yard, and evidently won
dcring what had become of the man
who had just challenged him.
Hi, David!" cried the squire, hold
ing the half-bushel measure out before
him as target for the sheep to aim at
"Hi, Davidr'
David 'hi-ed' at once He gave q
grand flourish, as if to say: Look out
thcre"' then charged.
Unfortunately for the Squire, he was
so excited over the fun that he forgot
himself completely, and only thought
about the half-bushcl measure. Instead
of dropping out of the Sleeps way, he
swung the measure on one side, in his
excitement forgetting that David al
| ways shut his eyes when he charged
and aimed for the object before him
when he closed them. The consequence
was that the ram did not follow the
measure, but boiling straight for the
place where he last saw il, struck the
poor Squire square in the stomach and
he and David went over the bank and
into the creek as if shot out of Il cannon.
"Wall, snum." sputtered the Squire,
as he made his way to the bank. Il
forgot all about lodging. do b'leeye
the old rcprobate's broke my stomach
in, by the way it feels. You old ras-
cal!' he screamed to David, whose air
was one of victory, as he stood on the
pasture-sidc of the fence, making def
ant motions with his head at the dea-
con, who had clambered out of the
water on the barnyard side; 'I'd like
to break your old neck! | shan't ge.
over this for month, if | ever do. /
wouldn't have been so bruised for tivt
dollars. I'm glad the boys didn't see
me.
He made his way up the bank AMI
towards the barn, under cover of the
fence. He didn't want any one at the
house to see him IN his wei clothes. As
he opened the barn-door a broads,de of
laughter saluted his ears. from the haV-
NOW in the end of the barn towards the
creek. He knew then that the bo.s'
hour of triumph had come. They bad
seen his discontinue.
Il say, father irreverently called
out Tom, in a voice choked with laugh
ter, You didn't scrooch quick enough.
Next time you'll know better how to do
it
What became of the half-bushcl?"
asked John, and Rob screamed: eli,
Davidn in such way that not,gith-
standing his pain the squire was half
inclined to laugh him elf.
II acknowledge that David was
too much for me that time" sad the
squire, looking very red and foolish.
Laugh away, boys, if it does you any
good.
Whats the price of hats?' asked
John.
'Well, but the joke wasn't yours
said the Squire. But I'll tell you
what III do. If you won't say any
thing about this foolish affair. I'll buy
the hats, and give you a days fishing
any time you wish to take it,"
1--WE agree! we agree" cried the
BOYS.
But the story leaked out in some way.
and the Squire had to endure Il good
deal of sly laughter from his fun-loving
neighbors. But he never quite forgave
old David, and although he did not say
SO, he had a feeling of unqualified salts
faction when he heard one day that the
old Sleeps neck had been broken in a
fight. +. Reyod, IN YoHth5
COmpani0n.