The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1883-09-19
TOMMY AND "JUMBO."

ty, playful black-and-white Sitten-sO
little that he could 90 through the very
smallest hole in the fence; and that was
why funny brother Dick named him
Jumbo after the big elephant
He was such a pretty little fellow,
and so full of fun! Whenever he found
his mother asleep in the sun he would
climb up on her soft furry back and
play with her cars and tail until she
walked up and boxed his own little ears,
rs if to warn him not to be a saucy kit
ten. But he was saucy for all that, and
ran of with graudma's ball of yarn
and tore Aunt Sally's best lace veil, be-
sides tormentng his own mother every
hour Of the day.
An old apple-tree stood in the back
yard and Jumbo-or "Jummy," as
he was generally called--spent great
deal of his time in clambering up into
its boughs and then Immediately falling
head first on the hard ground beneath!
Then Daisy would run to him. lick his
little face, and talk to him in that soft
cat language that can be very motherly
at times And am sure she must have
said to him: "Get up, Jumbo Be
brave kitten, and don't cry" because
he always did get up, and he never
cried.
Both Daisy and Jumbo were the prop
erty of Tommy Derwent, who lived with
his papa and Aunt Sally in an old-fash-
ioned red farmhouse way up among the
hills of New Hampshire. His dear
mamma had died when Tommy was a
little baby, but Aunt Sally had at once
d ne all She could to fill her place to the
/ little boy, and he loved her dearly.
Tommy had no brothers or sisters
near his own age, so he had to play
most of the time by himself, or with
Rover, the big Newfoundland, and
| Daisy and Jumbo, who were his great
| est friends and allies. Indeed, all four
were constant playmates, and old Rover
often stopped on his journey across the
| barnyard to give the small kitten q
patronizing touch with his big red
tongue.
Away down in what Tommy's father
! spoke Of rs the "South Meadow Lot
was little brook, so shallow and so
warm As it rippled over the stones that
! he could wade in it all the morning look
| ing for ''tadpoles,n - and not catch cold at
! II. Here Tommy spent many happy
hours, and here he spent one particular
afternoon that l am going to tell you
about.
1t all began with the dinner. Aunt
Sally hadWhat Tommy called a '1ovely
strawb' ry short-cake'' for dessert; but
some how she was very disagreeable,
and wouldn't give her dear little boy
but one piece. This put him in very
bad humOr, and he resolved to 90 away
and spend all the afternoon in the
South Lot, 'sTN' see ii Aunt Sally don't
be sorry she's so cross to her little boy
when she can't find him for ever, n
ever, n ever so long!'
Filled with this great idea, Tommy
called Rover and Daisy, who were al.
ways delighted to 90 anywhere witt
their little master, and, taking Jumbo
who couldn't always be trusted to ruI
after, in his asms, the procession
started.
The little brook ram cool and clear
the old elm-tree hung its branches 81
low that they dipped their faces in thr
water; the cric6ets sang softly ant
sleepily, as they do ON hot July after
moons. Everything WAS Just as usua
in the South Lot, and yet Tomm,
couldn't haVe,a good time. What wa
the matter? Could it possibly be tina
Tommy himself Was CROSSE He didn'
think so, at amy rate, and only said T.
himself aga5nr
Eyes, sir! Guess she'll wish she'
given me mother piece o. her old pie!'
And then he proceeded to look arOun
for something to do. But there WASH
anything to. do; it didn't seem half a
nice as usual.
Daisy lay down in. the sunniest, hOf
test place, and went sound asleep. Re
yer found a cool bit of shadow under tn
elm-tree and followed her example, ,onl
waking up now and chen to devour
| few impeltinent flies who were takin
a promenade on his nose.
Only Jumbo and Tommy were awake
Jummy fbund plenty of occupation
! chasing the little butterflies and tE
tiny shadows that danced and playe
with him in the sunshine. But Tomm
could find nothing to do. Generall
he builtlittle dams Of sticks and mut
and so made waterfalls in the brook; {
- he and his beloved Jumbo played hid
and-sePk in the tall grass by the fenc
3 while Daisy and Rover slept. But tn
afternoon he cared nothing about an
; of these things even tadpoles had DO
their charm.
= "Ugly thingsl'' said Tommy. &c
D too much tails on 'eml Sides, AU
y Sally says by and by they'll be fEOg
y and who cares for twOgs wiv colds
n thcir fwoats! Dick says they've o
T colds in their fwoats, and 1 guess
r kmOws-sol Oh, dee me! dee mol wh
, shall / do? Guess I'd like to do som
IS fing to make Aunt Sally wish she'd
Is let me seon'
T. And here Tommy stopped with
g deeply thoughtful sigh, while his ey
q wandered all around the South Lot,
Ie search, / am afraid, Of somethii
u naughty to do.
20 Suddenly he sprang up and ran wi
10 all his speed, and with pretty jun
n close at his heels, until he came TO {
stone-surrounded mouth of an old We
In away OFF in a far corner of the lot.
N had been dug long ago when this v
le used for pasture-land, and even now
~ clear, sweet water in ii was found VI
q, useful at times,
N When Tommy first wanted to 90 a
play in the "Souf Lot" papa object
on account of this old we'll; but Al
Sally had said: No, John, you NJ
ng not be afraid / have great faith
m Tommy, and if he tells me that he v
ch not go near that well / am very cert
oi he can be trusted"
+ ! "Well," answered papa hesitati