Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-12-05
.Guess tao folks "a an CON. ,..rx

"Guess tao folks Is an gone 'xfns
theyp" he asked.
"Well, yes they are" Tommy
spoke very carelessly. y
"What pretty spoons we use, don't
WEI" continued the visitor land myA
'aint our napkin rings gayp Iwonder
if they re solid now!"
solid, al Hes The o a'a l %e ass . "na Z al r s,9
keep put away, all solid," and the child
looked i;s1lj i1nnocently in the rough face:
needs cleaning, oh dreadfully! Sup
pose we put it in II bundle and cleant
you'll hardly know it," and into thet
red handkerchief went all the Spoons,
and Frank and Nelson's nice napkint
rings; but Tommy looked quietly on.
"Now the nice little boy spoke Of
what was kept put away; but Of course.
a little fellow like us, Doesn't know
where we keep things, oh NO, of course
not" and the fellow blinked wickedly
at the innocent looking child.
Tommy thrust his hands into the,
pockets of his .'haief pantaloon," al
Frank tauntingly called them. Thcn,i
hhOWlISs
"Humph!' he said, "Iknow wher1
there's things of ever so much moro,
value than those you got, faint plated
neither"
"Well, now, you show MS right away
where they are, and see what a reward
will be coming right along"
ooh, but they're way up staiis," OBJ
jected Tommy.
'.Never mind, here we go way up,
stairs" and the man was already push
ing Tommy towards the hall beinS
sharp enough to make him go first.
Over two flights of stairs to the attio
led Tommy, to a large store-room in
which were two or three large chests:
"Do you see that big chest?" asked.
the child, pointing to one at the far end
of the loft.
ooh yes, we see it plainly"
swell there's something init, but tho
keys under it."
Quick as a flash the man dartcd for-
ward and tried to lift the heavy chesta
while quicker than a flash Tommy dart
ed out of the room, shutting the door
after him, which fastened with. a. spring.
Over the stairs he flew and out of the
front door. He ran and never stopped
nearly the half mile to the church, then
saw his father and brothers in. the dis
lance, fastening to meet him.
"There! There's mammals little hero
scared to death, Just as I said he'd be
some time,'' said Frank.
But a moment later the boys and
several of the neighbors were running
towards the house.
After the poor wretch, who meant TO-
be so sly and sure, had been satisfy
quartered in the county jail for the
night, to be sent tosthe city under-guard
next day, Tommy, for about the. tenth
time, told the whole story over to his
interested brothers. Then Nelson .
marked:
"Well, I guess you won't be so anx-
ious to stay alone another time, will
you?"
"Well, 1 don't know" said Tommy
with a queer side look, 81 thought I
perfected your old napkin ring pretty
well, and 1 didn't fb neither. I told
the old fellow l knew where there was
something q. more value than anythin'
he'd got, for though the chest was full
o old clothes, grandma Weston's old
Bible was at the bottom Of it, SO, nowE
Don't you go a-tellin' I deceived the
man cause I don't think I did,-if
Grandma's old Bible is plated, [ never
heard of it."
Mrs. Weston says more significantly
than ever that she likes all her boys
but as to Tommy-well, there's somn
thing about Tommy that makes hes.
think in case Of an emergency, she'd
about as soon have him around as any
of the rest.-Harriet Il. Checver,. IL
Golden Bale.