The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-07-12
ARCHIE,S TRICKS.

hhOhlE y lhlihDs
Mamma says I'm pretty good boy
in NEST things.
When she says that, she means that l
don t tell lies, like Billy Bangs, and
don't hook old Mrs Blunt's plums, like
Tom Blake, and don't stick pins in the
boys, like Sam Plummer-Sam's an aw-
ful mean chap!-and most always mind
what I'm told
But she says Pm tricky boy, and
that | must get over it, for if there's
anything that's mean and disagreeable,
it boy that's always playing tricks.
And when she says it, she says a great
deal more of the same kind of talk
about tone of character and self-respect,
and always being frank and never de-
ceitful, and things out of the Bible, too.
and looks so solemn all the time, it
makes you think you better be care
ful. She says faults a fault, no mat
ter if it don't seem quite so big as some
other boys faults.
I'm always forgetting though. It's
such jolly fun to hide behind the corner
of fence and jump out and make a
girl holler. was sorry, though, one
day, when Susy Bangs Jumped so hard
fell in the mud and were all spoiled.
Mamma made me pay for them out of
my own money, and said she hoped it
would be a lesson to me.
But | guess it wasn't, for the next
day put little frog in Polly Pratt's
desk, and when she felt, she hollered
and knocked over her ink. was sorry
again when the ink went oil over her
reader and then ran down on her dress.
I'd have given her my reader, only
I'd given that to Pete Cramp when 1
said "Bohr' to him when he was cross
ing the stepping stones in the creek,
and he went splash into the water, and
his reader was all wet, and him, too.
And when the frog jumped out of
! Polly Pratts desk, and jumped on to
Kitty Price, and she tumbled over and
bumped her head, had to stay after
school; and the teacher asked me didn't
| think such conduct very improper and
inhuman; and said yes And he said
I'd surely get punished for it some day,
if didn't stop playing tricks.
L have. | mean I've got punished.
don't know yet whether l We stopped or
not, but guess so.
We were all going to the fair. to have
the biggest kind of time. There was
a big carriage coming, and there'd be
peanuts and lemonade and horses run
ming and popcorn and balloon ascen-
sion and candy and things, and tight
rope and fellows that chaw up fire,
and it don't hurt 'em q bit, and every
thing.
Cousin Laura she came down all
dressed up to 90, and she looked nice
and fine, l tell you! all white and
| little short, stiff things that stood out
AL over her, and great big sunhowers
or things in her hat.
She sat down on piazza-chair close
by the balustrade, and 1 thought what
fun it would be to pin her sash to it so
she couldn't get up. l did, and she
never knew it.
John had fixed the hOse-John's the
fellow that waters the flowers and digs
and scolds when you pick things-lean-
ing up against some flower-pots so it
would sprinkle n shower on some
flowers. He was digging something,
| and his back was turned to it so he
couldn't see, and | thought what fun
| 'twOuld be to turn the shower on him
| and then run round the corner of the
| house and watch to see him Jump.
So | gave the nozzle a shove and then
| run.
But it didn't go on John. 1t went on
Cousin Laura, and she jumped; but she
couldn't jump far. for her sash was
pinned tight behind her, aud she
couldn't get away. And John is deaf
and didn't hear her. and before he saw
her you ought to see the starched things
on her dress go down. She looked like
white peony before, but by the time
John got hold of the nozzle she looked
like white string.
At first | was going to run away and
not tell twas me, but l thought that
would be too mean; so L walked up TO
Cousin Laura, and says L: Cousin
Laura, l did il, and I'm awful sorry"
Mamma looked at me sorry enough as
she went upstairs to help Cousin dress
again. We had to wait a great while,
but at last we were all ready to go.
But just as / was getting into the
carriage papa looked at me and says
he; Archibald, you may go to your
room and stay there till bedtime. I"
Mamma and Cousin Laura begged him
TO let me go, but when papa says
archibald" its never any use.
There was company came home to
tea with 'em, and there was fried
chicken and strawberry jam and ice
cream, but didn't get anything but
bread and milk.
1 guess I've stopped playing tricks
Youths Companion.