Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-03-29
MESCHChV0US TIM.

Nearly eN6TyDouy UiolhSN
Troy merely for his incessant desire to
play practical jokes, but none more SO than
his maiden aunt, Belinda Simpson, whose
horror of the lad was simply awful
"He will surely go to the bad, y she re-
marked one day to Tins mother, " and all
because you are SO lenient with the young
grace. And when his father would
punish him-which is by no means too
ofsen-I have heard you plead for him as
though he did not deserve it all and
more !"
81 admit that Tim is wild and very mis-
ohievous," Mrs Troy said, calmly, " but
all his pranks are committed on the i'm
pulse of the moment, and many times he
ia sorry when too late. | am sure his
heart is true and generous TO a fault.
THAT is what you say" Belinda re-
piled, hotly; " but show me another man
or woman in Millville who will say the
same for the young scamp The way the
lad is carrying on Is simply ridiculous y
In truth Aunt Belinda was provoked be-
yond description just then, for not half an
hour before the above conversation, the
miscreant had stolen the delicious cream
cake which she had nicely prepared with
her own hands, for Jasper LlveJoy-au old
fame of her girlhood-wss to take tea
with the Troy family that evening, and
Miss Belinda had already "set her cap" for
the foppish old swain.
But there was no alternative, so hasten.
ing off to the kitchen again-for she would
never trust so dainty an affair as her cake
was to be to the inexperienced young
cook-she was coon engaged in producing
an exact likeness OF the stolen cake
While thus engaged we will follow Tim
Troy as he moves down the busy street at
brisk, devil may care sort of gait, feeling
remarkably blithe after his sumptuols feast
on cream. cake.
"By cracky that cake was too nice for
anything old Lovejoy included, he solilo-
quized. :" Bat won't aunt be hot, though
Guess I'd better make myself kinder
scarce tonight. Hello there comes Love-
Joy now and that other cove-what's his
name Guess I'll just hide behind this
goods.bOx till they've passed. He'll be
sure to tell aunt if he sees me, and, ii she
don't know, perhaps she'll think I've run
of, or committed suicide or something.
Guess then she'll be sorry enough, and
wished she'd baked two cream. cakes for
me to hook instead of only one
By this time the two men had APP.
preached and, to Tins surprise, seated
themselves on the very box behind which
he laid concealed. But they did not see
him and the lad soon grew very interested
IN their low conversation.
Well, Jasper" said the man whose
name Tim had forgotten, 'if you can
manage the old gal and bring her round
all right, you'd better be quick about it.
Money is money at present and they do
say the old spinster is worth two or three
thousand"
1.-TWO or three thousand be hanged p
exclaimed Lovejoy, excitedly "say five
or elk thousand rather. Aud haven't
already told you that she is infatuated
with me p
infatuated" muttered the stranger
with a low laugh. "Who under the sun
could see any thing infatuating about such
an old coon as you, Ell, Jasper"
They both laughed, which caused Tim
not a little uneasiness, as be was on the
point of giggling out at any minute.
Perhaps it Is only the recollection of
by-gone days" Jasper said, meditstively
"She was awfully in love with me once,
but escaped heart-whole and fancy free,
as you see me now. But I'll manage Miss
Belinda coon and, once she is my wife,
we will have capital enough to engage in
that little biz we were talking OF this
morning. But let's have another glass of
beer, and then | must be off soon to Miss
x s with something nice for her maiden
ears to hear and with this the two
friends hurried down the street few
doors, where they entered beer saloon.
Tim crawled out from his hiding place,
snd, brushing his pants with his hands,
he started homeward, a mischievous smile
playing about his handsome mouth, while
he muttared to himself
The old hypocrte He's going for
aunts money, is he? Go ahead old Love
Joy; bet two bits you don't get 20 say
anything sweet to poor old aunt tonight. "
Nor did he. Tim, on reaching home,
managed to steal into Miss BslIndas room
unseen, and, finding her false teeth and
fslse-front where he knew she always kept
them, he hid them carefully in the bed,
Just where her feet would touch them.
Then rearrapging the covers he let him
self out of the window, and was soon
down the street again playing ball with
some Of his school mates.
OF course Mrs. Troy had to apologize to
Jasper for her sisters non appearance in
the drawing room, inventing, as an excuse,
that ske was rather indisposed from the
elects Of a recent cold. Belinda was
sorry-very sorry, indeed, and would he
be kind enough to call again tomorrow
evening
To be sure Aunt Belinda was terribly
put out, snd was utterly horror.stricken
when, on retiring, she found the islse. hair
and teeth snugly slowed away in the bed.
The consequence was that TINS father
gave the lad a good thrashing next morn.
ing, for everybody knew it was his work.
Tim did not deny the deed, but said he
had done it to provoke and disappoint old
Lovejoy, and then related all he had heard
the two men say concerning Belinda.
As matter OF course the spnster woult
not give the story any oredenoe, for sht
was highly indignant with Tina, while
Lovejoy was-s gentleman.
On ba!my July afternoon, about weel
after the above event, Tim and another
boy of his own age, strolled down to th'
lake with their fishing tackle fully pre-
pared to have a jolly afternoon at trout
inc