St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1884-09-20
THE LOST JACk.KNlFE.

lie
itself was like high fence keeping oil
the wind. Then there were three or
four apple trees, whose early fruit was
ripe enough to give the last OF the hay
makers some agreeable employment,
and these trees grew not far from the
above nook. 1t was spot where in
very good seasons a hayStack might be
built for the accommodation of the hay
that the barn could not hold. Hay
stack and "apples" made a magnet
strong enough to attract all widc-awake
Lows in the neighborhood. When. there
fore, Plato not the old phil 1sopher.
but hired hand on the Peck farm
said. "rm going to make haystack,"
| it is no wonder that Gilman Bentley
came to this great occasion.
Poor Gilman Bentley! He and his
mother lived down in the b'a X little
house in the hollow. If you suppose
Yourself to he back of the Peck barn.
and will stretch up rs high as possible.
| standing on tip-tOe, you will lie able
| lust to make out the red chimney-top
of the Bentley's hitting above the green
trees like straw berry above its foliage.
And Gilman Bentley, he did have a
maritime wrestling with poverty. The
wrestle had taken off all his spare flesh
and made him very thin. He was a
timid kind of boy. gentle and we'll
meaning. and people liked him and
piticd him.
One other boy was there at the build
inc Of the haystack- and very naturally
he would be-Walter Owen, a hired boy
on the place.
Gee, bucki Whoa-hush" Plato was
shouting, as his big brown oxen came
numbering along. bulky load Of hay
iolting behind them.
:Now, boys" he cried, .up with you
and pitch that hay down, and we will
get ready for the stacking in less than
| no time
The hay was quickly pitched out of
| the cart. and then began the important
work of making the haystack. No
| structure, ancient or modern, was more
| carefully constructed than that stack.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the
Pyramids of Egypt, the Parthenon at
Athens, the Coliseum at Rome, or our
own Washington Monument at the
capital of the country. could not count
up luore conscientious and careful build
/ ers.
1.-The stack must be so long, it must
be so high, and it must be of that
shape" declared Plato, taking out a
lead-pe Ill and copy of the Leedsville
Norniny Gem, and drawing a haystack
on the margin of this valuable weekly.
published in the county-seat ten miles
away. s'The stack must be built 10
stand, you know, boys. There must be
nothing of the pudding style about it.
but solid, you see. Now We will be-
gin"
Armful by armful. forkful by forkful
that wonder of the modern age. Plato's
| haystack, went slowly up. and the mas
ter builder sagaciously brought forward
| at intervals luncheons of the sweet,
toothsomc apples growing SO handily in
neighborhood.
There's Billy Ventress." shouted
Gilman Bentley '.Gct him to help
"Come on Billy" cried Plato to =
stout, resolute- looking boy, who was
turning the corner of the barn. .'Ap-
pies are ripe, you know. We throw
those in where folks help build the
stack"
"Here am" cried Billy, who was
the very boy to appreciate the beautiful
symmetry OF Plato's haystack, and also
the merits of his pulpy apples.
Tall AMI shapely rose the haystack,
till it livaled in its proportions "Old
| Graylock," mountain whose .conical
blue top could be seen from the rear OF
| the barn.
Nov, boys, I want to make some
hay ropes to bind down this ere balloon
50 it won't float off," said Plato.
The boys were eager to see the pro-
cess of tying down "the balloon" two
| of them being on the stack, Gilman and
| Billy, while Plato and Walter were on
the ground at the foot OF the stack
Anybody got sharp knife?" called
out Plato. t.I want to cut my rope. "
II have, Mr. Rope-maker," replied
Billy, throwing down a "four-blader. :"
| of which he was very proud.
The rope maker took the knife, and
made the needed amputation. He used
| the knife on the summit of the stack al
so, Now, what did become OF that
magnificent -four blader?"
81 can't find your knife" said Plato,
after final mount TO the top of the
stack. Il can't find your knife, Billy.
l have been trying TO find it some time. y
81 saw it after you got up here, l
know" declared Gilman; "but-"
But what?"
Gilman hesitated, began again, STAN
mered and blushed.
"Oh, you took it, sir! asserted Billy
very stoutly. "You took it, Gilman
Bentley"
81 did not.
"But you say You saw it since Plato
did,"
"I-know-it but"
Timid Gilman. He could only assert
that though lie had seen it last, he knew
nothing Of its final disposition. Billy
Ventress was the kind of boy to
quickly take a stand. and having taken
it. to stoutly maintain it. The conse-
quence was that he sometimes would
take his stani in a bog hole that would
not support him. Gilman went home
in no happy mood.
When he had left. Plato and Billy
talked over the mysterious disappear
Ruce Of the knife. =.
.How d. yua know BIZ. that ! stole
,hs" asked Plate