The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-08-16
THE LOST JACK-KNIFE.

itself was like high fence keeping Oft
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 a spot where in
very good seasons haystack might be
built for the accommodation of the hay
that the barn could not hold. "Hay-
stack , and "apples" made magnet
strong enough to attract all wide-awake
boys in the neighborhood. When, there
fore, Plato not the old phil 0sopher,
but a hired hand on the Peck farm
said, Pm going to make a haystack, {"
it is no wonder that Gilman Bentley
came to this great OCCASION
Poor Gilman Bentley! He and his
mother lived down in the black little
house in the hollow. If you suppose
yourself to be back of the Peck barn,
and will stretch up as high as possible,
standing on tip-tOe, you will be able
just to make out the red chimnev-top
of the Bentley's iutting above the green
trees like strawberry above its foliage.
And Gilman Bentley, he did haye q
udId JlutG NlCSIlIIS VIII IoNCIlS- 1bc
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
pitied him.
One other boy was there at the build
ing of the haystacll- and very naturally
he would be-Walter Owen, hired boy
on the place.
Gee, buck! Whoa-hush!" Plato, was
shouting, as his big brown oxen came
numbering along a bulky load of hay
iolting behind them.
"Ncw, 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 HaEging Gardens of Babylon, the
Pyramids of Egypt, the Parthenon at
Athens, the Coliseum ut Rome, or our
own Washington Monument at the
capital of the country, could not count
up more conscientious and careful build
ers.
1.-The stack must bos so long,. it must
be so high, and it r1ust be of that
shape" declared Plate; taking out Il
lead pencil and copy Of the Leedsville
Mor2ing Gem, and dra wing a haystaGk
on the margin of this Baluable weekly,
published in the county-seat ten miles
away. '"2she stack must be built 10
stand, yousknow, boys There must be
nothing of the pudding style about II,
but Solid. You see. Now we will be
gin"
Armful by armful, f0rllful by forkful
that wonder of the modern a@e, Plato's
haystack, vent slowly up, and the mas
ter-buildec sagaciOusIy brought forward
at intervals luncheonss of the sweet,
toOthsomo-apples growing so handilN in
neighborhood.
There Billy Ventress" shouted
Gilman Bentley. "Ge4 him to help
'"Comss on Billy" cried Plato'tp
stout, rssoute looking boy, who was
turning the corner of he barn. ZAP
pies are. ripe, you know. We throw
those in. where folks help build the
stack"
"HereT am " crio,l Billy. who was
the very boy to.appresate the beautiful
symmetry of Plato's haystack, and also
the merits of his pulpy apples.
Tall AMI shapely rose the haystack,
till it rivaled in its, proportions "Old
GraylaGk," mountain whose conical
blue top could be sssn from the rear of
the barn.
Now, boys, I want to make some
hay Gopes to bind down this ere balloon
so. il won't float off, said Plsto.
Tha boys were eager to sac the pro-
ces@,of tying down 1.-THE ba1oou,n two
of them being on die stack, Gilman and
Billy, while Plato and Waller were On
the ground at thofoot of the stack.
Anybody got ) sharp knife?" ca1ed
oQt Plato. al want to cat my rope.
"l have, Mr.. Rope-mi.ker, replied
Billy. throwing down 'four-blaCar, !"
OF which he YVES very prsaId.
Tho rope maker took the knife, and
made the needed amputSdion. He used
the knife on the summit of the stack al
so. Now, what did become 0i that
magnificent -four bladsr?"
Il can't find your knife said Plato
after final mount to- the top of the
stack. - can't find your knife, Billy.
| have been trying to ind it some time. -
~ saw ID after yoa got zap here, |
know" declared GilAan; "but 49,"
But what?"
Gilman hesitated, began again, stan-
mered and bluShed.
"Oh, y9u took ii, sir! asserted Billy
very stoutly. "YOu took it, Gilman
Bentley"
al did not.
But you say you saw it since Plato
did,"
"I-knOw-it. but"
Timid Gilman! lie could only assert
that though he had seen it last, he knew
nothing of its final disposition. Billy
Ventress was the kind of q boy to
quickly take stand, and having taken
lit, to stoutly maintain it. The conse-
qucnee was that he sometimes would
take his stand in q 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
ance of the knife.
How do you know but that | stole
it?" asked Plato.