Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-10-24
that sent terror to the bows,

that sent terror to the bows, I"
voice of the owner Of thu e.re-ths
"Stealin' apples. hoyP An LIZARD bnrd.
n enough to : p still abont !.
Lucky l came home ~ross lots. uS 1t,
dye jest git right straight down on VOW
that tree, an don't yer try to r,,a o
the dog'n take after ye. Coma idn, or
you theivip' young scalawaos, ao,wn.
can get a squirt at ye. Dy'ee he. sot |
"We'll have to get down and ~
it." whispered Joe. That's tho sn 1or
chance. Be spry, or he'll nah nS 10 only
Joe jumped and set out for the e.,
on a rn. Johnny followed. but ts Ms
Thomas was too quick for him, and W. W.
unlucky youth was "nabbed." 'ns
''Sic 'em Towse!' cried Mr.. Tbon.
and Towser, nothing 10th, gave a rslA
or two and started in pursuit of i Yep
'lt's you, is it?" cried Mr. Thom,,
dragging Johnny into the light. ~
thought better on ye than that! c,ra
We apples this mornin', an that di iIys
seem to satisfy ye, an now I'm oo;.,
to give you a tannin'. Don't b lou,
yell be apt to come round to-niohtl Tvs f"s
o O. that" and Mr.. Thomess
chuckled as he cut a long sprout from
the nearest tree Then he proceeded ~
''tan' Johnny in q way that left but
little to be desired in that Interests.
performance. Johnny bore it lilo
martyr. He knew it was a deserved
punishment, and he felt ashamed ~
cry.
NOW jest make tracks fer home an,
don't ye ever let me ketch ye in thi,
orchard ag'n." said MIR. Thomas
Johnny took his advice, without ston'
ping to find out what had becoma 7,
Joe. w. VI
That young lover of forbidden fruit
had started for the fence, but lie heard
the dog SO close behind him that ha
took refuge in a tree. There Mr.
Thomas found him with Towser sjttino
at the foot of it, growing.
you're safe, l reckon" said the old
man, with a grim chuckle. "Keen
watch on him. Towse. Good nigbtE
bub. Hope yell rest WELL"
Then he went away and left Joe IA
the longest night of meditation he ever
saw. He tried to drive the dog away yavl
and then, failing in that, to coax him
into being friends, but in vain. The
dog knew his business, and wasn't to
be driven or coaxed from doing hs
duty.
Early the next morning Mr.. Thama,
came over to Joe's uncle's. Jo,.Apy
saw him, but kept out of sight.
Zone O. your young critters is in NV
orchard" called out MI. Thomas over
the fence. Got in las night. Better
60 an get him out, 1 reckon"
II WILL" said Uncle Able, and started
forthwith.
He expected to find the fence down.
and a calf in mischief. Instead of that
he discovered Joe perched in a tree
looking about as foolish as a bow can.
YOU'RE the calf lookin' for: hey?"
said Uncle Able, having to laugh in
spite of himself at Joe's crestfallenn an.
pearance. Had a good time, I s'pose?
Don't seem as if it jest agreed with We
to be up all night, judgin' from Yer
looks"
Joe climbed down out of the tree,
while his uncle kept Towse at a safe
distance.
"I-I wishyou'd lick me-" he said to
his uncle, with such a queer and conf.
sal expression on his face that Uncle
Able had to laugh again, and Joe
laughed, too, in a sickly way, an!
marched Oft homeward, feeling thsl
''larks' didn't agree with him as well
as he fancied they might.
cpl tell you what" he said to John.
ny, that afternoon, '.you don't catch
me stealing apples again"
Nor me-" said Johnny, thinking Of
his sore back. Didn't we get come
up with in good shape, thought"
"Should say we did," answered Joe.
"You'd better believe I felt mean and
foolish when l saw Uncle Able coming.
l never did feel quite so .streaked' in
all my life. I'd rather have had a tan.
ming twice over"
"And to think of the way in which
we returned Mr.. Thomas kindness"
said Johnny. "He gave us some ap.
pies and we were mean enough to try
and steal more from him. Last night
it looked like fun to me-or any way
tried to make it look SO, but since
thought it all over 1 see there wasn't
any fun about it. l tell you what it is,
Joe. it doesn't pay to do a mean thing
and try to excuse yourself by calling 1t
sport" ''That's So" answered Joe.
So the boys found out that forbidden,
fruit often leaves a bitter taste behind
it.-Ebcn E.. ReItord, IN Western Po~'