The Press., 1884-09-18

bed, put on his clothes, and start for the orchard. Aunt Priscilla followed behind, holding the lamp high, above her head. jssThere -there he is 1" whispered John Henry, pointing excitedly. s'Don't you see Just hear him a-thrashing round T. .'Wa'al, naow, I du declare r said the farmer, filled with wrath, and using the strongest language he was capable of. "I ---I du declare | can't stand it. 7 at But it seemed as if he would be obliged to :; for though Aunt Priscilla caught up her broomstick and ''shooed" in the most threatening manner, the great unwieldly creature went steadily on with his work of destruction, intent only on getting mouth full after mouthful of tho half-rpe pears.
 "Git..out, there r screamed Uncle Peter. ''I--I'm nigh as savage as meat-axe. John Henry, run up in the shed chamber an g1t the old gun." ....... s.
 'sI wouldn't shoot him, Uncle Peter" '" was John Henry's advice. 'Its likely he b'longs to the circus at was a-coming in last night, an they'd rather pay sight O money than have him shot i; an the old guns loaded with salt anyway, an hasn't been fired for more'n Q year-not since 8 year ago crow-time. Suppose I git on old Dolly's back, an go over t the village an tell 'em he's here, an let 'em pay for the trees" .4s7s.. ...-y. ..-.,5 -......'t s
 s.There's sound sense in that, ;" said Aunt Priscilla and apparently Farmer Bell thought so too, for in less than ten min- utes he was helping John Henry to get on old Dolly's back. Two minutes later saw the boy bounding down the cross-road that led into the highway, and so to the village and the circus grounds. .....s. ..... am not going to tell you whether John Henry laughed little to himself or not when he found himself racing along to the circus on old Dolly's back in the middle of the night, with Uncle Peter's full per- missiony ...."
 There they stood, the circus tents, white in the moonlight, while the huge pictures of elephants, tumblers, sword-swallowers, took on strange look in the silvery light,
 "Hullo! hulloa hulloa-a P John Henry called out. ..l..,T sf.4 a, .. .. In minute there was group around him. The absence of the big elephant had been discovered, and nearly the whole com. 1 pany was awake. V ..-..' ..r
 , Abraham" had gotten away through 1 the carelessness of his sleepy keeper, and you may be sure that the distracted man. agers were very happy to hear John Hen ry's announcement. .f....
 "Yes, the critters in the pear orchard this minute, if he ain't left sence I did, a-destroying everything he can lay-lay his tongue to, an a. tramping down what he don't chaw up.' ..
 '.Well make it right" said one of the gentlemen, whose name was MT. Morgan, soothingly- -"wen make it all right. I'll see your uncle in the morning."
 !, He did and he paid Farmer Bell ten dollars more than he claimed as damages and then he sat down in the best room and ate plateful of doughnuts and cheese and drank a glass of good sweet cider while the good farmer told with consider able spirit the story of how they happened to discover Abraham the night before
 u 'tWell, he's.a plucky little chap" saic MT. Morgan, meaning John Henry an6 he laughed little to think of how much impression that charge of salt would hay. made on Abraham's leathery hide. "Hes plucky little chap" -.',
 Presently Aunt Priscilla called Johr Henry from the pear orchard, where h, was examining the tracks of the elephant and when he went slowly and bashfully in to the presence of his uncle and the circus manager, the former said, 4.
 sssMr. Morgan here says his shows on' that's so carefully looked after that i couldn't hurt any boy in the world, ant he'd like you to see it, John Henry. St I've said you can go if you want to. Dt |ye?".l .'I.-...'- ..'.. --e-s
 ''I guess I do P said John Henry ant then he looked up and caught the bigges kind of a twinkle just slipping out of thu corner of Mr. Morgans eve.