The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1886-11-04
Amt Deborah and Sam Wad-
ley.

81 Nicholas.
The good lands! what's thatl" ex-
.citedly cried frightened Aunt Debo-
rah.
Aunt Deborah might we'll exclaim in
surprise. For as she sat knitting
quietly and humming q quaint old
tune Of long ago, one she had learned
az q child-C-r-rash! bang! came a
stone into the room, shivering the
window pane, just missing the swing
ing lamp in the hallway making an
ugly scar on the cabinet, and breaking
into fragments q handsome vase.
Then, as if satisfied with the mischief
II had done, it rolled lazily across the
floor, and finally stopped under the
table, an inert, jagged bit of granite.
Aunt Deborah, as the, stone pursued
its reckless course, placed her hands
over her head, and shrank back into
her chair, q frightened and unwilling
witness to the destruction of her prop.
erty. It was quite distressing. Be.
sides the nervous shock, there was the
broken window; there was the cabinet
showing a great white dent that could
not be easily removed; and there, too,
was the vase she had kept so many
long years, lying shattered and ruined
before her eyes.
Aunt Deborah was one of tho best
and most kind-hearted of women; but
-she was human, and the sudden
havoc wrought by the missile exas.
perated as we'll as frightened her. She
rushed to the window and opened it in
timeto see three erfour boys scamper.
ing down the street as fast as their
legs could carry them.
ooh, you young scapegraces!" she
cried; II l could once lay hold on you
wouldn't / teach you a lesson!"
But the boys never stopped until
they had disappeared around friend.
IL corner. Aunt Deborah was so over
come by the accident, and so intent
upon watching the %retreating boys to
whom she desired to teach lesson,
that she did not at first notice a bare.
footed lad, standing under the win
dow on the pavement below, hold.
ing q battered old hat in his hand,
and looking up at her with q scared
face and fearful eyes.
tsPlease, Miss" said the boy, tremu-
lousy.
"Ohp' Who are you! Who threw
that stone at my Window" called out
Aunt Deborah, as she spied him.
'tPlease, Miss" pleaded the boy,
fumbiing nervously his torn hat, 81
threw it, but Ididn' t mean to do it,"
aDidn't mean to do it, eh?" replied
Aunt Deborah, fercely. II suppose
the stone picked itself up and pitched
itself through my glass;"
@I was going to throw it down the
street, but Bill Philper touched my
arm, and it turned and hit your win.
dow" Unexplained.
There was an air of frankness and
truth about the boy, and the fact
that he had not run away like the
others(whom, somehow, Aunt Deb
orah held chiefly responsible for the
outrage, caused her to relent a little
toward him.
"Come IN here" she said, after eye
ing him closely for a moment.
The lad hesitated; but summoning
all his courage, he went up the steps,
and soon stood in her presence.
"Do you see that" she said, point
ing at The window-'and. that?" lat
the cabinet)-''and that?" lat the
broken vase))-"and thatS" lat the
stone.) "Now, isn't that a fine per-
formance2"
II am very sorry" said the boy,
the tears yelling into his eyes again.
He looked ruefully about at the
damaged articles, and glanced at the
stone, wishing heartily that he had
never seen it. -
"Now, what's to be done about it,"
asked she.
81 don't know, ma'am," said he,
very i'll at ease. II will try to pay
you for it," "
.sVhat canyon pay, Ishould like to
know" she said, glancing at his patch.
ed coat and trousers and his torn
hat.
81 sell papers," said he, "andI can
pay you a little on it every week"
iWhat's your manner" she asked.
ts'Sam. Wadley," answered the boy.
1sHave you a father?"
mo ma'am," replied SAM; .'the's
dead"
Have you q mother?"
Yes, ma,am."
What does she dot" continued
Aunt Deborah.
ssshe sews, and I help'h her all / can,
selling papers"
sHow can you pay me anything
them" 5s~.
please ma lam, Til tell mother all
about il, and she'll be willing for me
to pay you all I make"
well now, we'll see il you are q boy
pkp keep his word" said AurtsDeb-
sofah.
ssHow much must / pay?" Sam in
CURED anxiously.
III mo sec" Aunt Deborah put
onsher spectacles and made q critical
survey Of the room. ssWindow-ffty
cents; yase-one dollar--I wouldn't
have il broken for five? That'l do
ono dollar and q half. Ishant charge