The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-06-30
Down Cellar.
Youths Companion. I

youths companion
Once, not very long ago, little Tommy
tucker cried because he couldn't have
whole mince pie and big piece of cheese
for his supper.
Jack Horner did" he pouted.
Then Jack had the stomach-ache after
wards" said Mamma Tucker YOU'D have
to take castor OIL Tommy. How would you
like that"
But Tommy didn't have to take the castor
oil, because he didn't have the pie; and be-
cause he didn't have the pie he got up in his
high-chair behind the door and cried as loud
as he could cry. Wasn't he a foolish boy?-
because crying wouldn't help things bit,
you know.
After awhile Tommy began to understand
that; so he stopped crying and began to
think, with his lips DOuted out and a scowl
on his face; and he thought he would go
away and stay so that Mamma Tucker would
think he was lost; and then she would feel,
oh, dreadfully; and the next thing would be
a miDce pie for hissupper.
"Pn go up to Uncle Dams" said Tommy;
but then he thought they would find him
there, first thing. Besides it was cold and
stormy.
"Ili go down cellar and hide in the brick
closet" said Tommy, then; and there was
just where he did go, creeping down the
stairs as easy as a mouse. He didn't believe
anybody could hear him; but somebody did.
Somebody saw him, too. 1t was Papa
Tucker, who was stopping a leak in the
cistern.
1t was very dark in the brick closet; be-
cause there wasn't any way for the light to
get in when Tommy had shut the little door
behind him. The brick closet was made in
one of the three great chimneys, under the
parlor fireplace. Sometimes pies and cakes
were kept there; but the pies and cakes and
Tommy didn't happen in the closet at the
same time. That was trial, but Tommy
didn't have great while to think about it.
The floor OF the closet was hard, but Tommy
was sleepy-it was past his bed-time-and
while he was wondering why Mamma Tucker
didn't come to find him, he went fast asleep.
] will tell you the reason Tommy Tuckers
mamma didn't wiring her hands and go look
boy. when she found he wasn't in his high
chair behind the door. 1t was because Papa
Tucker had seen Tommy and heard him !;
and knew Just where he was.
We'll have to teach him a little lesson"
said Papa Tucker. So he didn't go to bed
when everybody else did, but locked the
cellar door and sat down before the fire to
read, right over TOmmy's poor little sleepy
head.
By-and-by Tommy walked up. At first he
couldn't think where he was, but pretty
soon he remembered. Poor little Tommy
Tucker He was so hungry he didn't know
what to do-because he hadn't had his sup
per, you know; and he ached dreadfully,
the floor was 50 hard. But the floor didn't
seem so hard to Tommy as the thought that
hi mamma hadn't tried TO find him-no-
body had tried to find him. And they had
all gone to bed. and left him alone; he knew
they had gone to bed-everything was so
still.
Tommy began TO cry again.
'Oh dear, dear meI'' he walled. II wish
] didn't be down bere-I do" But wishing,
all alone doesn't do any more good than
crying; and maybe Tommy wouldn't have
done anything but wish, if he hadn't just at
that moment heard little rustic somewhere
aTound,-anyway he thought he did; and a
rustic in a cellar where there isn't anything
to rustic. you know, is dreadful thing. SO
Tommy Tucker thought.
"Oh dear, he cried again; and he pushed
open the closet door and went out and felt
along in the dark to the cellar stairs, and he
went up the cellar stairs and tried to open
the door, which was locked, as have already
told you.
How Tommy screamed when he found he
couldn't get out, himself.
"Pappal mammal o mammal
And, Of course. then Papa Tucker came
in haste TO unlock the door.