Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-01-06

too late!-too late!' And drawing the
bewildered boys fresh face against her
own thin sallow features, wet with re-
morseful tears, Miss Smith told him
that she was the Aunt Rhoda whom he
had never known, and that henceforth,
please God, he should be to her % an
own son.
"And now, Tad" said his aunt, after
the long talk that ensued, sits nigh
twelve O'Clock, and time you was in
bed long ago, after such a.
"Rat-tat-tatr' went the knocker.
ut never rains but it pours," re-
marked Miss Smith, lighting q candle,
"and I wonder what's coming nowr'
Stepping into the entry, she called:
"Who's there, and what do you wantp"
ats me-Joe Whitney!-I want to
see Tad minute" piped well-known
voice, through the key-hole.
Miss Smith uttered an exclamation
of disgust.
"Well, I'm going to bed-you can
let him in for few minutes, Tad,
though I don't see, for the life Of me,
how Deacon Whitney and his wife can
reconcile it to their conscience to let
that Joe 60 trapsin' about at this time
O. night" said Tad's aunt, shortly.
But she kissed her nephew very ten
derby, despite her acid tones, and hur-
ried away lest Joe's observing eyes
should see the marks of her recent emo
ton on her face.
Tad drew back the bolt, and opened
the door. There stood Joe, dressed in
his Sunday clothes, with a small bun
die slung over his shoulder, after the
manner Of q dramatic sailor about leav-
ing home for q sea-voyage.
"Come out here, Tad" whispered
Joe; and, too much astonished to speak,
Tad followed his friend out on the
nooalit piazza.
Il come to say good-bye-rm going
to run away" said Joe, in voice i'm
tended to be very firm and brave, but
which had suspicious shake in 1t, as
he Involuntary glanced back at the
farmhouse a little further down the
street, bathed in the soft splendors of
the moonbeams.
"Going to run away!'' repeated Tad,
in tones Of the utmost astonishment.
''What forP'
'Well," was the reluctant answer,
"there are good many reasons. I'm
tired of being thrashed so much, for
one thing" said Joe, squirming around
rather uneasily, as though he found
sitting on the edge of the piazza I'M
comfortable, "and I'm tired of farm
work, too. Besides" he added, boldly,
II want to be q detective-Mr. Bios
som said he'd bet I'd make real smart
one."
"Then, bine-bye, you'll be goin' of, ="
continued Joe, mournfully, as Tad
stared at his friend in CONSERVATION too
deep for words, land you're the only
fellow I ever cared any thing for, any
way"
mo. indeed, won'tr eagerly ex-
claimed Tad; "Tm going to stay here
and grow up-Miss Smiths my own
Aunt Rhody, that I never saw-we
only found it out by accident" And
Tad related all, with which our reader
is familiar, to Joe's open-mouthed
amazement.
A little silence fell upon them both
as Tad related his story. The crickets
chirped in the grass and there was q
distant GLORIOUS of frog music from the
neighboring swamp.
"Joe," said Tad, gently, "what do
you s'pose your mother would do with
out her boyp"
That was touching tender spot.
Joe loved his mother better than any
thing or anybody in the wide world,
and Joe was the very apple of her eye.
The boy drew his sleeve across his face.
while the visions of being a detective
were entirely obscured by some trouble
some tears.
"Come, old fellow" continued Tad,
throwing his arm about his friends
neck. "you know You don't mean it.
Why, it would just about kill your folks
to have you 60 of this way; and then
what would 1 do. if you should run
awayp"
guess won't-go, after
ALL" said Joe, brokenly, and the de-
termination cheered him wonderfully.
In five minutes he was chuckling over
the incidents of Edwards capture, and
the conversation became general.
"But tell you, Joe," Tad remarked.
as he rose to his feet, ''seems to me
I've been getting considerable NOR
my share of good things, for one day
i've hundred and fifty dollars, and
Aunt Rhoda into the bargain"
ut hasn't been such q bad day all
round, when you come to think Of it, II
responded Joe, with his customary
grin. There was Mr.. Atherton got