Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-10-25
THREE AWFUL BOYS.
What "the Little Blue Eye at the
Knot-Hole" Accomplished.

The small brown cottage adjoining
Miss Lydia Blake's premises in the
rear had been rented after an extended
vacancy, and three awful boys and
their mother were coming to live in it!
Oh dear! oh dear! What was to be
done? They would steal her best fall
pippins, and strangle the cat, and
throw stones at the windows, and pull
up her choicest flowers by the roots
in short, complete the whole, hideous
list of small boy devices, to worry and
annoy defenseless maiden ladies.
Hitherto Miss Lydia had been very
fortunate in her neighbors, or
rather in her lack of them. The
old, square brick house. where she had
been born and brought up, stood a
short distance from the town. the only
dwelling in the immediate vicinity be-
ing the little brown cottage, formerly
occupied by working man and his
wife-quiet people. who went away to
the cotton mills early in the morning,
returning at shutdown to their frugal
evening meal and well-earned rest.
And now she was to be tormented by
q pack of harum-scarum boys, who
would cut up all sorts of troublesome
monkey-shines, and make her life a
burden Something must be done
about it.
So carpenter was summoned, and
the low, dividing fence replaced by
solid boards, six feet in height, and
with row of pointed pickets along the
top, to catch in the clothing of would
be thieves and discourage a second
visit. And then, with war in her heart,
she resigned herself to meet the in
evitable.
One morning. about two weeks after
this, she was at work in her back gar
den. shaded by its gnarled old apple
tree, and bright with autumn bios
SONS. If there was a tender spot in
Miss Lydia's heart, it was for her flow
ers; and well she might be proud of
them. No garden for miles around
could boast such mammoth carnations,
such late roses, or such varieties of
geraniums. 1t was here her lonely
heart found companionship and relaxa-
ton.
She was STOPPING to tie up the great,
ragged, red chrysanthemums, whose
heads were so heavy, that they had
fallen over on to the gravel walk,
when her attention was arrested by a
slight noise in front of her. and mo-
ment later, large knot came flying
out of its hole in the high board fence,
clearing the air an inch in front of her
aristocratic nose.
whats thatP" she cried. in a start
led tone.
..It's only me-" replied a childish
voice, as little blue eye and part of
q little white cheek appeared in the
knot-hole.
.You go right away. you wicked
Notwithstanding boy. or else I'll call
policeman" exclaimed Miss Lydia. re-
sorting to the usual defense OF unpro-
tected females.
81 didn't mean to hit you." said the
child. II only wanted to look at the
flowers. They smelled all the way
right through the fence. and wanted
to see what they looked like. My!
aren't those chrysanthemums stun
nerst"
BE off with your repeated Miss
Lydia, excitedly. II want no med
dlesome boys spying out my garden.
Be off! say"
..All right" said the child, .'I'll go.
But / wasn't going to meddle with any
thing. I can come another time.
though, just as we'll, so goodbye" and
the little blue eye vanished as sudden
" as it had appeared.
Miss Lydia looked around for the
knot, but Hector had carried it of and
buried it for bone. SO with an en-