Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-02-03

window; out Dc1hS Oh lHe "loAo an
honorable little boy, he finally plucked
ND courage to go to his mother with the
whole truth.
80 mamma, never can tell Mr..
Flint, never III the world." cried he,
winking very fast. "You tell him,
mamma Oh, please dol"
"For shame, Kirl1e! A boy nine
years old wanting to hide behind his
mother!"
"But, mamma, hell scowl at me SO,
and Say 1 was to blame"
"And weren't you?" asked his mamma
gravely. This is the second pane of
glass you've shattered with that same
arrow. Papa paid for the last; don't
you think you ought to pay for this, to
teach you to be careful?"
"But, mmama, how can Z? You know
I shan't have but just money enough to
buy my steam engine"
Mrs. Rowe tried not to smile
IF you can't afford the engine now,
kirke, I suppose you might wait for
your next months salary" said she,
quietly. "At all even s, you cannot af-
ford to be in debt. You'd better run
over to Mr.. Flints this minute, and ask
him the cost Of the glass"
Though she thought it wisest to say
little about it, Mrs. Rowe's heart ached
for the poor little fellow when he set
off with slow, reluctant steps. as if the
dusty pavement were slippery with ice.
With his heart in his throat he mounted
the broad steps between the stone lions,
and pulled the bell, It was answered
at once by brisk servant maid, who
led him directly to the library where
Mr.. Flint sat reading.
"Well, sir, what's your business?"
asked that dreaded being, with sharp
glance over his spectacles.
"I'm sorry, sir; but but I"-Here
words failed, and Kirle gazed appar.
emily into his cap, as if in hope Of find
speech written within the crown.
"H-m! Som ething new to see boy
sorry! It's usually the grown people
who are sorry on account of boys"
Il didn't mean to do it; but IL was
the one that broke that window, sir. /"
ooh, ho! SO that was your work. And
a pretty piece of impudence, too!
Whose boy are you?"
"I'm Mr.. Rowe's boy. I live down
there in the Queen Anne cottage" re-
piled Kirke, struggling with tears. II
was shooting at the big willow, and
somehow the arrow slipped and, and
please what'll it cost to mend the win
dow? Til come right back with the
money"
"Cost? It'll cost fifty cents. Why
didn't you bring the money With you if
you intended to settle the bill q"
growled MIR. Flint in suspicious tone.
Because uncle hadn't paid me my wa
ges; he always pays me the last day of
the month. I'm on my way for them
now."
"Your uncle? That's DR.. Wyman, 1
suppose. Well, off with you, young
mani Collect your dues at once, and
hand me over fifty cents"
"He needn't hurry a boy so, the old
miser!" thought indignant Kirke, dart
ing away like his own arrow, only more
true to the mark.
In surprisingly short time he re-
turned with his silver half-dollar, that
was to have purchased the toy engine.
$50 this was your months earnings,
remarked Mr.. Flint, coolly pocketing
the money. Don't you consider it
a rather extravaganza passtime to go
about damaging peoples property"
eyes, SIR" said Kirke, his lips twitch.
ing.
you'll be more cautious another
time, I fancy"
Eyes, sir, repeated Kirke, moving
toward the door. "Good morning"
"Stop. boy! Come back!" called Mr..
Flint in voice startlingly genial.
"Take your money; I make you pres
ent of it,"
ooh, no, no, thank you, Mr.. Skin
Flint, I meant" gasped Kirke, sur
prised out Of his wits. "NIy mother said
1 must give it YOU.
"Put it i'll your pocket, child. 1 don't
want your poor little pittance, replied
Mr.. Flint, actually smiling. "If I've
taught you to respect my premises from
this time forth, I'm satisfied. I can't be
hard on boy who is ready to make
amends for the mischief ne has done
"And mamma you ought to have
heard how kindly he said it," cried
Kirke that noon as he fired up his new.
ly-bought engine; "and he put out his
hand as if he wanted to pat me on tho
shoulder, but he reached me banana
from the sideboard instead. Didn't I
feel mean then to think we BOYS had
talked so about him? I wish now I'd
never called him Old S'-'~ 7int! You
won't catch mo doing in."-Ine
CO71gregatio11niot.