Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-07-18
MIFFINTOWN

he started across the fields for the rail-
himself good half-hoar.
Not the moiety of that, however,
did Tommy need to arrive again within
his mothers kitchen, which he entered
with flashing eyes, crimson cheeks, and
well nigh breathless lips, yet jubilant
over the prospect of the admiration
that his presumed display OF skill and
courage would elicit.
"Well, Tommy his mother ex-
claimed, advancing to meet him, ''are
you back already? Nearly tired to
death with heat and hurryin' amt your
Sit down and be quiet. child, minute.
1t won't do for you to talk right of,
although | do want badly enough to
hear what you've got to tell.''
Still, though she made her son rest
himself short time, Mrs. Sharp could
not permit her tongue to delay the per-
formance OF its interrogative duty, as
the following queries testify:
"What did you find out anyhow,
Tommy? Is the housekeeper a young
womanp Where does she live. and who
are her folks? Are they goln' to get
married right away?"
Here Tommy, startled at the extent
OF the researches that his mothers
questions assumed that he must have
gone into, recovered sufficiently to
deliver what now seemed to him a
meagre budget, but which was CRATE
fully and commendIngly accepted in
spite of its being so far from fulfilling
the demands OF the interogatories above
him.
"Goin' away in the twelve forty-fve!
yeu don't say? And goin' to be gone
two days-I do so wonder wherel But
We ought to feel satisfied with what
we know already. Let me see-this is
Monday. We have to manage some
how to be patient. There's enough
for one to do, goodness knows! to keep
time from hanging heavy on a body'S
hands. However, L guess I'd better
step round to Mrs. Jack's-she'n be SO
glad to get these fresh particlersl And,
Tommy, you go now, and yet yourself
nice big slice of cake, while Pm out
You've earned 1t honestly, child and
you are as smart a boy as there is any
where about, though L, your mother,
do say it..
So adjusting the action to the inten-
tion, Mrs. Sharp donned her sunbonnet,
and proceeded TO bear to her neighbor
the additional information, which, she
was assured. would prove so accept
able.
Mrs. Jack was duly demonstrative.
''To be gone two days-why, he's
takin' plenty of time to 1t, at least, for
him. He's never been away that long
before since I've known anything
about him. Don't you wish We knew
where he has gone! But 1 s'pose
they'll get married there. wherever il
is. Don't you wonder what sort of a
woman she'll turn out to be, Mrs.
Sharp2 Do you guess he'll bring her
up the street from the carsp Not a bit
of itl He'll make her tramp across the
fields-that's his way of goin' and
command a pretty time she'll have,
to be sure, climbin' fences and stumb-
lin and tumblin' over ploughed groundl
Oh, what a pity Tommy wasn't able
to worm out a little more! just some
thin about that womanP'
"wer, 1 think We'll have to be sat
islied, Mrs. Jack" returned her neigh
bor, with a touch of dignIfied severity
in her voice.
81 suppose we shall, for your boy
has done as well as could be expected,
seeIn' who 1t Is he has had 10 deal
with. 1t was plucky in him to open
his mouth even, before that old bear of
Roger"
Yes" responded Mrs. Sharp, loft
lily, 81 think Tommy has shown cour-
age as well as smartness, if do say
it.''
After a few more reciprocal exclama-
tions, and profuse expressions of graft
tude on the part of Mrs. Jack for her
neighbors cOnsiderate treatment OF her,
Mrs. Sharp retraced her homeward-
vending path. Moreover, it would be
unjust not to declare her that, although
the two females had plenty of house
hold matters requiring their attention,
and Tommy ample store OF chores to
occupy his time, yet none of them per-
mitted the bushel of their private con-
Germs to conceal the light Of their
lately acquired Information. In proof
whereof one had but to mark how
thoroughly an cOurdHt all Three Forges
had become both of the qantity and
quality of the news ere the evening
shadows fell, and many a pair of legs
went to the troubls OF walking from
afar To grant many a pair Of eyes the
privilege of gazing upon the drawn
down blue curtain and the fast-locked
door of the cobbler's shop.
Thursday morn dawned smillngly,
and not long after the arrival Of the
early train, any one on pedestrism bent
in that part of the Three Forges would
have beneld Tommy trotting eagerly
up to the shop, whose blue curtain was
again lifted, albeit the boy hardly
noticed that il was, as he grasped the
door-knob, nor did he pay much atten-
tlon to the faos that the snappish tlnkle
of the little bell no longer gave it
warning-so curious was he to discover
what novelty should greet his glances
when once within the walls they could
have their fill of scrutiny.
Howbeit, they saw only Roger sitting
on the bench ut the back OF the shop,
Just as II he had been working and
pegging away there ever since Tommy's
ruR down the road on Monday. He
scowled, too, in the usual manner, and
likewise gave the boy the same comical
look out of his gray eyes.
"How dye do, Mr.. RogerP" said
Tommy, feverishly regarding ali
around, in the vain search for some
thing new and strikIng-''I've come
very early; thought I'd just stop in
to find out whether 1 shall come for
my shoes. L don't s'pose L can have
'em right off,"
"Well, no; shouldn't think so; I've
lust begun work on 'en."
'.Did you have a nice time while
you were away?' timIdly ventured
Tommy.
"As nice as 1 expected" gruffly
answered Roger.
"But SIT down on the stool, bub, and
mind your own business, while L mend
your shoes"
Tommy obeyed. approprlating the
Singla stool that the shOD cOuld boast
OF, whilst his eyes glowed with per-
plexity, and impatient, curious desire.
Like to see something?" the cob
bier inquired, after long silence, In
very gracious tone for him, as If he
pitled the child, for Tommy looked as
though he were dying to see great
many things.
However, he merely answered,
"Yes, sir"
"Ail right" quoth Roger; and turn
ing toward q screen in one corner OF