Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-08-23
CAUGHT IN HIS OWN TRAP.

does, as ii 1t were broken JUST where IL Ell
tered the water.
"Ah, seel" said Phil, always delighted al
getting little joke on any one. what
pity! And-just look at the other one!'
Broken, tool" exclaimed Arthur, in great
establishment and dismay. "Why, how strange
they should break just as we get ashore"
Every strange" said Phil, scarcely able tc
restrain his laughter, as Arthur, to whom he
had been giving row on the lake, sprang to
the dock and turned again to look at the oars
with face of concern.
Walking up toward the house, while Phil
remained behind to pull up his boat, still
laughing as he did so at his little cousins mis-
take, Arthur met the hired man with horss
and buggy.
"Are you going to the station for Unch
George" he asked.
"Yes. Jump in if you want ride"
Arthur needed no urging. Ten minute
later he was staring with great interest al
the iron horse snorting up with its load o.
men glad to escape from the smoke and heal
of the city.
'Bad news, Uncle George" he said, shak
ing his head with the same grave face with
which be had viewed the oars ''The oars are
broken"
"Oars broken?"
Eyes, both of them"
"How could that possibly happen?'
81 don't know Phil took mo out in the
boat-it's jolly nice way to ride, doesn't
jogge single bit-and just as we got bael
to shore the oars broke"
Every strange" said his uncle ''They are
new oars. Are you quite sure of what yoG
say, Arthur"
'Just as sure as l can be- uncle. 1 saw
them as plain as anything"
"Phil is expecting to take part in the row.
ing match tomorrow, said his uncle, looking
perpexed. UNLESS he has pair of good
oars he will be very much disappointed. III
order to make sure had better telegraph
into the city for pair"
"You have met with an accident, hear,'
he said, as on reaching home he met his son.
mo, sir" said Phil.
"Arthur tells me the oars are broken
"Ohl" Phil laughed. 'He is the most
ridiculous little chap about believing every
thing he is told"
"And why shouldn't he believe everything
he is told!' asked his father, with some Sc
verify. Don't you expect to be believed?"
'But it was only little joke, don't you
see, fathers He saw the bent appearance OF
the oars, the refraction at the edge of the
WdloI1 dlil w ucu 10 Siiu UllOy were DIOkCu j
didn't tell him they were not"
mo. You intended the little fellow to
believe what was not so. Stay-where are
you going?"
ITO practice with the boys who are to ROY,
with me. Harry Hill has sprained his wrist,
and can't row, so we have to put in all the
practice we can this evening with a new
hand"
"You will have to take your chances OIL
the practice. You must go at once to the
station and countermand the order I have
given for new pair of oars"
"But, father" began Phil.
sit is your own doing, sir. Perhaps you
will learn some day that it is not a smart
thing to impose upon an innocent hearted
child because he makes the mistake of think.
ing you are to be trusted"
sit may be the means of our side losing
the race" grumbled Phil, as he took his way
to the station
He found the telegraph office locked, ano
it was only after much difficulty and delay
that he succeeded in sending his message.
Whether or no it was through the conse
quent loss of practice that he failed in tn
rowing match cannot be said, but certain il
is that he did fail.
Phil was inveterate tease and player
of practical jokes. Nothing in the way of a
trick was too trifing for him to take deligh.
in, and no trouble in the preparation of q
joke too great for him.
He had hailed the arrival of his little cou
sin as furnishing a fair subject for fun, and
the very first evening of his arrival had SC
worked upon his fancy, with the fable of the
pot Of gold at the foot of the rainbow, that
without letting any one know, the child had
made his way across meadow and through
a bit of woodland towards the foot of hill
where he was sure the glowing colors touched
the earth
But they were all gone, and twilight had
fallen by the time he emerged from the woods.
Still, the rainbow had been there, and he
spent some time hunting for the pot of gold
which might still be there
Atlast, trying to fiEd his way back through
the woods, he became confused and wandered
far out of the way towards home.
In the hours which followed, during which
Phil aided in the alarmed search for the los,
child, he fully resolved within himself to give
up his bad habit
But bad habit, as most of us who are
foolish enough to foster and nourish one,
know to our cost, is not an easy thing to
overcome.
LIZ fC1 uOAG CIV oull1SSS SllppGu ulUO AT
thurs glass of milk fragment of marble
which exactly resembied q lump Of sugar,
and watched with suppressed glee his efforts
to make it dissolve and his surprise at failing
to do SO.
whats the mattera" at length asked Phil.
"Why, it's queer can't make this sugar
melt" said Arthur, holding up the white
lump in his spoon. "I've tried and tried"
''Oh, l can do that in a minute!" said Phil
With little sleight of hand movement he
spirited away the marble out of sight, and,
slipping lump Of sugar into the glass, dis
solved it with few turns of the spoon.
What wonderful fellow you are, Phil"
exclaimed Arthur, looking at him with eyes
full Of establishment.
"l'd like to give our boats crew q picnic
into Great lake" said Phi to his father, one
uay. III VIII b. a tine TOW Ior Ia, Gnu
could get them their diners at the new pa
vilon at the head of the lake. Well be very
careful and be home in good time Can we
goa"
81 think you may" said his father. "You
are trustworthy set of boys. think"
Can Arthur go with usl"
ayes"
1t was a merry load which, with brightly
CHANGING oars and quick moving boat, gliaed
SYer the blue wafer On a morning full OF
sunshine.
Arthur's face beamed with delight as he
listened to the chat and laughter, and it was
not long before Phil began amusing himself
in his favorite way by telling preposterous
stories, convulsing the other boys with half
concealed merrimcnt at seeing how the limo
pant child believed every word be- Aeafd
After awhile Phil took from his pocket
gold piece which his father had given him to
provide the entertainment for his friends.
"Now, Arthur" he said, "l'll show you
something worth seeing. l can throw this
into the lake and call it up again as soon as
want it,"
AFthurs blue eyes turned upon him IN
SOBER faith. He had seen his cousin do s.
many strange things that he had no doubt Of
bis being able to do as he said.
"You look carefully at it" said Phil, put
ting il into his hand, $50 that you can be
suro it's the same piece, and no trick about it. !"
Eyes, shall know it again." said Arthur,
after gravely examining it.
"WelL Prestol There she goesl"
Phil made a motion to throw the piece int