Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-06-29
SOMETHING FOR fhE LITTLE
FOLKS.


thing. that DO not try TO keep track OF hall
Of them. and as for guessing, you know afn
not Yankee az that and never vas
well then, ma. wont il be just fan
We are going TO put up our nsS tent, OUT 10
the back yard, and carry our torpedoes ano
fire crackers and-and- jsst a fsT matches,
you know aad-xs are going 10 stay 10 u Al
night All the boys are planning TO be ~
first sni Se want to 'roai the camp
But are you sure You ~iIl Sake Al TIE
right time =
.wake-ve shall not sleep ore wax all
night. and when old chapel strikes twelve
lang will 20 our guns AMI
But d9at you think you could feel better
the ue II day if you should 90 TO sleep and
get nicely restedf'
''sieep-xhy &e you NOT think Of such 8
thing"
We'll. ja.t as you please about that.
am perfectly willing for Gu To Try H. WIN
this lsst quiet rem rk the mater vas dropped
/ The day before the Fourth cane at last.
/ The tent vas set up between two beautiful
NAPLES and the prepara iOns for the night
we're all over With loag before the san went
/ down. Two barrels stood Just outside the
| tent Into these were TO BE- thrown the me-
crackers. for all the boys say they viii
make a louder noise in a barrel fes
matche. were carefully slowed away in ar
Old .ardine box, and covered with an old wool
/ hat fer fear spIrS from some chimney
might get near them" My young readers
/ will remember that this real happening
/ in large city. AMI though these little boys
wanted to stay out ali night they were very
/ good and very careful boys Their tent wa,
within few feet of their own house and only
few rods from houses on all sides.
! Willie laughed at this last remark, for on
| looking up he noticed that Freddie had put
/ the matches in that part of the tent that stood
l within a few feet of a neighbours summer
/ kitchen.
| "will needn't laugh" said Freddie, mo
| fear of being too careful-tor you know
that is what ma always says, and | guess
| she kaoUs."
Freddie did not enjoy being laughed al
and at any other time this little inciden,
might have ended more seriously-out thes
boys were too happy to quarrel-for you
know they were just giving the finishing
touch to their arrangements and to have
everything spoilt by dispute, they had not
the least idea. Besides they depended upon
each other for all their fun.
Now lets see," said Willie. II belev,
we've got ALL" and he pushed his new straw
hat up from his forehead and in turn named
over-the barrels the matches, the five
crackers the sailors crackers, nsh. can
die, lemons and-oh we must have a pail OF
water and some ice for our lemonade We
can get the ice in the house guess. They
stepped out and drew the fly of their tent
and with a now-we-areready-fo business
air started $or the house rafting their few
remaining coppers as though they were really
! dntl,rs Tho ipa ahfaiu ~
and Willie paid for it, adding, more As Al
apology for his mother, for taking the mon
ey, You know you told US we must pay all
our bills from the money you gave us
His mother took the change, counted il
then with thank you, the same as though sht
were dealing with actual strangers dropped il
into her purse, casped it and put it in hel
pocket. But while this last transaction wa,
going on Kate, the old servant, and whit
loved .'the rogues' as she often called the
BOYS slipped out with two nice soft comfort
ers and two pillows, and IN a moments time
fashioned most tempting little bed in one
corner of the tent.
When the long shadows had all crept close
together and night had fairly settled over the
little tent the boys also began to Guide clost
to each other and after they could no Longer
see mas light Freddie in hoarse whisper
said, willie, has old chapel stopped?'
But before Willie had time 10 answer tht
clock in the tower of the old chapel begaT
to strike, and when it stopped, only ten, were
the words both boys spoke.
willie do you spose mas asleep by THU
time Most likely, don't know though
why2" "Oh | only wondered if she was
that's all, kinder wish she wasn't though.
Another long and painful silence of at leas
three minutes, but it seemed an age TO Fred
die willie do you really and truly dare tt
stay here all night?'
why not. Ia ike TO know
Another short silence and sound fell OF
Wllie's ear that he was only too glad t,
hear. There. there. Freddie, don't b
AFRAID. for -ather than have you scared t.
death III give it all right up. but what will
ma SAY 2" ''Iii risk her,' said Freddie, ii
you'll take care of the boys
The boys know nothing at all about il.
said Willie, you kno. that was the cream
of our sport, 10 watch until midnight ant
fire the first gua
"A long silence AMI eleven strokes wer'
counted as 'old chapel" again p-ociaime'
the hour "Oh, dear, io not believe
ever ran wait another hour, and hgrt
Freddy fairly cried This settled it, Come
on said Willie, and the two boys s'arte,
for the house leaving everything IN the ten
except their lemons, tre-crackers and guns
They tried the side door nearest their moth
er's room aud 70 their pleasure as well a
surprise it opened. Their mother had hear,
their voice. through the closed blind of he
winIow. She was sure they would not re
main long so left the key in the door un
turned As they came in she said, Boys
have YOU Gomez" Then with the pretence o
dres ing s1e wal ell moment, and thei
cane out and lighted them up to their owl
cool room without once referring to the litli
matter in any unpleasant way. The boy
were between the covers of the bed in trc'
and as soon as Freddie's head touched hi
pillow he said ''Oh amt ma Just the bes
mother in the wotld?' Course. Away
knew it, answered Willie in an approving
tone.
The morning iawned bright and rosy
The kind mother called them In time to fir,
the first gun, and not until the second bunel
of crackers had been fired did they get a re
Spouse from any one % their mates A
night Freddie said, What a splendid da'
we've hsd-and all because we've got
mother that knows just how to make bo,
happy II know that" said Willie, "sh
has not called Us towards once, only ihinl
OF it, and TO tell the real truth was Just
mu afraid "a YOU we're, only would no
own it first he day closed and the tw,
boys fell asleep wiser and happier than eve
before