The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-10-16
TOMMY'S EXPERIENCE.

WHY D6 NOW HIN Sl0tVT OubO nb -
She We're Some Other Boys Sister.
Tommy! Tommy"
Tommy shut one eye, and with the
other looked through convenient
knot.hole in the side Of the wood-shed.
Again his mother called his name,
this time little louder than before:
Still Tommy did not answer. To say
that he felt aggrieved would be giving
a very mild description of his feelings
at that minute. Hadn't he worked all
morning carrying coal and water. pick
ing up sticks and stones from the
front grass plot, and doing various
other things too numerous to think OF
just then? And hadn't he been sus-
tanned and upheld through it all by the
thought Of having the whole afternoon
to himselfp Why. he had even for
gotten to count how many buckets Of
water he had carried to wash off the
porches. so interested was he in trying
to calculate how many willow whistles
he would have time to make before
supper-time. And now, just as he was
comfortably fixed at work, to think
that he must be called from it!
II know just what she wants me
for" he said to himself. II don't see
any sense in two of US going to the
store; just as if Tillie couldn't 60 by
herself. I'll not let on heard her
call me-"
Tommy knew that this was not
very safe course to pursue. but he was
80 vexed that he did not think of con-
sequences. By this time his mother
had gone into the house and closed
the door, but it was again opened, and
again his name echoed through the
premises.
That's lilly" said Tommy, land
she won't stop at calling; she'll hunt
me up"
He looked around for hiding-place.
He could hear Tillie running down the
stone walk. She would be there In q
minute; so, hastily jumping down from
the workbench, he ran across the
floor and climbed into an old cup
board, which shook in threatening
manner. as If resenting the intrusion.
He pulled the doors to, just as lilly
appeared at the doorway.
Tommy! Tommy Dawson!" she
called, so that there might be no mis-
take as to what Tommy was wanted.
Tommy held his breath lest she might
discover him, and wished that his
heart would not thump so loudly
against his ribs. Surely lilly would
hear it; but she turned toward the
house, as if satisfied that he was to be
found. Tommy chuckled in high glee,
and after hearing the door shut clam
bered down out of the crazy old cup
board, his face very red, his clothes
covered with dust and cobwebs.
After taking observations through
the knot hole for few seconds, he go
up on the bench and be canon the whis
tie. but somehow the bark seemed yer.
hard to loosen, and his knife was not al
sharp us usual. He was sure he had
never heard the field crickets chirp SC
loudly. And wasn't it strange they were
saying: Sneak, sneak, sneak" jus
as fast as they could. Tommy hat
often listened to them before, but hi
always thought they said, summer
here. here. here" He must hav
been mistaken them, for nothing coul'
be palmer than what they were nov
saying.
IF only that road to the store WASH
go hot and dusty" he said half aloud
and then he whitfield at willo,
switch.
IL do wonder If Nations dog woul,
bite; Tilly's awful 'fraid of dogs.
And then another minute of whiting
Il guess l could finish these whistle
after come back. and he shut up hi
knife and with one bound was in tn
, middle Of the floor aud with auothe
, was out on the stones.
, "Whew! how hot that old wood she
Is anyway" And running up Ii
stones, he burst into the kitchen wheI
he found lilly flying around in vii
I deliuht