St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-09-22

the sto' an Yves all gone to bed and got
to sleep-you hearin', Paul?"
sYeS'm."
s'You get mp stills mouse, an you
go git dat hoe ye' paw brought home,
an dom you make no noise takin' it
down, an you kerry dat hoe ober to Mr..
BenSOn'S; an you take de hoe what's
hangin' dar-dat's our hoe, Paul. dat
yo' paw left dar by 'stake-you take dat
hoe an bring it in the woodShed, an
dom you nebber tell you paw nOthin'
bout it,
Mr.. Johnson chose an early bedtime
to insure early rising for the morrow's
morning. His guilty conscience did not
bring about the proverbial insomnia,
but long after his SnoreS had begun to
resound through the low chamber
: Aunt Lucy's eyes were wide open
and her ears intent on the slightest
noise. She grinned uneasily in
the dark as she heard slight rus
tie by the door, a creak or two on the
rickety stairs. Her heart leaped as the
shed door shut with loud bang, but
'Liah slept on. The moments seemed
hours. At last came the longed-for
,creak on the stairs, and Aunt Lucy,
with muttered ''breSS de Lord" went
soundly to sleep.
The first sun rays were shining in at
: the window through the morning
glories. the early breakfast was smok-
ing on the table, the siXyoung JohnsonS
were struggling down in various stages
of sleepiness, Aunt Lucy was bending
over the stove and 'Liah washing at the
sink, when loud knock was heard at
the kitchen door, which, being open,
disclosed Mr.. Benson. BY his side
stood the village constable. In his hand
was an old and much battered hoe.
'Liah saw the hoe and his upper jaw
fell. Aunt Lucy's gaze also was riyited
on it.
.'Goliah Johnson" said the constable,
you're my prisoner. You stole MIR.
BenSon'S hoe"
.'Fore de Lord. Mr.. Benson, I amt
got you hoe. What you dOin' wild
mine?"
You needn't pretend that you left
your old hoe in my barn yesterday by
mistake, 'Liah Johnson" burst in Mr..
Benson, las if you couldn't tell this old
thing from my hoe. What have you got
to say for YOURSELF"
You may search dis place, Mr.. Ben
son, from top to bottom an side to side,
an you won't find no silver of yo' old
hoe. How you got mine. clare l give
y
here's where | keeps my hoe" and
'Liah swung open the woodshed door.
There hung MI. Benson's new hoe.
You PAUL." fairly shouted Aunt
Lucy, bouncing on her young hopeful,
''what did you do las night?"
did jiSt what you tol me. Took
back dat hoe an changed it for de one
in Mr.. Benson's barn"
Took back what noe?" shouted 'Liah
in his turn. Lucy Johnsing, what you
been stickin' yo' fingers IMP"
well. Liah. flowed | warn't gwine
to have no hoe in dis house what didn't
sb'long to us by rights, m so tor Paul
to git up las night an change de hoes
back ag'in, an if he did it, how dis one
comes heah beats me-
You Lucy JOhnSing, see what yOu'S
been an done wild YOU meddlin'. | took
back dat hoe fore went to bed, when
made s though was gettin' de whet.
stun, an then you went and changed
'em back ag'in."
"'Liah JOhnsing, why you keep Sc
crets from you welded wife? Why
didn't you tell me bout date"
By this time Mr.. Benson saw that
there was something more in the matter
than he had supposed, and sending away
the constable, he got from the worthy
couple, with much circumlocution, the
story of the nights mistakes. Being
man with some sense of humor. he was
quite Modified by the cOmicalitieS of the
situation, and even went SO far as to
take breakfast with the JohnsOns.
AN after dis, 'Liah JohnSing," was
Aunt Lucy's moral, YOU'D better think
twice fore you keep any mo- secrets
from YO' lawful welded wife,"