The Press., 1889-10-17
CAUGHT IN HIS OWN TRAP.


 Arthur pointed to the oar in Phils hand which looked, as we all know an oar or stici does, as if 1t were broken just where it en I tered the water.
 'Ah, seel" said Phil, always delighted al getting little joke on any one. "What s pityl And-just look at the other onel"
 Broken, tool" exclaimed Arthur, in great astonishment and dismay. "Why, how strange they should break just as we get ashoreT'
 "Very strange" said Phil, scarcely able to 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 I with a face of concern. 1 Walking up toward the house, while ,Rhil 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 a horse and buggy.
 "Are you going to the station for Uncle Georgeg" he asked.
 "Yes Jump in if you want riden
 Arthur needed no urging. Ten minutes later he was staring with great interest al the iron horse snorting up with its load ot men glad to escape from the smoke and heat of the city.
 Bad news, Uncle George" he said, shak ing his head with the same grave face with which he had viewed the oars. "The oars are | broken"
 'tOars brokenT'
 "Yes, both of them"
 "How could that possibly happen9"
 'I don't know. Phil took me out in the boat-it's jolly nice way to ride, doesn't joggle single bit-and just as we got back to shore the oars broke"
 "Very strange" said his uncle ''They are new oars. Are you quite sure of what you say, Arthurs" '-.. "Just as sure as I can be, uncle saw them as plain as anything"
 Phil is expecting to take part in the row. ing match tomorrow, j" said his uncle, looking perplexed. "Unless he has pair of good oars he will be very much disappointed. In 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.
 ''No, sir" said Phil. -r | "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 ha Is toldf' asked his father, with some se- verity. Don't you expect to be believeds"
 'But it was only little joke, don't you see, father3 He saw the bent appearance of | the oars, the refraction at the edge of the water, and when he said they were broken I didn't tell him they were not" ''No. You intended the little fellow to believe what was not so. Stay-where are you goinga"
 'To practice with the boys who are to row 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 new hand"
 "You will have to take your chances on the5 practice. You must go at once to the station and countermand the order I have given for a new pair of oars"
 But, father," began Phil
 "1t 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"
 "lt 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, and 1t 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 the rowing match cannot be said, but certain it Is that he did fail
 Phil was an inveterate tease and player of practical jokes Nothing in the way of a trick was too trifing for him to take delight in, and no trouble in the perpetration of g joke too great for him. He had hailed the arrival of his little cou- sin as furnishing 8 fair subject for fun, and the very first evening of his arrival had so workedupon 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 g meadow and through bit of woodland towards the foot of a 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 lost 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
 Tho very next evening he slipped into Ar thurs glass of milk fragment of marble, which exactly resembled lump of sugar, and watched with suppressed glee his efforts to make it dissolve and his surprise at failing to do SO.
 Whats the matterp' at length asked Phil.
 Why, it's queer can't make this sugar melt" said Arthur, holding up the white lump in his spoon. five tried and tried,n
 "Qh, can do that in a minuteI" said Phil.
 With . little sleight of hand movement he spirited away the marble out of sight, and, dipping lump of sugar into the glass, dis solved 1t with few turns of the spoon. What a.wonderfdl fellow you are, Philip exclaimed Arthur, looking at him with eyes full of astonishment
 "1'd like to give our boats crew a picnic unto Great lake. said Phil to his father. one day. ''It will be fine row for us, and I could get them their dinners at the new pa- yilion at the head of the lake We'll be very careful and be home in good time Can we goa'
 "I think you may,n said his father. "You are trustworthy set of boys, think"
 "Can Arthur go with usf''
 "Yes."
 It was merry load which. with brightly glancing oars and quick moving boat, glided over the blue water on a morning full of sunshine. E Arthur's face beamed with delight as he listened to the chat and laughter. and it was not long before Phil began amusing himself tn his favorite way by telling preposterous stories, convulsing the other boys with half concealed merriment at seeing how the inno- cent child believed every word he heard
 A &A~.> II