Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-09-30
CAUGHT IN HIS OWN TRAP.

Arthur " hts cosann, DysrA yeArs ot11 tnoD
hifnaeif
"whas's the matter with tbs carr
"Bsoksu--don't yoo sssr
Arthur Pointed 10 the oar In Pills hand,
which looked, - W all know IN car O. sick
Ass~, ~ II It were hsohsu juss WHARF IL %
trr~t tbs water.
"Ah, I sssf' sid Phi, always delighted ~
getting little joks On any Goa "Whas .
pity. Aad-jusf look ct the other oasr~
Broken. tooi- exclaimed Arthur. In great
assonishm~nt and dismsy. Why, how strange
they should break Just ~ We gst sshorsl'
Very strange" aid Phil, scarcely able to
restrain his laughter. - Arthur, 10 whom b
bad bern giving row on tbs lake. sprang To
the dock and turned again 70 look 1t tbs oass
with . face Of conosrn-
Walking up toward the bOsa.s, whils Phil
remained behind 10 pull up his boat, SKILL
laughing ~ hs did =, at his little cousins mis-
and buggy.
"Ars you going 10 tho station for Cncls
Georger he asked.
"Yss. Jump In II you want ride"
Arthur n.e.ie.i no urging. Ten minutes
later hs was staring with great interest At
the iron borss snortiEx up With its lad OF
men glad To esraf., from thr smoke and heat
Of the city.
bad news, Uncle George" hs said, shAk
Ing his hsad with this sans grave face with
which t.~ had viewed thsoara The oars are
broken"
"Oars brokenF
"Yes, both u them"
"How could that possibly happenr'
II don't know. Phil took ms out In ths
bnat-it'sa jolly nice way TO ride, dos~nt
Joggie single bit-and just a. we got back
10 shore the oars broke"
Very strange" said his uncle They are
new oars Are you quite sure Of what you
say, Arthur
Just sure as I can 10. uncle saw
them as plain anything"
Phil Is expecting 10 take part In the row
ing match tomorrow, said HIS uncle, looking
psrplexel Unless hs has . pair OF good
oars he will LIS very much disappointed. In
order 10 make sure had better telegraph
into the city Tor pair -"
You have met with an accident, hear
he said, ms on reaching home he met his son
mo. sir, said Phil
Arthur tells me the oars are broken
''Ohl" Phil laughed He - 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 ~
verify. Don't you expect TO be- believedf'
But 1t was only little joke, don't you
see, fatheri He saw the bent appearance OF
the oars, the rofractlon at the edge Of the
water, and when he said they were broken
didn't tell him they were not"
NO. You intended the little fellow to
believe what was MT a.. Stay-where are
you goingf
TO practice with the boys who are to row
with mo. Harry Hill has sprained his wrist,
and can't row. 30 We have TO put In all the
practice we can this evening with q new
hani "
You will have to take your chances on
the 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 smart
thing to impose upon an innocent hearted
child because he makes the mistake Of think
ing you are 10 he trusted"
III 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
it was only after much difficulty and delay
that he succeeded in sending his message
Whether or no it through the conss
qient loss Of practice that be failed in the
rowing match cannot be said but certain 1t
is that he did fail
Phil was an inveterate tease and player
Of practical jokes Nothing in the way Of a
trick was too trifiing Tor him to take delight
in, and no trouble in the preparation Of y
joke too great for hirS
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 70
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 a meadow and through
. 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 bunting for the pot Of gold,
which might still he there
At last, trying to tird 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
.
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, In not an easy thing to
overcome
Tho very next evening he slipped into Ar
thurs glass Of milk a fragment Of marble,
which exactly resembled lump Of sugar.
and watched with suppressed glse his efforts
to make it dissolve and bis surprise at failing
to do 50
What's the matterr 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, can do that in minutef" said Phil
With a little sleight OF hand movement he
spirited away the marble out OF sight, and,
clipping lump Of sugar into the glass, dis
solved it with few turns OF the spoon
What q wonderful fellow you are Philf"
exclaimed Arthur. looking at him with eyes
full Of astnnishment
I'D like 10 give our toat's crew q picnic
into Great lake. said Phil to his father, one
FAY. 1T viii be a due row for US, and !
,ould get them thsir dinners at the new pa-
vilion at the head Of the lake. Wen BE- very
careful and be home In good time Can ~
gof'
~ think you may" said his father ''You
are a trustworthy set Of boys. I think"
Gan Arthur 60 with usF'
YES
Il was a merry load which. with brightly
glAncing oars and quick moving boat, glidsd
over the blue water on . morning full Il
sunshine
Arthur's face bearued with delight - b
listened to the chat and laughter, snd It was
not long before Phil began amusing himssk
in his favorite way by falling prepustsr0us
stories, convulsing the other boys with half
concealed merrtment 1t sssing how the limo
cent child believed every word he heard
After awhile Phil took from his pocket
gold piece which bis father had given him b
provide the entertainment for his frienda
Now. Arthur" he said, "ru show you
something worth SEEING. l can throw this
into the lake and call il up again - soon -
want it~
Arthurs blue eyes turned upon him in
sober faith He had ssen his cousin do %
many strange thinss that b had no doubt Of
bis being able to do q be sid
you look carefully at it." said Phil. put
ting it into his hand. 40 that you can b.
sure it's the SANE piece, and NO trick about IL"
"Ys, | shall know IL again. I'D Arthur,
after gravely examining il
well Prestol There she goesl"
Phil made . motion TO throw the piece into
the water, but it was . pebble which u,Ads
the little splash which Arthur heard
"Now. | believe III get my money be
said, few minutes later. I'VE shall want \
up at the pavilion. Come here, goid,"
He put his hand down In the water and