Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-17

sisters There was a silence for a minute,
and then the oracle said mournfully:
"We can't all go you know; the ogre
might catch some Of US. Besides, what's
the good? No; threw it over, SO suppose
must fetch it."
Then, turning to Molly, he bade her bring
him chair from the schoolroom, aud not
to dawdle on the way.
''The ogre might come back, you know"
he said gravely, ''and I don't want to be
nabbed."
Molly flew indoors, and returned with
high chair, which they succeeded in plant
ing firmly against the wall. Jack clam
bered up. 81 must jump, suppose" he
said, after surveying the land on the other
side; sit won't do to spoil the flower beds"
With that he gave spring and alighted on
the path Just as the Colonel, who had gone
to get cigar, re-entered the garden. His
rage knew no bounds; he seized the aston
ished Jack by the collar and gave him a
good shaking, much to the terror of that
worthy's partisans, who were watching the
scene in silent dismay from some steps on
the other side. ''You Young scamp, your
he exclaimed at length when he had recov-
cred his breath, "how dare you come into
my garden like that?'
81 wanted our ball" muttered Jack, who
felt sore, both morally and physically, from
the shaking. ut came over here"
L ''1t had no business to, !" returned the
Colonel, picking up the offending article;
land since it's here, I'll keep it, think.
And now, be off with you, d'you hear? No;
not that way, as the boy made for the wall.
"Can't you see the gate?''
And through the gate Jack went, feeling
highly indignant with the ogre for his rude
reception of him, and fully persuaded that
har he he 0fb
him.
But the Colonel was not disturbed by any
remorse. In his eyes other peoples boys
were a nuisance, he did not understand
them, and felt decidedly aggrleved if they
were allowed to trouble him. So he lit his
cigar and walked thoughtfully up and
down, as if no such person as Jack existed.
He had completed ten turns in undisturbed
peace, and was walking toward the house
for the eleventh time, when a slight noise
behind him made him turn around.
To his utter astonishment he beheld,
standing in the middle of the path, little
bow The Colonel was too much taken
aback to speak. but stood staring at his
small visitor in speechless amazemenr. He
was not pretty little boy, but he had q
dark, attractive face, and grave wondering
eyes, which seemed to scan the tall Colonel
from head to foot. "So,'' he said at last,
when he had finished his scrutiny, ''you are
the ogre, are you?" Then, without waiting
for an answer, he continued: "Well, you are
not pretty. Are all ogres so ugly, won
der?''
Upon my wordP' calculated the aston
ished ogre, letting his cigar fall from be-
tween his fingers; upon my wordI'
"And you are jolly unkind," continued
his small accuser; 'jollY unkind," he re-
peated, cycling the object OF his remarks
gravely. "You hurt Jack awfully, and you
prigged his ball. L call that mean"
But it came into my garden" protested
the ogre. II had right to keep il"
You hadn't" exclaimed the small boy;
''you hadn't any right. Jack bought the
ball with his very own money, and you
The ogre blushed beneath his sunburn.
"Yes," repeated his tormentor, impress
sively, ''you stole it'll And mother says it's
wrong to steal. Perhaps, though, he added,
you haven't been told that;
perhaps ogres don't have mothers. Do
they?''
far-off memory of little fellow hardly
older than this one saying his prayers at
the knee of a sweet-faced, gentle woman he
called mother" rose before the CoIonel's
mind, and his voice faltered as he answered
'lowly: ST had a mother once, but she il