The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-11-27

make long marches around tho yard.
waving flags, footing horns and charg.
ing valiantly on the old cat, the fussy
turkey g0bbler. and once completely
routing family Of pigs that were root
ing in the onion bed.
The little General. as his papa
sometimes called him. dearly loved to
hear stories about wars, and was es-
pecially delighted when great-grand-
mother told about the Sioux massacre
in Minnesota, where she lived when she
was first married. The General thought
Indian warfare must be very exciting.
lie had many imaginary battles. and
to have seen him scalping invisible In
dians you might have thought him
very feroci0us warrior.
Ono October day he happened to be
down in the vegetable cellar. Now the
nights were getting pretty frosty, and
papa had thought it safer to gather his
winter squashes, and there they lay,
great pile OF dark green "IIubbards"
and golden ''Mammoths"
The General gave little shiver OF
mock fear as he looked at them in the
dim light
They look like big lot OF peaked
headed Indians he exclaimed.
Wouldn't it be fun to make believe
scalp 'em.' Whereupon. with what he
thought very blood-curdling yell, he
gave Mohawk Indian warhoop. about
which he had read in Peter Parley's
little history. and, brandishing his
Ratchet made a charge on the pile.
Nearly every squash had tough
green stalk, about five inches long.
This the General called tho scalp
lock-" and he hacked 1t of, quite re-
CARELESS that his blows sometimes cut
great gashes into the squash itself.
An hour later, as this hero sat before
tho fre in the dining-room, making q
worsted harness for SNOWFALL. his pet
kitten. Papa Davenport strobe into the
room. saying Indignantly: who's been
hacking away at my Hubbard squashes?
Was 1t you, Winfeld?'
A big lump came into the Generals
throat He almost wished that that
story Of George Washington and the
Ratchet had never been written, because
since then every body felt that it would
not do for soldier to tell lie.
SO he said, slowly. with downcast
eyes: II did, papa-I-I was scalp
ing 'em!'
''Scalping them! Child, didn't you
know that when the stem is off they
decay good deal faster? l wanted to
keep these squashes as long as could.
SO as to get good price for them bv and
BY. Now | shall have to sell them right
away. I'm sorry. my boy, but shall
have to punish you for this bit Of mis-
chicf. March out into the yard and get
me SWITCH
Papa could be very severe when &C.
casion required. and the General knew
that marching out and getting switch
meant whipping!
But it would not do for a soldier to be
. coward. SO he drew up his small legs
from the rug and went sober,y out OF
the room. Papa looked sober, too, and
inamma's face was very sad!
Presently the General returned. lie
brought no switch. but he held out one
chubby hand with something in it.
Papa" he said, trying to speak brave
". Il couldn't find any switca-Jack
trimmed the hedge last week, you know.
| looked for shinglc in the wood house.
but Jane had burnt them all up under
her kettle. But. papa" sturdily repress-
ing little choke in his voice and hold
ing out his hand rcsolutely, here is a
stone thought you might Mron at me
I'll stand puffeckly still, you know
Papa suddenly turned and looked ont
OF the window. while mamma bent over
her buttonholes. Then papa cleared his
throat and, lifting the General up in his
arms. said, gently: We'll, little man. If
you are truly sorry, think I'll let you
of this time"
And when the General gave papa a
grateful hug tho stone dropped from his
fingers and rolled on the floor. where
the kitten chased it until mamma
stopped and picked it up, and with .
tender little smile put it in her work
basket-Mary f. Brush, in Youths
Companion.