St. Landry democrat., 1890-11-08

small purchases of merchandise, sub
scriptions. etc.
An Innocent Thief.
20 Johnny, come down town with ME,
will your I've got to get some lacks tor
mother, and she gave me this three cent
piece to spend. See, it's awful old and
thin and little. They don't Rave three
cent pieces in our mint now, but We can
get two-jawbreakers, and six marbles for
it, all the same"
'Oh, don't get jaw-breskers, get gum,
it lasts longer" said Johnny Burt, who
was the chosen friend and companion of
Dick Abbot. Dick had just leaned over
the wall and given their signal of a long
whistle followed directly by two short
ones, which had caused John to appear
promptly from behind the wood pile.
"Well. l know it lasts longer" said
Dicky, in reply to his friends last remark,
"but then you see Jaw. breakers are sweeter,
and besides, if have blackjack it makes
me feel awfully not to chew it in school.
and if you lay it down a second at recess
some of the fellows grab it,"
"Well, all right. | say, let's take the
three-cent piece. Where did you say
they did not have any nowf"
"In the mint"
"Mint9 that grows in our garden, but l
never found much of crop of silver in
it," said Johnny scornfully.
"Pooh replied Dick, "Do you mean
to say you don't know what the United
States mint is 1t is where they make all
the dollars and half dollars and gold
pieces, and all the money that we use in
this country. There is one in Washington,
and one in Philadelphia, and the res
another, but I've forgotten where. Fathers
been in the mint in Philadelphia and he
SAYS they save the water that the work
men wash their hands in, cause there's
little teenty -tointy specks of gold on them;
and then they strain the water, and when
every one has washed their hands there is
quite little pile of gold dust you know. J"
my p said Johnny, 81 wish | could
wash gold dust off my hands," and he
passed the piece of money back to Dick.
But there's many slip twixt the emp and
the lip" and the little coin slipped through
Dicks fingers. l am sure you can't guess
what happened to that little silver piece.
A very large observent-looking old toad
had been sitting in the shadow of the
wall, blinking his yellow eyes and on the
watch for any insects that might fly past.
He had not been listening to the boys con-
yersation, and did not know that it was
a very indigestible bit of silver that flashed
in the sun, and out went his long tongue
and in went the three-cent bit before one
could say Jack Robinson-in fact the boys
were too amazed to give any thought 10
Jack Robinson or any of the Robinson
family.
Johnny gasped, "He didn't, did he7"
eyes, sir, he did sir /" said Dick ex-
citedly. But both boys looked anxiously
in the grass to assure themselves that the
money was really not there.
"Not a sign of it," said Dicky selling
the astonished toad who bl1nked and
sbrunk together while Dick prodded and
poked him all over II feel it," he shout
ed. 81 feel it hard and round in his
stomach. Oh, the old thief T and taking
him by the hind legs he shook him vio-
lently, but poor Mr.. Toad kept his wide
mouth tightly shut. Dicky put him down
and put his straw hat over him to keep
him from hopping off,
"What'll we do?" said he.
Johnny thought of the jaw-breakers and
the marbles and grew red with rage.
"Ginger p he said. 81 guess wouldn't
be robbed by nasty warty old toad. I'd
kill him, would. Here, let's have him
and I'll get it quick enough" and Johnny
pulled from his pocket new double bladed
iack-knife which he had received on his
birthday. Dicky looked doubtful.
"No, DON'T" said he. 'you see he didn't
do it on purpose Probably he thought it
was q bug. Father says they have to be
awful quick, the minute anything goes by
they just have to grab 1t without stopping
to look"
"Wen," growled Johnny, call know
is. that's our three-cent piece, and we
can't get any candy or anything without
1t, and amt going down town this hot
day for nothing. Oh, come on, Dick,
don't be Sissy Give him here, t'wont
take q minute"
Dicky slowly lifted the hat. The toads
jewel-like eyes seemed to look at him be-
seechingly.
"say, john" he said, ~ suppose prob
ablv he's got q wife and children wait
ing for him at home, and, you see, we're
good deal bigger than he is, and | think it
isn't fair play for two fellows like US to
pitch on q little thing like him. Now if
be was our size you know it would be
different"
'sBosh /" burst forth John, Ego along and
get your tacks, won't CO." And jam
ming his hat down on his head he climed
over the wall and disappeared behind the
wood pile, thinking Johnny would give in.
But Johnny picked up his hat slowly,
looked reproachfully at the offending toad,
and then struck with bright idea, called
out, 81 say, John, we can't get the money,
but we can get some fun out out of it.
Come down town and Afterwards we'll
have O regular trial and have him for the
prisoner. You can be the judge and III
be the policeman, or If you'd rather you
can be the policeman, and we'll let Mary
and Alice play, and they can be witnesses
or the jury. Say that'u be fun !"
Johns head bobbed out from behind the
wood. pile. "Why, SO it will" he said.
call right, I'll CO."
As Dicky went to get box for the
prisoner his mother met him at the door.
She had been sewing at the window and
had overheard the argument She smiled
as she said, "Here is q box, dear. and
after the trial should be happy to have
the Judge, jury and policemen comein and
have some of the ice cream which Jane is
freezing, and here is q verse for you:
He prayeth best who loveth best,
All things, both great and small;
For the dear God that loveth us,
Ee naade and lovsth ALL
II Locke, in Lttas Christian