Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-01-20
9lomth' q Column.
Who Stole the Honey?

kegs of molasses, piles of Goldfish,
and on the counter pieces of pink
and white calico for the little folks
frocks and aprons. There is always
a glass showcase in this kind of a
store, where are kept pen-knives and
thimbles and letter paper, and per-
haps little case of glittering finger
rings And behind the show lease on
the high shelves there are glass jars
full of candy. Fascinating sticks, a
penny apiece, some white, some red,
some with ribbon-like stripes, are in
these jars, and pink cinnamon lozen-
ges and delicious lemon-drops.
Besides having all these melt-in-
your mouths to sell, Deacon Bird
dealt in honey. A few boxes of the
sweet, golden stuff always stood in
the back of the store near the
window. One summer day Deacon
bird discovered that large part of
the honey had been taken from one
of the boxes. Had his little errand
boy, Dick, a sweet tooth?
'Come here, you Dick" said the
deacon.
Dick came, bare-footed, curly
headed, with his ragged straw hat in
his hand.
'Have you been meddling with
my honey, sir"
"No, sir
''Prove that you haven't by finding
the thief said the deacon. ''Do you
hear?'
Poor Dick How was he to find out
the thief? A few days passed, and
another box was nearly emptied.
GIVE watched" SAID the deacon,
''and no boy goes into that store but
yourself. If you don't clear up this
mystery in a week, you leave my
store. | want no thieves in my
place
To be called thief That was
harder than hard work. Dick would
have left the deacon's employ that
very minute, had it not been that his
father was a poor man, with little
ones younger than Dick to clothe and
feed. No, he must stay and find the
culprit.
One day Dick went into the back
room, and sat down on bag of
meal. The deacon had gone home
to dinner, and Dick was tending
store. But there were no customers;
and the boy, feeling very disheart-
ened, sat down among the barrels to
think what he should do if the dea-
con turned him away. Suddenly he
heard sound that caused him to
look up.
ssHa, ha % said Dick ''there are
the thieves -
There they were, indeed, talking
away to each other, coming in and
going out, as busy and important as
if their doings were honest and above
board. Above board they really
were, for not one of the pilfering
gentry made the slightest pretence
to secrecy.
II will tell the deacon you are
here" said Dick ''and he may catch
you if he can. l guess he'll have a
merry chase of it,
Then Dick fell laughing, and in
q paroxyism of mirth rolled of the
meal-b bag on to bag of Brazil nuts.
The nuts did not make very COM
Portable bed, and he sprang up just
as the deacon came in.
I've found the thieves, Deacon
Bird" he said. tCome and catch
them"
But the deacon was afraid that the
rascals might do him mischief. SO he
| locked the door of the back room,
making Dick prisoner with the
highwaymen, and ran off after a
constable. He was back presently
with burly Bill Barrett who had locked
up many sinner. Pushing the con-
stable ahead, the deacon, well cover
ed by his broad shoulders, entered
the back store.
"Where be they?" he asked for
getting his grammar.
"Don't you see them?' asked Dick
pointing to a score of bold invaders.
CHOW Mr.. Barrett, now's your
chance"
Mr.. Barrett laughed a loud roaring
laugh.
''Bees, by my yardstick p said the
deacon. ''Boy, you may have the
rest of the honey if you won't tell of
this"
But somehow, the story got out
COngregati0nalist.
Parents often wonder who or what
has ruined their boys. They have