The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-08-20
TOmmy's Experience.

Tommy Tommy"
Tommy shut one eye, and with the
other looked through convenient
knot-hole in the side of the wood-shed.
Again his mother called his name, this
time little louder than before: still
Tommy did not answer. To say that
he felt aggrieved would be giving
very mild description of his feelings at
that minute. Had he not worked all the
morning carrying coal and water, pick
ing up sticks and stones from the front
grass-plot, and doing various other
things too numerous TO think of Just
then? And had he not been sustained
and upheld through it all by the thought
OF having the whole afternoon to him
sell? Why, he had even forgotten to
count how many buckets of water he
had carried to wash off the porches, so
interested was he in trying to calculate
how many willow whistles he would
have time to make before supper-time.
And now, just as he was comfortably
fixed at work, to think that be must be
called from it!
81 know just what she wants me for"
he said to himself. l don't see any
sense in two of US going to the store:
just as if Title couldn't 90 by herself!
III not let on l heard her call me-"
Tommy knew that this was not ii
very safe course to pursue, but he was
so vexed that he did not think of con-
sequences. By this time his mother
had gone into the house and closed the
door, but it was again opened, and
again his name echoed through the
premises.
That's Tillie," said Tommy, and
she won't stop at calling; she'll hunt
me up"
He looked around for hidng-place.
He could hear Tillie running down the
stone walk. She would be there in a
minute; so, hastily jumping down from
the workbench, he ran across the floor
and climbed into an old cupboard.
which shook in threatening manner,
as if resenting the intrusion. He
pulled the door to just as Tillie APP
peared at the doorway.
"Tommy! Tommy Dawson" she
called, so that there might be no mis-
take as to what Tommy was wanted.
Tommy held his breath lest she might
discover him, and wished that his heart
would not thump so heavily against his
ribs; surely Tillie would hear it. But
she turned toward the house, as if sat
isfied that he was not to be found.
Tommy chuckled in high glee, and,
after hearing the door shut, cambered
down out of the crazy old cupboard, his
face very red, his clothes covered with
dust and cobwebs.
After taking observations through
the knot-hole for few seconds, he got
up on the bench and began on the
whistles, but somehow the bark seemed
very hard to loosen and his knife was
not so sharp as usual. He was sure he
had never heard the field crickets chirp
so loudly, and was it not strange they
were saying, Sneak! sneak! sneak I"
just as fast as they could? Tommy had
often listened to them before, but he
always thought they said, Summers
here, here, here!" He must have been
mistaken then, for nothing could be
palmer than what they were now saying.
If only that road to the store was
not so hot and dusty!" he said, half
aloud; and then he whitfield at a willow
switch. Il do wonder if Hatton's dog
would bite? Titles awful 'fraid of
dogs" and then another minute of
whiting. ~ guess | could finish
these whistles after | come back" and
he shut his knife and with one bound
was in the middle of the floor, and
with another was out on the stones.
Whew! how hot that old wOodshed
is, anyway" and, running up the
stones, he burst into the kitchen,
where he found Title flying around in
wild delight.
Why, Tommy Dawson" she ex-
claimed, "where have you been?
We've been calling you everywhere"
" What are you polishing your best
shoes for?-to wear to the store?' de-
manded Tommy, skifully evading the
question.
"Store?" echoed Title, scornfully.
"Why, Tommy Dawson, Uncle Tom
is here, and he's going to take us home
and mothers up stairs laying out your
clothes, and I've polished your best
shoes. You see, we thought you might
come in time to get ready if everything
was fixed for you to dress in hurry.
And O, Tommy, l was that afraid
would have to 60 without you!" and
here Tillie paused to take her breath.
Tommy may live to be very old, but
he will never forget how mean he felt
just then.
You'd better not stand there" con-
tinued Title; Uncle Tom said we
must be ready III half an hour, and he's
been here most fifteen minutes now"
Title was too much excited to notice
his confusion, and he buried his burning
face in the depths of the wash-basin.
Title could not think what made
Tommy so very kind and thoughtful
during the next fifteen minutes, and
when, after running upstairs after her
parasol and handing it to her, he stopped
to pick thread from her dress, her
wonder found expression in words:
Glow nice you are to-day, TOMMY |
just wish you'd be that way all the time"
And Tommy, as he climbed into the
buggy which was to take them to the
station, resolved that he would +" be
that way" just as often as he could