Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-04-23
TOMMY,s EXPERIENCE.
How Near He Came to Missing a mic
Visit in the Country.

How Near He Came to Missing a nice
Visit in the Country.
Tommy! Tommy
Tommy shut one eye, and with the other
looked through convenient knot hole in the
side Of the wood she'd
Again his mother called his name, this
time a little louder than before; still
Tommy did not answer. To say he felt
aggrieved would be giving very mild
description of his feeling at that minute.
Had he not worked all morning, carrying
coal and water, and picking up sticks and
stones from the front glass-plot and doing
various things too numerous to think OF
lust then? And had he not been sustain
ed and upheld through ii all by the
thought of having the whole afternoon to
himself? Why, he had even forgotten
to count how many buckets of water he
had carried to wash off the porches, so in
terested 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 he must be called
from it!
81 know just what she wants me for, y
he said to himself. II don't see any esnse
in two of us going to the store; just as If
TiIlie couldn't go by herself! I'll not let
on hear her call. ="
Tommy knew that this was not a very
safe course to pursue, but he was so vexed
that he did not think of consequences.
By this time his mother had gone into the
house and closed the door, but it was
again opened and his name again echoed
through the premises.
That's lille, said Tommy, land she
won stop at calling; she will hunt me
up"
He looked around for hiding place.
He could hear Tillie running down the
stone walk. She would be there In a
minute; so hastily jumping down from the
work, he ran across the floor and climbed
into an old cupboard, which shook IN
threatening manner, as If resentlng the
intrusion. He pulled the doors to just as
Title appeared in the doorway.
Tommy! Tommy Dawson" she called,
so that there might be no mistake as to
what Tommy was wanted. Tomms held
and wished that his heart would not
thump so heavily against his ribs; surely
Title would hear it. But she turned
was not to be found. Tommy chuckIed 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 knothole
for a 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
al, ln,zJlyy aoH not
strange they were saying: Sneak! sneak!
sneak" lust as fast as they could? Tom
my had oftened listened to them before,
but he always thought they said: Sum
mer's here. here, here He must have
been mistaken then, for nothing could
be palmer that what they were now say
ing.
IF only that road to the store was not
so hot and dusty!" he said half aloud; and
then he whitfield at willow switch.
Il do wonder if Hatton S dog would
bite? Titles awful 'fraid of dogs" and
then another minute of whiting.
Il 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 bot that old woodshed Is
anyway and, running up to thoes tines.
be burst into the kitchen, where he found
Title flying around in wild delight.
why Tommy Dawson" she exclaimed,
where have you been? We've been call
ing you everywhere.
''What are you polishing your best
shoes for?-to wear to the store?" de-
manled Tommy, skillfully evading the
question.
'.Store?" echoed Title, scornfulIy
"Why, Tommy Dawson, Uncle Torn is
here, he is going to take us home with
him, and he's in an awful hurry; and mo
theirs up stairs laying out your clothes
and | polished your best shoes. You
see, we thought you might come in time tC
to dress in hurry.
Ard oh, Tommy. was afraid that
would have to go without you!" and here
Title paused to take her breath.
Tommy may live to be very old, but III
will never forget how mean he felt jus
then.
You mad better not stand ther," cen
tinued Title. Uncle Tom said w
must be ready in half an hour, and ht
has been here fifteen minutes now
Tillie could not think what made Tom
my so very kind and thoughtful uurin!
the next fifteen minutes, and when
after running up stairs after her paraso
and handing it her, he stopped to pick VI
a thread from her dress, her wonde
found expression in words: How nic
you are Tommy! just wish you'd be tina
way all the time
And Tommy, as he climbed into tn
buggy which was to take them to tn
station, resolved that ne would ''be tina
way just as often as he could think Oft
| think that he must have kept his resoiu
ton, for it was only the other day that
heard lay remark: How much Tomm
Dawson seems to think of his sister! Fl
treats her just as if she were some othe
body's sister.
AN ODD CHA