Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-04-30
A LUCKY JOKE.
Grandpa's Wallet Lay Untouched Because
1t Was the First of April.

anu II IL II wrong 10 deceive IN Jdnu-
uary, why isn't it wrong the first of
April?"
But it's such fun" said Phil, land
everybody knows you don't mean any
harm"
Il guess your grandma is about right,
Philip; she generally is" said Grandpa
Bellows. looking up from his newspa-
per. There is plenty of fun that is
y right without this, isn't there?"
Yes, sir, said Phil, and he went
1 away whistling Marching Through
i Georgia" though he felt rather sober.
II had planned so many good jokes
to play on the boys to-day!'' he said to
himself. Il do wish it wasn't wrong,
but grandma thinks it is, 50 there's an
end of it,
The other boys had no scruples how
ever, and there were plenty of jokes
played, and Phil laughed with the 9TH
lers.
When he came home from school,
Sgrandpa looked very sober, and grand
pma was slyly wiping her eyes on her
Checked apron.
Are you quite sure you didn't leave
it in the store?" she asked, and grand
pa answered TREMENDOUSLY:
Eyes, mother, I'm sure, for ! missed
| 1t when | got to the gate, and hurried
NSback to the store and asked Mr.. Scott
and he said put it in my pocket. 1
felt little chilly coming home, and l
took out my handkerchief and tied it
around my neck, and may be it fell out
Then"
''What is it, grandma? Has anything
happened?" asked Phil.
why, your grandpa went to the
store to buy some groceries, and took
the pocket-book with all the money
we've got in the house" said grandma,
t'and he lost it somewhere coming
home. ! don't see how we can get
along without it. but therell be some
way Don't worry, father; the Lord
will take care of us. Besides we may
find it yet
\ 1T amt likely" said grandpa, sadly.
S''There were good many people on
I he street, and some pretty rough
hooking fellows. Twas an old-looking
4 ook, but somebody would be
sick it up and keep the money.
about twenty dollars in it,
-..,.,,, nov we are going to pay the rent
II don't know"
''Why don't you advertise ito asked
Rhil
I Il don't s'pose it would do any good,
grandpa answered, ''besides we haven't
lgot the money to pay. I'm getting too
N2ld to do business, l guess. Id better
Have let you done it, Philip, I'm so for
gietful," and tear rolled down the old
mans face.
80 grandpa, don't feel 20 about it,
said Phil. IN go and look for it.
Where were you when you took out
your handkerchief"
Right near the tool factory" was
gTandpa's answer. Il remember be-
cause the wind blew around the cor
ner"
IAN right" said Phil, hopefully, 'I'Tl
find tiff l can. May be somebody
picked it up who is honest" and he
hurried down the street. In front of the
. factory, near the sidewalk, just where
grandpa had dropped it, lay an old fat
wallet. Phil caught it up with low
chy of Joy.
t'Ha! hal April fool!' ca ed out some
boys lounging near. well, you are
green one! Moren hundred folks
have looked at that and remembered
what day it was, and wouldn't touch it.
Haven't cut your eye teeth, have you,
ssonny9"
Phil laughed. ''Then they got fooled
instead of me, he said I'm not so
green as you think"
Three minutes later he laid the pock
st book in grandpa 5 lap.
'Where did you find it, Phillip" asked
lthe old man, ioyfully, while grandma
looked her surprise.
You must have dropped it when you
| put on your handkerchief grandpa,
near the factory" Phil answered.
''There it lay, plain in sight, near the
icurbing, but everybody thought it was
AN April fool joke and so no one touched
It,"
''Well, well" said grandpa, laughing
It's all safe-every penny of it. 1t is
good joke for US, isn't it, mother?"
Yes, indeed" grandma answered,
with beaming face And Philip is
good boy. / don know what we should
lido without him"
And, grandma do you think it is
wicked to have little fun, the first
day of April?" asked Phil, with twin
kiln g eyes.
May be not, may be not" answered
the dear old lady. at does most seeD
as if there was Providence in it, after
all. There may not be any harm ifyou
don't carry it too far,
And Phil kissed his grandmother, and
ran merrily away to Bob Whites, whers
they had plenty Of fun, but whether hi2
5olles were successful have not been
able to learn.-Julia D. Peek, in Youth
companion.