The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-06-06

Few moments he drew forth the StrangeSt
looking specimen Of butter ever churned.
This roll of butter said in queer. gur-
Cling voice, "Me-youwl" It was Mr. I.
Cat, in disguise so complete that his own
mother could never have recognized him.
Poor old T. Catl He loved cream, but
this time he had even more than he would.
josh placed him outside the kitchen
window when he began process of
cleaning which to this day he has never
ended.
Josh was wiping up the cream as well
as he could, when Dan came in.
"Goshl Pop. what hind of animal is
That out in Che yard"
Dan1, said Mr. Phlatkins severely,
"Dan1 keep your mouth shet; an il you
say word about this I'll tan you within
an inch of your life!H
Upon trying the bread, which was
beautifully brown outside. but heart
sbfolenly sad within, Mr.. Phlatkins said:
eDanI, dinners goin' to be late to-day,
an you had better so over to Aunt
Sallys for something to cat, or you'll be
tardy to school
"All right, pop, said Daniel, march
ing of obediently.
Owing to q dearth of eatables, Mr..
PhlatlSins dined on cob pipe and medi-
tations.
After dinner he put the bread, butter,
and other uneatables in a large pan and
took them out into the back yard. This
done, he sat down, not to rest, as usual,
but to commence work upon a sock,
which he succeeded in darning good
deal by 4 o'clock.
For supper he toasted little dry
bread and made a cup of tea by the
time his wife drove up to the barn and
had attended to the horses.
After supper Mrs. Phlatkins said:
"Well, Josh, after you git the dishes
done you kin go an milk the cows. I've
got few papers and things want to
look over this evening"
When Joshua had returned from do
ing this she remarked:
Josh, 1 don't see the bread nowheres.
Wasn't it good for nothin'? ?"
"Never see nicer bread in your born
days, he affirmed boldly.
"That's queei!n muttered Mrs. Josh.
"No one ever could bake decent bread
without turnin' that damper to heat the
oven. Then she added in a louder tone,
"And the butter, Josh; where is that?"
"That was awful fine, too, " replied ne,
from behind his newspaper.
Just then the cat rose from where he
had been lying by the kitchen stove, and
Mrs. Phlatkins' quick eye caught sight of
the grease spot with which he had decor
ated the floor.
"Gracious Josh, what on earth is the
matter with Tom? Just look a-here!n
"Pop, he" began Dan. who sat in tho
corner making little F5atans ON his slate.
"Dan'l," interrupted Mr.. Phlatlzins
harshly, ~Dan'l, have you carried in
enough wood?"
Guess SO, pop"
swell, go and carry in some more; it's
going to be colder tomorrow.
Joshua" said Mrs Phlatkins, when
Dan had dragged himself out to the wood
shed, "what have you done with the
bread an the butter?"
"Fact is, said the truthful house
keeper, "some poor people come along in
q covered wagon-gypsies guess-an' 1
gave all the things, an the squash an
taters 1 had cooked, to them for their
dinner Awful big family they had.
"Well, Joshua, if they ate the bread
that you cooked in that cold oven, they
must be dead by this time, sure. But
what did you give them all that butter
for?"
"Oh, they seemed SO fond of good
| 7 oo,,lJ ,,Of 1isariJ,t saY,1
Just then Tom followed Dan in with
his load of wood. Poor, sticky Tom!
He walked as if his once sleek fur had
been converted into a water proof, skin
tight coat; and he had the most de-
iected air ever seen in the cOuntenance
of respectable farm cat.
"Why, whatever can be the matter
with Tom ?" asked Mrs. Phlatkins "He
looks like he had fell into the SOAP
grease.
II guess he fell in th-"
"Dan'll" roared Mr.. Phlatkins. "Dan'l
go to bed. +"
"Dan1 skunk off, disgraced, while his
mother continued in the dark as to Toms
appearance, which, however, she soor
improved by few kindly efforts.
The next forenoon, as Mrs. PhlatkinE
was digging some potatoes for dinner out
in the little garden patch she noticed
Growler, the dog, paving industriouslJ
near the woodshed.
"What is it, Growler?" asked his mis-
tress.
Growler growled an answer, and KEEP
on digging.
"Must have a rabbit or a rat in a hole,
thought the lady. "Guess I'll help hin
git it out.
, Suiting the action to the words, SIN
began to hoe up the rather loose dirt
Presently she uncovered what locke,
liked an immense cream puff. Growle
licked the puff, bit it, then went and la.
down in the shade of an ash barrel witt
Q disgusted look upon his face.
Il thought sol" said Mrs Phlathin
softly. Good breadi Uhl Huhl yer
nice breadl Nice raw squash an taters
/, too, raking out few vegetables as sh
5 soliloquized delicious butterl Ye-e
: poor family in covered wagon.
At the dinner table Josh knew tha
trouble was brewing because his wit
was so quiet. After Dan had started fc
school she said:
"Well, Josh, found the place wher
= your poor family ate their dinner yestel
: day. Amt you ashamed to lie like tha
: a settin' sich a example to Dan1?n
: Being cornered, Josh made clea
- breast Of it from beginning to end. Nov
\ adays, when Mrs. PhlatlSins feels partit
. ularly vicious, she remarks;
/, Joshua, want to go to town to-day
an I'm goin to leave you TO do m
work
! Joshua grits his teeth and smiles.
Royal Hubbell-