Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1893-06-15
Mchamcbwn, Frederick County, Maryland Thursday June Is, 1884,

nursery was quiet, not sound in the
next room, and nurse had gone down
to supper.
A sudden thought struck him. He
got up and going to the window, drew
aside the curtain. Yes it was quite
dark surely the pigeons must be in bed.
Now Was his only chance of planting
the peas.
Fritz looked round the room. His
clothes lay neatly folded on II char.
He peeped into the other room and on
the table beside the work basket, lay
bis great coat-nurse had just sewn a
button on it.
1t took him two minutes to struggle
into it, though the sleeves were rather
tilesome another minute to thrust his
bare toes into his red slippers, take the
packet of seeds and he was ready.
Mother sitting by the drawing room
window, was all unconscious OF the
strange little figure making its way
down the front staircase and out Of the
garden door, standing wide open to
cool the house.
He was SO intent on escaping from
the pigeons, that he never stopped to
think he might be doing wrong. He
had come this way to avoid passing
through the back door, near which the
pigeons lived. Even the darkness did
not brighten hlm, so intent was he on
his work.
Down the path he tip toed, afraid
lest the watcLful birds might hear his
slightest football and be awakened.
Once he looked down at his slippered
feet, and thought it so fortunate he had
not put on his walking boots-the last
new ones We're very nee, but they dll
make Il noise.
At last the garden was reached, and
Fritz began. Very slowly the peas
were put in, for the coat was very un-
comfortable, and tapped about in a
most unusual manner: perhaps this was
not to be wondered at. as only two
buttons We're done up.
He was just putting in the last pea
when there came step on the gravel,
and mothers voice sudden y exclaimed:
why. Fritz, my darling little boy.
What are you doing here:
Oh, hush, hush, he cried in whis-
per, the pigeons will hear.
Perhaps mother understood it all at
once, in the wonderful way mothers
have of knowing things; anyhow she
did not ask any questions. but picking
him up carried hun straight to
the drawing room.
His flther took him on his knee, and
helped mother to rup his legs, which
were quite cold.
Poor nurse came in looking dread
fully worried and Fritz 1T so sorry
and promised mother never to 90, even
in the garden again, alone or without
permission. He told them all he had
been doing and then father carried linn
back to bed, for he was getting almost
too sleepy to keep his eyes open. When
father went down to the room again, he
found mother with piece of muslin in
her hand.
Look here she said, smiling, this is
to cover Fritzs seeds
Father laughed but he went out
with mother to Fritzs garden, and
held lantern while she covered the
peas. They were not planted i'll u very
straight line and mother had to DIG one
or two and replant them. She pegged
down the muslin SO nicely all around,
leaying little room for air to get in,
but not enough for the pigeons.
Fritz was delighted when he saw it
next morning, and the muslin remained
there till the peas were well above
ground. Every now and then it Was
lifted higher, as the little green shoots
grew taller.
And when Fritz could take mother
whole bunch of beautiful sweet smell
ling peas out Of his own garden, he
really felt as if he could begin to love
the pigeons again.
THESbVBN AGES Oh MIN.