Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-03-31

ward As NAV be possible. comm 4n1c1te y let
ter with the subscriber. describing said bag. to-
gether with such other Information shall
satisfy the subscriber aforesaid that said re-
spondent i the true and lawful owner thsr~os
the hand bag before mearionef Wfl be duly re-
turned on the payment OF the suna % ave dot-
lars. 70 cover expenses OF adycrtising etc
Signed CAPTAIN JETHRD Fr-tGs.
Residence Bixport. state % Maine
Having finished this rather remarka-
bic production. Captain Flagg read il
aloud for the edificatiOn Of Tad and
joe Whitney. who had just returned
from the kitchen.
.'Tain't the way I'd put il. Uncle
Jeth, remarked the irrepres>ible Joe.
with his mouth full If doughnut and
a suspicious bunchiness about his
pockets. a. Captain Flagg laid down
the paper with look Of conscious
pride. I'D Just say; Pound in Broad
Street station. Philadelphia. on such
and-such a night, handbag. Prove
Property and pay charges. Address
Captain Jethro Flagg. Bixport,
Maine.
Captain Flagg regarded his auda-
cious nephew with a look in which
mild indignation was blended with
pity. ''Mebbe you would. Joseph" he
said, with some severity. .'mebbe YOU
would; but, considerin' that I'm jest
few years older'n YOU. I've took the
liberty of doin' this my own way
.'All right. Uncle Jeth. returned
the unabashed youth. IF you don't
-
he remarked, briskly. turning to the
secretly amused youth. how'd YOU
like me to 90 over to Miss Smiths in
the morning and speak a good word
for you, eh?'
I'D like you TO 90 with me ever so
much, warmly replied Tad. He did
not rely much upon Joe's verbal rec
ommendation, but he had sort of
feeling that the moral support Of his
presence would be a great deal.
"Tll call for you right after break
fast" briefly returned Joe. with q twin
kle in the eye. that. had Polly been
present. she would have understood at
once to mean mischief. But she was
helping Mrs. Flagg with supper prep
arations. and the Captain was busy
sending off the copies of his notice to
n couple of city papers, so Tad had no
warning as to Joe Whitney's love of
practical Jokes. And all the way home
Joe choked down certain little twinges
of conscience, by representing to him
self that it was "only little fun, any
way" an excuse which l fancy has
been common TO misehievous youth
from the tabled stoning of the frogs
down to the present day.
Miss Smith was shooing" some
hens out of her yard as Joe came by
the house, and he at once volunteered
his services with marked success. Send
ing the last hen shrieking across the
street with stick following closely at
her tail-feathers, Joe closed the gate
carefully.
"Oh, 1 say, Miss Smith," he re-
marked, as he was turning away. II
told Tad-the boy that Uncle Jeth
brought home this trip-that I'd come
over with him in the morning IS
sort of bashful with strangers.
"Nobody'd accuse yOu of any thing
of the kind, Joe Whitney" was Miss
Smiths uncompromising answer. She
was tall, thin, angular and forty. with
| a good heart, but rather uncertain tenn
per- And Joe was not n prime favor
ite with Miss Smith. by reason of
his rather peculiar tendencies to mis-
chief
"Tad's real good boy, / guess,
said Joe. ignoring the personality, ''but
if he's as hard of hearin' as Uncle Jeth
says-for I heard him say Tad wasdeef
as haddock have TO holler like
old boots to make him hear" And
without waiting to be questioned far
ther, Joe scudded homeward.
True to his promise. Joe was on
hand bright and early on the following
morning. Captain Flagg had gone
down to superintend the discharge of
the MARY is" cargo, and Mrs.
Flagg was in the kitchen. Only Polly
and Bounce followed the two boys to
the gate.
Remember, nOwl no trieks-Joe.
called out Polly, warningly- good
luck to you Tad" and she waved her
hand encouragingiy. as the latter
turned with a very full heart to look
back at the old home whose occupants
had given him so friendly a reception
.Oh, isn't this nicer' said Tad en-
Enthusiastically, as he drew in n great
breath Of the sweet. pure air, and
looked at the quiet beauty Of the land
scape about him Behind the village
rose 4 range of spruce and pine COW
cred hills. All round were fertile
farms, and, in the eyes Of the eity-bred
boy, Bixport and its surroundings
seemed sort Of miniature Paradise
Not 80 bad" patronizingly assent
ed his companion And as they crossed
small stone bridge which Spanned a
deep narrow stream Joe stopped and
peeped scrutinizingly over the rail- at
the dark current below
II guess the waters warm enough
to try the trOut-tO-morrow' Satur-
day, and if Miss Smith'H let you of in
the afternoon-if she hires you-what
do YOU say If we go trOuting2"
Say. What would any boy say to sueh n
proposition-particularly n boy who had
never before been outside city walls2
''But may be Miss Smith won't hire
me- suggested Tad. little anEiously.
after having expressed n raPturous
readiness to accompany his newly
made friend on n trouring tramp. or
anywhere else that Joe might suggest
mo trouble about that Joe replied.
confidently; shed take anybody I'm
Gle Jeth recommended You know
she's hard Of hearing?" he added. care
lessly.
No, Tad did not know it.
..Factr' said Joe, with nod; land
if was you. I'd speak up good and
loud, SOS to let her see that you've got
a voice Of your own The louder you
hoIler, the better she'll like you" he
added, with n slight twinge of his not
oyer-sensitiye conscience For though
it was true that Miss Smith was I'M
deniably hard Of hearing in her right
ear, persons speaking n little above
their ordinary tone had no particular
difficulty in making themselves heard
Tad resolved that If this was the case,
he would place himself without delay
on the topmost round Of Miss Smiths
affections; and little more was said. as
they had now arrived at their new