Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-04-07
EQUAL TO THE SITUATION.

for the broken fragment, which was
floating in sight. Gathering the slack
line carefully in his hands. vigorous
tug landed high and dry the largest
trout ever caught in Mill brook.
THERE Joe exclaimed, as Tad re-
garded his prize in an amazement too
deep for words. you've caught the one
real trout you've wanted to-now, l
guess we'd better be getting home,
without doing any more fishing"
"All right" returned Tad, mourn
fully, "but you caught him, after all,
joe But Joe stoutly asserted that
Tad hooked him first, while he-Joe-
only helped to bring the big fish safe tc
land. And, in the discussion of the ex-
citing episode, the walk home was ac-
complished in a surprisingly short time.
Tad's big trout was baked for sup
per, and it was generally agreed by the
four who partook thereof that the flavor
was particularly fine. Tad himself sc.
cretly thought he had never eaten any
thing so delicious in his whole life.
But it is not unlikely that the llnowl-
edge that he himself had furnished this
important adjunct to the evening meal
gave it an additional relish for Tad.
BY this time Tad had begun to feel
very much at ease with these quiet,
home-like people. As they gathered
about the open fireplace, with its
smoldering backlog, after the tea.
things were cleared away, and the big
kerosene-lamp was lighted, he opened
his heart to their kindly questioning
and spoke freely of his past life. There
was really little or nothing to keep
back, for, as have said, thanks to the
memory of his mothers teachings and
natural uprightness of character, Tad
had escaped the evil ways which a
homeless, friendless boyis so apt to fall
into, and. though he had faults in
abundance, he was, on the whole, a
more upright young fellow than many
whose surroundings and advantages
had been far more favorable than
Tad's.
80 you're to begin ships duties to
Miss Smith o Monday-eh, Tad?" re-
marked the Captain, thoughtfully, to
break n little silence which had fallen
upon the gwup.
Yes, sir" was the reply, land /
do hope she'll like me-"
shell be hard to suit if she don't, ="
returned Mrs. Flagg, clicking her nee
lies emphatically together as they
dashed in and out of the meshes OF q
blue warn sock that she was knitting
Tor the Captain. For the good lady,
whose heart was large enough to take
IN at least half dozen motherless boys
and girls, had begun to regard Tad
with considerable favor.
II know she'll like you,' said Polly,
confidently, as she looked up from the
fascinating pages of Little Women,
which she was reading for the first time,
while Bounce slumbered peacefully in
her lap.
You Just 60 on and do your duty
unto Miss Smith accordin' rs you'd
have it done to you. Tad" remarked
the Captain, oracularly, land you
needn't have no fears. Miss Smith, "
continued Captain Flagg, with upraised
finger to command attention, ''is fe-
male that's had a tempestuous vyge
in life, as it were, a-losing of every re-
lation she had, which has gone to make
herr bit cranky; but she's good-hearted
and God-fearin', and once you get into
her good books, you're always there. ~
They say she's got han sum prop
ertv that her folks left her-some-
where's nigh ten thousan' dollars" Mrs.
Flacg observed, in voice indicative OF
considerable respect for the possessor
of such wealth. For in Bixport the
person with an unencumbered estate