The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-11-16

Joe. He was an only son and his mother
and five sisters had spoiled him. He was Il
bright boy for his age, too, and good one,
but his father had not much confidence in
his molly codded son. Joe had an idea
that he was as capable as most boys, but
his father would always say. "Why, VIXEN
was half Joe's age, | was my fathers
mainstay.'
One August day Mr.. Harris had slight
sunstroke after working hard in the fields
getting ready load of fresh corn to be
taken to market in a neighboling town on
the following day. This was predicament
indeed, as his men were not to be trusted.
and he had small confidence in Joe stability.
However, he had to make the best of it and
send Joe with one of the hired men to
help.
The journey was accomplished without
any unusual event, and Joe, to his great
delight, sold every ear of corn, and as the
crop was an extra fine one, he realized
quite sum of money for his large wagon
load, and he sold the three jars Of butter
his mother had made to the hotel keeper.
1t was about dusk, and Joe, who was feel
ing very good after his days work, wished
the distance was II miles instead of : to
the farm. There was footpath which
crossed the fields at distance from the
high:oad, and by walking he could reach
home before Andrew, the hired man, who
role. Strange to say, he met no one on
the road. and yet he was sure he had hear!
footsteps. Then the thought that he Was
being followed entered his head, and he
started to run again, but the footsteps still
followed. As a last resource he jumped
the hedge at the side of the path hoping
that in the dim light his pursuer would
miss him. But there was no such good
luck in store for him, and in another
moment burly ruflian had jumped the
hedge and demanded the bag of money.
AS quick as wink Joe picked up a stone
and flung it at the man, hitting him in the
head and knocking him down. Then,
without waiting to see what harm the blow
had done, he took to his heels, retracing
his steps, in the hope of meeting with some
assistance on the highroad. He had gone
but few yards, when he ran into the open
arms of huge man, who being outpaced
by his companion, was ready to catch the
boy as he saw him coming There was no
use in calling for help, and Joe's kicks and
cries were to no purpose other than To
anger the ruilians He might have effected
his escape had not the other man, nursing
a blacl; eye, appeared at that moment.
That was the last he knew until he came to
himself some hours later. lie was in
corniield, and the moon was shining
brightly above him. The bag OF money
was missing of course, and to 90 home
without it after what he had said to his
father was not to be thought Of. He would
follow the men and perhaps chance to
recover the money might offer.
1t must have been about noon when,
hungry and tired, Joe stopped at farm
house and asked for drink. The kind
hearted farmer, seeing that the lad was
hungry, made him sit down to a hearty
dinner and Joe told his story to the sym
pathetic family.
''Two tramps passed here about day
light" volunteered the farmers daughter.
"Can you describe the men,"
He could, and his description tailed
exactly with that of the tramps seen by the
farmers daughter, especially about one
man having a very black eye. They had
taken the road to the north, she said, but
they were wicked looking men, and she
advised Joe not to attempt to follow them.
The men were far ahead, but by making
careful inquiries at country store he
learned that they had staid in the village
couple of miles away. This intelligence
spurrcd him on, and in two hours he
caught sight of the pair crossing a field
some distance ahead. Keeping well in the
shelter of fences and trees, he followed as
close as he dared. 1t was sultry day,
and the sun scorched everything with
which it came in contact They were now
approaching the river and Joe looked with
longing eyes at the cool water
To his great surprise the two men stop.
ped on the bank, and after talking for
time they removed their clothes and piling
them in crevice in the stone wall they
prepared to enter the water. The younger
of the two, the one whom Joe had decorated
with black eye, looked suspiciously in
every direction before he went down the
bank, but seeing nothing to alarm him he
went ahead with his bath. Apparently
neigher of the men could swim. They
splashed about in the shallow water, while
Joe, with fast beating heart, crept under
the shelter Of some bushes warily toward
the pile of clothes, for he was confident his
money was concealed in them. II he could
only get it and get away without being dis
covered!
This seemed likely to be the case for he
had the bundle of clothes in his arms and
had risen from the ground and cleared the
fence before an exclamation from one OF the
men announced that he was discovered. Joe
thraw tho clothpa with tho axoaptiop n.