Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-09

their mother, they told part of the stor!
# their ride. They said nothing about hear
ing Timoleon talk. for they knew that no
even their grandfather would believe tha
part of the story. But they told all about
the ride-how swiftly and how easily the
the horse went and how gentle he was
Buster John was, Of course, quite hero
and Sweetest Susan shared all the honors
with him.
The children's mother had more than hall
a notion to read them a lecture, but the
whitehaired grandfather protested against
this He said the youngsters were per
didn't want to see boys play the part Of
girls nor girls act like dolls. Then he be-
! gan to talk about Little Crotchet, who had
been so fcnd of Aaron. 1t was curious to
| the children to hear the whitehaired
grandfather talk of their uncle (whom they
hand never seem, as though he were a little
boy.
'1t seems but yesterday" said the old
gentleman, with gentle sigh, that ended
bling through the house on his
crutches, or scahmpering about the neighbor-
hood on the gray pony. But the gray pony
is grazing out there in the orchard and Little
Crotchet has been dead these fifteen years.
If he were alive now he would be 20 years
DID,"
The old gentleman fell to musing and sat
silent for little while. Then he went on,
| as II talking to himself.
me see, the pony is IS. and Timoleon IT,
All getting old"
Uncle Crotchet wasn't always crippled,
was he grandfather" asked Sweetest Susan.
"Oh. no." replied the old gentleman. "Un-
til he was Z years old he was as healthy
| denly taken Ill and lay in his bed for
months. After that he was never able to
walk without crutches. Twenty-nne years
| old! Why, he'd be man grown. AS it
| 10 hn L. stu 4 D
the grandfather continued. becoming remn-
iscent, when he wanted me to buy
Aaron. From the very first the two had a
fancy to each other. Aaron came from
| Virginia in SPECTATORS caravan. He be-
came so unmanageable that he had to be
| sold. Little Crotchet begged me to buy
him, but stood joking with the little fel-
low, and before l knew it our neighbor
across the creek had bought him."
"old Mr.. Gossett?" inquired Buster John
YES" replied the grandfather. "Mr,
Gossett bought Aaron. Little Crotchet was
so distressed about 1t that / offered Mr.
Gossett half as much more for Aaron than
he had given. But he refused It, Then
offered him twice as much and he refused
that, and l. didn't feel able to give any
MORE" D.,-.
"Why wouldn't Mr.. Gossett sell Aaron?"
asked Buster John. "Ive heard he's very
fond OF money" st-
He's a queer man., responded the grand
IatneT, naTu III sont tHiH6s anu cteNer
enough In others He; had heard the spec
ulator say that, Aaron was very danger
Gus character, and 30 Mr.. Gossett declared
that he was going to. tame him. Gossett
was a much younger man than he is now,
and about as reckless as any one in the
country ! remember he said something in
a light way that made little Crotchet an
CRY, and the lad spurred the gray pony at
him and would have rode him down but
for me-" .s..c..,
fatLer?" asked Buster John.
"Yes," replied the old gentleman, with
sigh; ''yes, the gray pony. II was fifteen
years ago, but 1t seems but yesterday"
The grandfather was silent after that, and
the children said no more They went to
bed when bedtime came, but not before
Buster John had made up his mind to rise
bright and early the next morning and call
and Drusilla Of his plan, and they said they
were anxious to so. too So 1t was arranged
that the housemaid should wake them when
she came in from the quarters.
This wss done. and to the surprise of
everybody whose business II was to be up
early. the children sailed forth a little
after sunrise. They went into the orchard.
hurting for the gray pony. Before they
had gone far. rabbit jumped up right at
then sat up and looked at them.
He's very much like Mr.. Rabbit" said
Sweetest Susan.
Hes lots better lookin'," remarked Dru-
silla. who had never forgiven Mr.. Rabbit
for mlstakng her for the Tar Baby.
While they we're standing there looking
at the rabbit, Sweetest Susan lifted her
hands suddenly aud uttered an exclamation
that startled Buster John aud nTnsiIia- and