The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-04-02

tucy spohcu Out. Lie DeBlIluluS Was
trifie, merely a dispute as to who owned
certain pointer puppy which Tom
claimed to have lost and Teddy had GER
tainly found. Teddy would have given
it up at once, only Tom had said his dog
had white ears and a liver colored sad
die, while Teddy S founding was mark
ed exactly the other way. Teddy had
bantered Tom about seeing wrong, and
Tom had retorted holly that he would
rather see wrong than do wrong. After
that there was nothing more to be said
except over the shoulder rs each turned
from the other: "Oh, we'll, keep my
dog! I'll give him to you rather than
make fuss over him.
If even their mothers had known all
about it, the two would have been
laughed out of their wrath in a couple
of days But with everybody in the dark
and much carrying Of tales from one to
another in Il month the two young fell
lows We're ready to fly at each others
Threats upon any occasion or none.
Neither of them dared let his anger cool,
for as certain as that happened each
knew he could never rest until he had
made up the quarrel.
Always, i'll looking back at it, that
winter was nightmare to both Of
them. But throughout it they held their
heads up sturdily and made pretense
Of not caring about the breach. Widow
Samson knew it was only pretense with
her son, and Sophia Baxter was as GER
tain Tom was half heartbroken over it.
But those two saw little of each other.
With the boys thus at daggers drawn,
any sort of intercourse between the fam
lilies was awkward and restrained.
So the new year came to May, and
still the two young fellows went about,
hot in anger. That was not the worst Of
it either. The village had begun to take
sides. If it did not know the story Of
the quarrel, it could and did make up
it's mind as to which was likeliest to be
blameworthy. And, in spite of all Ned
dy's good deeds and kind services, there
were plenty to shake the head and say he
had been spoiled by having his own way
so entirely. Most likely he had tried to
hector Tom after fashion no lad of
spirit, let alone a Baxter, could possibly
endure.
Notwithstanding it was planned to
have May day festival, with pole, a
queen and dancing ON the green. It was
q long time since anything of that kind
had been undertaken, but ever since
Easter Granny Lewis had been telling
such fascinating tales of the doings in
her young days those who heard were
wild to initiate them. She was dear
soul, round and comfortable, with merry
eyes and voice whose bare sound car.
ried comfort. But for her the Samson
and Baxter factions would long ago
have come to open war. She herself did
not take sides, which was very strange,
seeing that Teddy had been her prime
favorite ever since he was in short frocks.
Of course she was an authority as to
all the May preparations. Nobody
dreamed of questioning what she said,
least Of all Teddy. He did not even Won
der when she babe him gather branch
of hawthorn from above the Silver
spring and take pains that he broke it
while wet with dew and just as the
church clock struck midnight. 'But
you must go for it at dark" she had
added ''Wait quietly, watch and bring
me word of what you see."
Now you begin to understand how
Teddy came to be there in time to see
the moon mirror herself in the dimpling
waters and be astounded by the antics
of the beasts He could scarcely believe
his eyes, He rubbed them and looked
again. Yes, there was the mother hare,
with her young frisking amicably with
in an inch of Master Fox's nose. And
by and by one venturous small, long ear
rubbed himself aHectionately against
Reynard's fore leg and was playfully
cuffed for his audacity. Then the big
owls and the bigger wild turkey came
ambling out OF the wood, with the mine
ing troop of toads and insects ut their
heels. As in flash it came to Neddy
that he had seen all of them earlier.
They had come in singly and drank of
the waters just where they seemed to
hold the moons pictured face. 80
there must be charm in it, he cried
softly, then flung himself beside the
water and drank deep draft. And as
he drank he felt the hate, the misunder-
standing, slip away from him as the
water slipped. His heart was light and
happy as Of old, so light and happy, in
deed, it seemed to him the most natural
thing in the world that none of the
wild creatures stirred or shrank from
! him. If they took any note of his pres
ence it was to frisk and chirp and bark
more blithely than before.
Now, will break my branch, then
run away to tell Tom there was never
such another idiot as I have been this
six months" he said, getting up from
beside the spring. "Of course the dog
was his. Any one. might make little
mistake like that Cannot rest until
have begged his pardon and made him
my friend once more.
"He is your friend for always, " some
body said Mt his elbow, and there was
Tom himself, happy and tremulous.
wringing his hand. Granny sent me an
. hour before you" he went on. Il saw
what happened to the beasts, but am not