Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1897-06-03
PHlLO JOKES NO MORE.
PONDS FAMOUS WAC
TURNS OVER A NEW LEAF.
HIS LAST EFFORT COST HIM THE AF-
FECTIONS OF THE ONLY GIRL HE
EVER LOVED.
From the Lcnis.on Journal. !

! OF the most lrrepress bic jokers IN the
county, but he isn't soauy more. He
says he isn't anyway, and he ought to
| know.
The cause OF this change in Philos dis
| position is the result OF the last OF series
of excruciatingly funny jokes which he
attempted to play upon his intimate
friends and professional acquaintance,
and the aforesaid friends ct al. are au-
thority for the assertion that Philo got
enough OF joking that time to last him
lifetime. They cost Phio the fond AT
fections OF 1.-The only girl he ever loved,
a midnight exposure in thin garments to
the wintry blasts OF Eggemoggin reach,
the wrath OF an angry father, big DOCTORS
| bill and almost a broken neck.
1t WAS several weeks ago when night
had spread her dark mantle that PhiIo
left the purple shades OF Bluehll behind
and headed overland on foot and alone
for Sedgwick. Twenty miles is nothing
OF a walk to Philo, and then his heart
was young aud thoughts OF love and a
nice little girl at the end OF his journey
spurred him on and nearly banished all
thoughts OF practical jokes from his
| iocuar think station.
Almost, but not quite, for when he
struck in sight OF the tWiukling lights in
the cottage OF his sweetheart, Phllo's
nature asserted itself and he Immediately
! decided that he would play Joke the
girl as the prelude to the evenings court
ship. The idea came suddenly, bat then,
] .
sudden ideas.
! 70 be sure, he Ind an old score to settle,
/ for he had not forgotten his last visit
+ when he came away with the brand new
pantaloons which he had purchased OF
| Lewis Friend ruined and with fragments
/ OF Il wooden bench and some particles OF
shoemaker's wax clinging to n trayed and
unslghtly rent in them. He WAS not
! quite certain that she had placed the ball
OF WAN there before offering him the
bench to sit upon, but he resolved to take
. he benefit OF the doubt and play a Joke
/ on Sue.
He shifted his course and headed for
! Small inn here he ate with the appe-
tite appropriate to II twenty mile consti
waxed his moustache and gave his brand
new green -sndred necktie and
killing t~cak aud prepared to depart
| saving to Small, ..I'Il be in at half-past
nine, standard. II | hainit in by that
time just you lock the door ind 90 to
bed After this evidence OF his consid
cratic for his hosts welfare he headed
back again toward Downing's where
lives the girl no then was his but now,
alas, is not.
He stepped into John Paris's on his
way to buy tive-cent smoke by which to
keep the swamp witches aIoof, and while
John WAS passing out the cigars the very
thing upon which to build his Joke on
sue caught Philo's eye. 1t WAS a rubber
mouse which looked litelike enough to
fool the " isest cat.
"How much?o asked Philo, with a
grin OF delight.
Twenty five cents said John.
Its mine" said Philo, and with his
mouse and cigar smoking he headed for
Sues home.
Sue met him with heavenly smile at
he side door and assured him that though
she wasn't expecting him she knew it
,,a. him coming when Dority's dog had
hsrkea
Thi. nl.ssed PhjIo and when Sue went
into the. hsck cellar and returned with a
NAN INN q, ROSY annie. and a pitcher OF
cider he almost relented and thought of
,,..;,,,, root e,o,d for once
Pa and ma aud Sue and Philo sat and
at. en,,I.s and sipped cider. and pa talked
,,Iit=fc-. while ma talked OF he elder last
,.r,nnn ano sue talked OF that gtwky
s,,i,,,.,,bo vas round lately, and philo
.,,,y.,..r,.,, , bam and felt real honelike
,,,,5I ~. .l,,, struck fem. and ma
y,.n, ia he'd and by and by PhiIo rose