The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-01-06

sleigh after his invited guests. He
first got the Thornes. and when they
were comfortably settled in the big
sitting-room he stepped out and call
ed Mr. Thorne That it was merry
Christmas to them all will not be de
MED.
When dinner time came nineteen
people sat down to dinner and the
most of them were chile
Such a dinner. Turkey, chickens,
mince pie, apple pie, pumpkin pie,
cranberry sauce, old fashioned raised
cake, apples, nuts, raisins, oranges
and banapas were SO plenty that
everyone had enough and lots to
spare.
Then after dinner Farmer Jones
took all the children into the parlor
and played blind mans buff in a way
none of them had ever seen before
After he was blindfolded he would
say:
| Fee Fl fo fun
| smell the blood If an Er glishman;
Be he live or be he dead,
Ill grind his bones to make my bread.
Then he would rush into the room
and try to catch someone. He must
have peeked, too. for he played until
ne had caught every one of the chill
dren. Then he sat down and told
them stories, and played other games
with them. At 9 o'clock the old
house was still, for the guests had all
departed except the Thornes who
were to staywith Mr.. Jones till a
suitable house could be got ready for
them, "for," Mrs. Jones SAID, 'the
little house where Mrs Thorne had
been living was not suitable for cold
weather"
After the children had been tucked
in bed Mr. Jones said: Now, Mr..
Thorne, here is the money that Messrs
Wilson Il Wilbour were willing to
pay you for the mistake they made in
putting you in prison. 1t is small
pay, I know, but it is all they could
raise at the time" and he handed
the draft to Mr.. Thorne.
"Oh, no, | cannot take all that"
said Mr.. Thorne, ''if they pay me for
my lost time that is all L ask"
Would you be willing to 60 to
prison for three years and leave your
family to get along as best they
might for S10,O00?"
mo, not for ten times that"
"No, of course you wouldn't; SO you
see you are not very we'll paid after
all. Don't say another word. You
were sent to jail to cover up their
tracks. BY the aid of my brother.
who is detective, and my acqnain
tance with Mr. Wilson, 1 managed to
get at the whole secret of their plot
Pm sorry didn't know of it before"
"'Alls well that ends WELL said
Mrs. Thorue, who was so happy at
the return of her husband that she
forgave every one.
How can ever pay you for this
great kindness?" asked Mr.. Thorne.
"Wel], suppose yon give me that
little girl of yours We are very lone
some here-mother and land we
would like to have some young chick
around"
Mr.. Thorne looked at his wife and
then at Mr. Jones as if to see if he
were in earnest. There was twinkle
in the farmers eye and Mr. Thorne
knew at once that he had some pro
position to make and was only asking
for his daughter to open the way.
Nv hat can you mean, Mr. Jones?"
81 mean that l want that little girl
here in my house all the time. /
must have her too, SO | will make
you proposition to take the old
farm and run it next summer, all II
ask is to have you live here with us,
SO we can have the children around;
don't answer to night, talk 1t over and
decide tomorrow"
They did decide to stay, and that is
the reason the old Jones farm is con
sidered by the young folks of the
town as the best place in the world to
go and have a good time. Mr.
Jones spends all his time driving lit
tie Alice, whom he calls his girl,
around. and the doctor, who comes
up from the city every week, says
that in another year she will be able
to walk abont as well as any one.
Charlie is happy because his sister
is getting well. and he says it all came |
about by going to Farmer Jones
house to eat Chaistmas turkey