The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-06-02

OF the nall carpet. His mother was busy
in the kitchen cooking doughnuts, and
aumming the ''Star-Spangled Banner
| as she worked.
II wish she would stop singing that
old tune," muttered Alexander, petu-
lantly, as he pulled the last foot or two
of the carpet up with jerk and began
Juggling it toward the barn. II know
the band will play it at the depot and
won't hear it at al, ;" and he choked back
a very unmanly sob.
Once over the line the hall carpet
looked more formidable than ever. It
thumped back and forth in the strong
wind and it slipped sidewise and acted
almost like live thing bent on mis-
chief.
You miserable old thing, I'd just
like to pound you to pieces" said Al
exander. angrily, and then he smiled in
spite of himself when he remembered
that pounding the carpet was the cause
of his trouble.
''1'll just give you a good one, any
hcw," he continued, picking up big
stick of wood and throwing it at the
carpet with AL his boyish strength.
The piece hit the carpet square in the
center, and with SO much force that the
long strip of floor covering started back
with a grunt. Before Alexander had
time to make move a great cloud OF
dust pulled out from the carpet and
nearly blinded and strangled him.
Then, while he was rubbing his eyes
and trying to see, the carpet slapped
him across the face fercely, and Alex.
ander was sure he heard hoarse shout
OF anger. Bewildered and scared ne
jumped backward, but fell over the
stick OF wood that he had thrown a mo-
ment before. Lying fiat on his back
and with his legs still sticking up in the
air, Alexander rubbed the dust out of
his eyes and looked up, only to be ap.
palled by sight that made his back
tiagle and his hair feel as if it wanted
to stand on end, bat was afraid to do it.
Right over him, and waving one arm
flercely while shaking the carpet nois-
lly with the other, was great black
monster staring out of cloud of dust.
II had an enormous head and immense
glaring eyes, and its cheeks were pulled
out frightfully as it blew and blew and
blew dust at Alexander's face. And
how it did wave its ugly arms and
wrinkle it's black brows Never before
had Alexander seen such an awful-look-
ing object as this carpet fiend. In spite
OF himself he gave yell of terror and
then rolled away as fast as he could.
When he finally got to his feet and
turned to look back the carpet was flap
ping on the line and dust cloud floated
through the orchard.
Alexander's courage returned at once.
'Huh," he said; cts only the dust, and
I'll just fool that old carpet if it tries to
scare me again." So, picking up the
carpet-beater, he walked determinedly
back, but his heart was humping like
an alarm clock. Perhaps he would not
have attacked the carpet again if he
had not remembered that he was the
leader of the brave Juvenile volunteers
and could not afford to run from dam
ger.
At the very first blow from the carpet
beaten the carpet fiend came clustering
out OF cloud of dust, shaking it's arms
and legs wildly and glazing frightfully
with it's ugly eyes while it blew dust
into Alexander's face. Then it caught
hold of one end CT the carpet and
whirled it around the pluclzy boy and
toppled him over on the ground again.
But Alexander's fighting blood was up.
Getting to his feet he pounded the car.
pet again and again with all his might.
The carpet end struggled and pulled