The Advocate and news., 1898-10-26
Rlllv,s Shoes.

his mother and brothers as they gath
cred about the kitchen fire on the even
ing Of October 81.
What for?" asked his mother.
Wasn't it last Halloween night they
took away a lot OF my best chickens,
and was a week huntin' before l found
the first wan Of emp"
Sure, enough, Billy, it was"
"And I'm goin to sit out there to-
night, and its a big stick I'll be havin';
ard any one that comes about II be
gettin' 1t on their heads without any
bOdys sayln BE yer lave"
TITS hurt yell be gittin', Billy" said
hig mother, anXiously.
the vans that'll be hurt, mother. You'll
see."
"I'll help" said Billys brother Mike.
"Ill be watchin' wild ye, Billy"
mo, you'll be in the house and in
your bed; and II you hear me singin
out, it's out you'll be, runnin' and hOl-
lerin'."
Mike growled in an undertone at
Billy keeping all the fun for himself,
inwardly resolving not to remove a rag
of his clothing when he went to bed,
hoping with all his might that the
chicken thieves would come.
Billy began his watch early; for, il
the Halloween sports should come, they
might come at any time. Arming him
self with heavy stick, he sat down at
the corner of the chicken house which
was nearest the kitchen window It's
feeble light was comforting to him, and
Billy sorely needed something to tighten
the burden of his spirits as he waited
in the chill and darkness of the autumn
evening.
Billy never deliberately set himself to
the cultivation of gloomy thought.
Added to the fact Of rarely having time
for it, it never occurred to him that he
was having a pretty hard life of 1t, his
mother being a widow with several
small children. But just now anxiety
bore rather heavily upon him. Winter
was coming on, and he could not see
bis way clearly to the getting Of com.
forts for himself and the others. His
mother worked her best, and he and
Mike did their best; but there was al
ways a spot where the two ends of ne
cessity would not meet. Poor Billy beat
his brain in vain.
"If wear a straw hat all winter,
that'll be something to go toward me
shoes II / don't get any shoes, Mike
can have a coat. If Mike has coat, he
caa do without flannel shirt; and then
Pat can have pair Of mittens II Pat
has pair of mittens-whist, now!"
Billy held his breath as stealthy foot
steps drew near.
''I'm going down to the village for my
new Shoes" said Ed Crofts to his friend
Dick Martin. "Will you go with me?"
Il want to get in a few Halloween
jokes tonight"
ooh, so do /. But I'm going early.
The fun to come later"
"Pll go, then"
The two started on their walk Of about
half mile, as Ed lived a short distance
out of the small village. The modest
home of Billy Murphy lay about half
way between, near the edge Of the vii
lage. The day had been cloudy, and
the night closed in very dark
"All the better for our pranks," de-
Clared Ed.
lie SuO6o WSIc SSCu1Ou dlu NAO DOJo
were again passing Billy Murphy's.
Lets begin here" proposed Ed
"How?" asked Dick. "It's no good to
try to carry gates, for they are all tumb-
ling to pieces It's no good to put a
board over their chimney, for they have
mighty little fire, poor things. We
might throw few beans, but we haven't
any with us yet.
"Stop" whispered Ed. "See, they
haven't gone to bed yet, by that little
glimmer of light. Look here!"
ugh! you make me shiver," said
Dick.
Ed had quickly taken some phosphor-
GUS from his pocket and rubbed it over
his face, giving 1t a CHASTITY and sepul-
cEral look.
Here" he said, rub some on yours.
COroe On Wo'1l inst tokn q nnen in at