Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-09-13
THE COOLEY BOY
By FRANCES WILSON.
EAR me, said the minister, look.
~ ing out of thcstudy window with

tedscs sOlt, NY OdAi Solne oNe1 lAe
fence" explained the Dooley boy, with
his mouth full of strawberries.
1t was really remarkable how often
the Dooley boys ball came over the
fence" into the minister's garden,
since the Strawberries had begun to
ripen. AT the present moment it was
lying in the path beside the straw
berry bed, in plain sight; and the
Dooley boy, with en- air of having just
discovered 1t, picked it up and was
about to make his exit from the
garden in the same way that he and
the ball had entered-over the fence.
But the minister called, in a tone OF
vexation:
go out through the gate. You are
breaking that fence down, climbing
over it as you do, nearly every day.
If you do not stop it, shall have a
bill Of expense for repairs"
"Yes, SORT" said the Dooley boy,
calmly; and he walked around to the
front of the house, and went out by
the gate.
He left the gate open behind him.
But the minister did not notice that,
and was working on his sermon with
great fervor, when his ears were as
sailed by startling din in the gar.
den.
He rushed again to the window, and
beheld the Dooleys' cow-which com.
monty grazed on the highway. con.
trary to law and order-crashing and
stamping around among the vege.
tables and flower beds, pursued by
Mrs. Hathaway with broom, Aunt
Maria with feather duster, and Bird.
get with mop, each loudly lifting
her voice against the invading COW.
Just then Ernest Hathaway, the
minister's son, coming home from
school. arrived upon the scene.
eli! hill I'll head her off" he
shouted. And he vaulted over the
fence, in imitation of the Dooley boy,
Unluckily, the palings of the fence
were already loosened. They gave
way, and precipitated Master Ernest
into the strawberry bed, with a long
rent in his new jacket and painful
bump on his knee.
Nearly week elapsed before the
Dooley boy ventured again. Then he
sauntered past the parsonage, and cast
o longing glance at the strawberry
bed.
1t CHANGED that little Rose came tod.
ding at that moment down the gar
den path, and called out to him, in
her pretty, cooling lisp:
"'Ullo, Jimmy! Where 18th 90 do
IMP"
"Hullo. Rosie! Come and see me!'
said the Dooley boy, STOPPING down
and holding out his hands to her be-
tween the palings Of the fence, while
broad grin of genuine delight spread
over his freckled face.
Picking two or three big red straw
berries, Rose squeezed them tightly
in her chubby little fist, put the stream
ing, crimson mass into the Dooley
boys hand, lisping, with a seraphit
smile:
"Chawberwies-dood! Jimmy eat
'um chawberwiesl"
This temptation was more than thu
Dooley boys flesh and blood coult
stand. He swallowed the crushed bu
enticing fruit, and held out his HAND
for more.
Rosie, with gurgle of pleasure
stopped down to clutch another berry
and the Dooley boys mouth wateret
with eagerness. Just then wrathfu
voice from the direction of the kitche,
door exclaimed:
what are We dom there, ye young
raskil! Get away with your mis-
chiefl"
And Bridget came down the garden
| path like whirlwind, picked up thu
struggling Rosie, and poured out thu
Walls Of her scorn.
you're the worst good-for-nothin
boy in this neighborhood! Amt yo,
ashamed to be maxim the little limo
cent help you steal Strawberries"
81 didn't" said the Dooley boy, red
dening under his freckles. ''She Civ
'em to me herself. never asked he
for 'em."
But Bridget bore away the baby
kicking and protesting loudly.
"No, mol Jimmy not bad! Timm,
dood boyl Rosie gived him chaw
berwies-her did"
Bridget's view of the'case, however
was accepted; and Rosie was told tina
she must have no more to do with tn
Dooley boy.
Although" said gentle Mrs. Hath
away. II should not wish my littl
girl to suppose there was anythin
wrong in giving him few straw
berries. You should have aske
mammals permission, Rosie dear"
| Ernest, however, continued t
watch for the Dooley boy. and wal
with him to school, and forgathere
with him, In common with his mates
His parents did not feel like settin
an Introduction on his friendly IL
tercourse with schoolmate, excep
for fragrant cause.
| Such cause appeared. to have arisel
when Ernest came home, one Sa'
urday afternoon, in state that mad
bis mother and aunt look volumes c
dismay. He was soaking wet fror
head to foot, and smeared to the wais
with black mud and green slime. On
shoe was missing. His white stra,
hat was stained with mud and waite,
and his face was dirty.
"Why, Ernest Hathaway" erie
Aunt Maria. What have you bee
into now?"
"I've been into the pond hole dow
in Cedar swamp. Aunt Maria" sal
Ernest. looking half ashamed an