The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-18
BILLS PUNISHMENT.
How Bill, the GrOcer's Errand Boy,
Tied Little Yellow Dog to the
Cable, and the NeighbOrhOOd Boys
Treated Bill in the Same Way.
~ Mary Brewster Downs.

By Mary Brewster Downs
All the neighborhood boys were down
on the Brown boys. The Brown boys
were aristocrats. and exclusive; the
neighborhood boys were hail-feliows-well-
met. The neighborhood boys went to the
Lincoln Public School, on West Thirty
fifth street; the Brown boys attended a
select school on the Boulevard. Out of
school the neighborhood boys fiocl1ed to-
gether and played shiny on the streets
or football Ia the vacant lots; the Brown
boys stayed at home. If the neighbor-
hood boys wanted to swing in their swing
or teetsr on their teeter, or try their
tools, or lift their rabbits by the ears, or
stroke their pony, the Brown boys said
Nope; my mamma won't let US play
with you"
Such rebuff naturally made the neigh
borhood boys mad, and they got even by
splitting into Mrs. Browns lettuce bed
throwing mud at the clean windows
chasing the three Brownies on their way
to the select school on the Boulevard,
throwing stones at them, cutting their
kite strings, doing everything hateful TO
them. Perhaps Mrs. Brown was justified
in thinking that her boys would be con-
taminated by assOciating with the neigh
borhood boys. But the neighborhood boys
knew, and all their mothers knew, ana
the three Brownies themselves knew that
while they were actually goody-goody
when their mother was az home, they
'let loose" as soon as she was out or
sight and became the meanest boys that
you ever saw.
However, the neighborhood boys did not
hate Jack. Jack was the cutest yellow
dog that ever cooked ears. He belonged
lNrrf srFafrE IF =
tune, more gentlemanly dog never SAT
up and shook hands all around. lie mad
shaken hands with every boy in tha
neighborhood except Bill.
In the whole neighborhocd jack mad but
one enemy. That was Bnl. Jack never had
Disseminated between Blli, the grocer >
boy, and an ordinary tramp. Whenever Bnl
appeared at the Browns back gate, out
flew Jack, trembling win rage, snarllng
and swapping at those great feet that
kicked al him so vciousiy. The Brownies
might have set Jack right with a WORD, m
stead they sat on the fence and hooted
and let Bin deliver the groceries as best he
could.
For business reasons BIT said nothing,
but he swcre Vengeanc1in his heart.
BINS chance came o.4A day when all the
bows were In school. Jack came trotting
along the street on his way to escort the
Brownies home from the seiect school on
Inc Boulevard. Bill lassooed the a tonish-
ga lille creature, tied a rope to his collar,
dropped the other end OF the rope into the
slit in the cable car track, caught the ca
be by a way that boys know, and let the
lack ye.ped and struggled, but away he
went drawn on by the reSistleSs cable,
faster than his small feet could fly, heels
over head. dragging on his back, little
bowling, struggling yellow mass. People
on the streets stopped and looked; some
were heartless enough to laugh, o. hers ex-
claimed in pity, one ran to phone and
rang up the power house to stop The cable
But ii was too late AT the third block
an express wagon, hurry1ng across the
tracks, struck poor Jack and crushed the
last spark OF life from MS mang ed little
body
The fate Of poor Jack shocked the whole
neighborhood, and the boys held an indig-
nation meeting in the Swans woodshed.
They decided to go In with the Browns
and avenge the death OF poor Jack The
Brownies had TO meet the. other fellows
on the sly. They were glad enough Of an
excuse to get in with the neishborhood
bows, for they we're tired of pretending
70 have fun all by themselves;
Robbie owen was leader OF the neigh
Brownies were invited TO make the first
suggestion about what punishment should
be meted out to BIZ.
LET him see how he likes the cable
himself" blurted out Harold Brown, with
There was a moment Of embarrassed
sympathy, and then burst of approval
"Yes let the big bully try the cable
himself Yes, let him try It hlmsefr'
Robbie hushed them. and they huddled
together to make their plans.
II.
one evening at O'Clock Blly came out
Of The grocery store and locked the door
behind him. The gas lights were dim in
the dusty street and the air was hot
and sitting. but In the next block brill
ant electric lights cut the cool shadows
If the park and danced upon the rip
bling waters and the park band was play
breath OF relief. The days work was
zone, Ii had been a long day. al his
YORK days were long; they began with
n fhe morning. and ending with sweep
ing ont the store at o'clock a night.
B,lly was tired and ne was sullen. All
aav long he had been trudging the not
belvy basket 10 one back door or another
while the other fellows went rollicking