The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1900-01-18

that Waldo had been In her loft and
eaten her peaches.
10 exemplify his own share In the
proceedings Bonaparte lay down on
che sofa and, shutting his eyes tightly,
SAID, "Night, night, night" Then he
sat up wildly, appearing to be intently
listening, mimicked with his feet the
coming down a ladder and looked at
Tant' Sannie. This clearly showed
how, reused in the night, he had dis
covered the theft.
"He must have been a great fool to
eat my peaches" said Tant' Sannie.
'They are full Of mites as sheepskin
and as hard as stones"
Bonaparte, fumbling in his pocket,
lid not even hear her remark and took
put from his coattail little horsewhip,
nicely rolled up. Bonaparte winked at
the little rhinoceros horsewhip, at the
Boer woman and then at the door.
"Shan we call him-Waldo, WALDORF
he said.
| Tant' Sannie nodded and giggled.
There was something so exceedingly
humorous in the idea that he was 60
Ing to beat the boy, though for her own
part she did not see that the peaches
were worth it. When the Kafir maid
came with the washtub, she was sent
to summon Waldo, and Bonaparte
doubled up the little whip and put it in
his pocket Then he drew himself up
and prepared to act his important part
with becoming gravity. Soon Waldo
stood in the door and took off his hat.
"Come in, come in. my lad" said
Bonaparte, "and shut the door behind
The boy came in and stood before
them.
"You need not be so afraid, child"
said Tant' Sannie. II was child my
self once. It's no great harm if you
have taken a few"
Bonaparte perceived that her remark
was not in keeping with the nature of
the proceedings and Of the little drama
he intended to act. Pursuing out his
| lips and waving his hand, he solemnly
addressed the boy.
"Waldo, it grieves me beyond express
sion to have to summon you for so
| painful a purpose, but it is at the i'm
perative call of duty, which dare not
evade. 1 do not state that frank and
unreserved confession will obviate the
necessity Of chastisement, which, if
requisite, shall be fully administered;
but the nature of that chastisement
may be mitigated by free and humble
confession. Waldo, answer me as you
20 in xxyhn MI 40
I now stand to you. Have you or have
you not. did you or did you not, eat Of
the peaches in the loftY
"Say you took them, boy. say you
took them. Then he won't beat you
much" said the Dutchwoman good
, naturally, getting a little sorry for
him.
The boy raised his eyes slowly and
fixed them vacantly upon her. Then
suddenly his face grew dark with
blood.
$50 you haven't got anything to say
to US, my lad" said Bonaparte, mo-
mentarily forgetting his dignity and
bending forward with a little snarl
"But what l mean is just this, my lad
when it takes boy three-quarters Of
an hour to fill salt pot and when at 3
o'clock in the morning he goes knock
ing about the doors of a loft it's lat-
ural to suppose there's mischief in it..
It's certain there is mischief in it, and
where there's mischief in it must be
taken out" said Bonaparte, grinning
into the boys face. Then, feeling that
he had fallen from that high gravity
which was as spice to the pudding and
the flavor of the whole little tragedy,
he drew himself up. "Waldo," he said,
confess to me instantly and without
reserve that you eat the peaches"
The boys face was white now. His
eyes were on the ground, his hands
doggedly clasped before him.
What? You do not intend to an
swerY
The boy looked up at them once from
under his bent eyebrows and then
looked down again.
1.-THE creature looks as if all the
devils in hell were in it," cried Tant'
Sannie. "Say you took them, boy.
Young things will be young things. l
was older than you when l used to
eat 'bultong' in my mothers loft and
get the little niggers whipped for it.
| Say you took them"
But the boy said nothing.
II think little solitary confinement
might perhaps be beneficial" said
Bonaparte. ut will enable you, Wal
do, to reflect on the enormity Of the sin
you have committed against our Fa-
Their in heaven, and you may also think
of the submission you owe to those
who are older and wiser than you are
and whose duty it is to check and cor
rect you"
Saying this, Bonaparte stood up and
took down the key of the fuel house,
which hung on nail against the wall.
walk on, my boy" said Bonaparte,
| pointing to the door, and as he follow
ed him out he drew his mouth express
lively on one side and made the lash
of the little horsewhip stick out Of his
pocket and shake up and down.
Tant' Sannie felt half sorry for the
lad, but she could not help laughing.
1t was always so funny when one was
going to have whipping, and it would
do him good. Anyhow he would for
get all about it when the places were