Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1900-12-08
YOUNG FOLKS COLUMN.


had 4 merry twinkle in his blue eyes
Next To my fathers farm.' resumed
the old man. when | was about your
age there lived IL man by fhe name of
/ SllaS Holmes, and he was aS mean as
dirt, we used To say He WAS honest
en"ngh and good worker, but As stingy
as people We're ever made. We boys
grew 10 hate SilaS and not without reb-
son, for he watched lis day and night.
for fear we might somehow coax Il melon
or an apple over the fence.
He seemed To gloat over the idea
that he alone raised and ate cheStnuts.
We boys got more angry each year. and
finally things camc to crisis One
evening just at dusk. | was going from
the barn to the c0rncrih. and | saw Il
| figure in the mefon patch: suppOsfng il
was father or brother Jim. ! went on,
but on second thought turned back just
/ in time to see SiaaS climbing the fence
arm. called out Good evening Mr..
Holmes" and he called back. CID even
in. Tommy
| Il was dumfounded. but concluded to
Keep my council uatil Bill, my younger
brother. and | gov to bed Then we
talked the matter over and decided 10
wait until chcstnut+ were ripe and have
h cur revenge in some way. October days
soon came. with the dropping leaves and
che yellow corn. aud we were busy MAX
ing Jack o lanterns to light the barn. for
we were to have the annual corn-huSk-
ing bee at our place. All hands were
set To work that day; the old barn was
swept. and grCatbough hung abOU the
sides and from the rafterS, and the
pumpkin men never Shonp so brightly.
we bad laid or plans. Bill. Jack
Hardy. who lived thu other side OF SSiTas
and myself OF course Silas wouId he.
II thr hHSking. and as the women were
all busy getting the supper, his daugh-
ter. Sally. would be over early To help.
We all liked Sally. she kept house for
her father. Yes, Sh" was "A good girl
but She had TO toe the mark. X6uut :
O'Clock the felix's began to come, and ny
y o'clock the barn was full. Supper was
announced about II o'clock. and then
cdipC our chance.
we stole away 10 the corncrin- where
we had hidden our bags, and tlien crept
back of the barn, through the melon
patch. across SilaS' garden to the other
side of the house. over the fence and
away across Il field to whore six big
cheStnutS stood. with the moonlight
streaming over their heads. We decid-
ed that lack should climb the tree and
shake. while we filed ont bags. ana then
one of us would take his place and the
other help him I'LL his. We were getting
on finely. when we were startled by Il
uoiSc. not II usual one. but sound re-
Semhling moan. then all WAS quiet.
Give u~ another shake. Jack.
called. then I'll come mp. | had no
sooner said il than a louder moan came
from near by. We were frightened by
this time and Billy whispered, a
ghost
"'PShaw" said. ghosts don't make
a noise. and there is no such thing. any
way and bravely turned my head and
locked about Us. There it was coming
slowly towards uS-whitc and Specter-
like moving steadily from tree to tree
and Won can imagine our hearts were
humping lively. Billy | said getting
close to him, hang on to your bag and
we'll ruu.' called to Jack softly. Come
ON; Jack; drop quick and You can have
hale my nuts.
BEFORE he could answer. we heard
someone sohhing. and soon Il voice called
out: oh, boys. come quick; I'm 50 cor
~. sorry
This was no ghost but Sally. holding
Jacks head in her lap. and trying to re-
vive him. He had fallen from the tree
and broken his arm i'm his hurry 70 fol
low ~. ard, frightened nearly to death