Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-03-07

sleep. How long he lay there Mickey
could not tell. He was rudely awak-
ened by a big black ant which had
crawled up his trousers leg, and a
great yellow, hairy caterpillar cross
ing the bridge of his nose. As he sat
up and brushed away these insects
cat-bird in a tree near by began to
jeer at him with what to Mickey's ex-
cited fancy were the words;
Playing hockey Playing hookeyi"
In some mysterious manner gladness
seemed TO go out of the day for little
Mike at this cruel taunt The odors of
the flowers were just as sweet as they
had been before, the moss at the foot
of the pine trees was as vivid a green,
the swallows dipped as gracefully over
the field of billowy wheat, but the
charm OF all this beauteous panorama
was gone. His toe began to hurt again.
With dropping head and limping gait,
Mickey plunged deeper into the woods.
At the foot of big rock he found
spring. Lying at full length upon the
sward he put his lips down to the wa
ted and drank deep of the champagne
Of the woods. The reflection of his face
in the spring grinned sardonically at
him. And from the brown eyes shin
ing from the cool depths came a re-
proachful glance which seemed to say:
The leather strap is waiting for you
in the kitchen!"
All that afternoon he wandered
through the woods seeking happiness,
but finding none. He few for refuge
to the birch tree, but the bark had
lost all its old-time sweetness. The
sassafras root which often had tasted
like honey in his mouth now took on
the favor of worm-wood. As he re-
traced his steps TO the stone wall
where he had hidden his books the aw-
full consciousness came to him that he
would be obliged TO tell lie in order
70 escape a whipping. Like a thief in
the night he sneaked down the steep
hillside up which he had climbed so
cheerfully in the morning. and five
minutes later entered the shanty. SO
downeast was he and so furtivein man
ner that his mothers attention was at
tracted to him. just at this moment a
big humble bee wearing black velvet
vest with yellow stripes blundered into
the room.
Are We sick, Mickey?" said his
mother, sohcitously.
"No; I'm not sick, mother" said lit
tie Mike, "but me toe is hurtin' me-"
"Well, what makes ye act SO
quare?"
This was uttered in such a tone of
solicitude and with so kindly q look
that little Mikes eyes began to over
flow as his mother tried to ''shoo" the
humble bee out of the room.
I'm glad you're not a wicked little
boy, Mickey, like thin Doolans," con-
tinued Mrs. Finn. IF We were I'd be
thinkin' that humble bee would be
afther stingin' ye. Shure that's what
humble bees does be doin'-stinGin' lit
tie boys fur their sins!"
Slap went the end of Mrs. Firms
apron against the wall and away sailed
the bee out of the window like an ami
mated jewel of jet and amber.
Little Mike was oppressed with
fears. The haunting consciousness Of
wrong-doing weighed him down like
the guilt of a murderer. He felt
great load taken off his conscience
when the humble bee flew out of the
window, for he believed implicitly that
the insect had flown into the shanty
for the purpose of singing him be-
cause he had played hockey" He
busted himself about the yard, milking
the goat and chopping wood. He was
so unusually jealous and quiet in this
work, that his mothers suspicious
were awakened.
"Faix,r said she, "I'm afeerd me lit
tie boys been up TO mischief, he's actin
that quare. Shure, he has berry
stains on his face. an there's no berries
at school. Musha, I'm afther thinkin'
he was playin' hookey!"
Just then Mickey came into the
shanty with another armful of wood.
His mother looked at him closely, un-
observed by the boy, and saw that his
knees were stained with grass juice
and that to the back Of his jacket clung
some tell-tale pine needles. But she
kept her own counsel and awaited de-
velopments, satisfied that Mickey
would confess his guilt. Another arm
full of wood had been thrown under
the stove. and little Mike looked up to
catch the expected approving glance
of his mother, when Mrs. Finn cried Ia
alarm:
Look out, Mickey; here comes the
humble bee fur ye!"
Again the fears of the boy were
awakened. and turning quickly he
struck a frantic blow at the bee. This
evidently angered the insect, for ii
avoided the blow. few over the boys
head and stung him on the back of the
neck. Having punished the truant and
satisfied its vengeance the humble bee
flew out of the door. As Mrs. Finn
bound a handful of mud upon the
swelling wound little Mike looked up
In his mothers face. and, with trem-