The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-11-19
PAINTERS PIE
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

~-@S
little fiat darning. Tommy Sparks,
aged four, had been allowed to go
alone to play in the great yard that
lies between the apartment building
and the swell private residence which
faces the drive. Mr.. Sparks was at his
Office, and all the young Sparkses, bar
ring Tommy, were at school. From
Mrs. Sparks vantage point in the little
bay window she could catch occasional
glimpses of painter in the big yard
next door, who was moving along
slowly from stone to stone painting
the foundation Of the house of their
rich neighbor a subdued sort of red
color. Mrs. Sparks was dreamily won
dering why the foundation, which had
been pretty in its natural hue, needed
painting at all, when Tommy Sparks
toddled in through the doorway lead
ing from the kitchen. Tommy had
come up from the yard the back way.
Tommy had some streaks of red run
ming diagonally down from each cor
ner of his mouth, and his linen dress
was spotted in places with the same
color.
Tommy Sparks" demanded his
mother what on earth have you been
eatingY
Tommy climbed into chair, swung
his legs in his infantile way and said,
Mamma, painters pie good"
Mrs Sparks gave one hurried, hor-
rified glance through the window at
the red paint which was being daubed
on the neighbours house and then turn
ed her anguished countenance toward
Tommy.
"Tommy"-her voice was a pleading
wail-"did you eat the painters stuff
out of the pailW
Eyes, out Of pail; painters pie good"
answered Tommy.
Mrs. Sparks shrieked. The maid rush
ed In from the kitchen. Get the doc
tor, the druggist and Mr.. Sparks"
screamed Mrs. Sparks. "Tommy's eat
en- paint and sugar of lead and every
thing. Go, girl, gow Susan rushed
through the door, sent the corner drug
| gist flying up to the house, ordered the
clerk to telephone Mr.. Sparks and then
set out on chase for the doctor.
In the meantime Mrs. Sparks was
moaning over Tommy, who was taking
| the unusual commotion which he had
created as blandly as would most four
year-olds. He insisted on occasional
ly reiterating that painters pie was
good" and at each reiteration the
mothers heart sank.
The druggist rushed in. Tommy has
eaten paint Heaven alone knows how
much. 1t must have had sugar of lead
in it, and that's sweet and that's why
he ate it."
The druggist grabbed up Tommy,
half threw him on to lounge and then
turned to the mother.
Control yourself, Mrs. Sparks. Life
depends on instant action. Get me salt,
potash and soft SOAP" Luckily Mrs.
Sparks had all three articles in the
house, and she rushed to the kitchen
and brought them back. Tommy as yet
showed no sign of collapse. The drug
gist put two tablespoonfuls of salt in
half a glass Of lukewarm water and
forced Tommy to swallow it, sputter-
ing. This dose was followed up with a
heroic one of potash, and then Tommy
was made to swallow large coffee cup
| full of soft soap. With the soap down
and Tommy's eyes hanging out Of his
head and well down over his cheek
bones, the druggist turned the young
| e%0 hn
and shook him.
The only thing about Tommy that
didn't rebel at this treatment was his
stomach. That held on to its unaccus-
toned load with pertinacity worthy
of something better. At this juncture
the painter appeared on the scene. He
admitted to the fearful Mrs. Sparks
that he had left his paint pot on the
ground where Tommy could have
found it for about five minutes while
he went around the corner to get a
glass Of beer.
At this minute the doctor fell in at
the door on the heels of the maid. He
approved the druggists treatment and
added to it large dose Of ipecac. I'm
der this last added horror Tommy's
stomach and spirit both gave way.
Like the younger hopeful in "Helen's
Babies" he played whale, and, while
he didn't cast up Jonah, he cast up
pretty near everything else.
While Tommy was in the throes Mr..
Sparks arrived, ashy Tipped and shak-
en-. The doctor turned to him. Il
trust, Mr.. Sparks, that if we can keep
him at it for ten minutes more we may
save his life" Tommy kept at it.
The painter, who had retreated be-
fore the stricken countenance of Mrs.
Sparks, now reappeared. He was car
rying in one hand dinner pail, which
he held upside down to show those as
sembled that it was absolutely empty.
"When came to work this morn
ing" said the painter, 81 had three
pieces of berry pie in this pail. 1 amt
got any now, a fact l just discovered.
guess maybe the youngster knows
where it went"
Tommy, just out of a paroxysm,
turned his head and caught sight of
| TIC empty pam y PAO .
good" he murmured.
Mrs. Sparks sank into chair, laugh
ing and crying Historically. A grin
appeared on Mr.. Sparks face. The
doctor and the druggist looked disgust
ed. Mr.. Sparks gave the painter a
dollar. "Go to restaurant and get a
square meal" he said.
Henry" said Mrs. Sparks, still in a
struggle between two emotions, what
shall we do with that boyW
"Well," answered Henry as he sur
veyed Tommy and his surroundings,
81 think from the cleaning these two
professional gentlemen have just given
him that if we could turn him inside
out he'd make a good advertisement
for some brand of soap."-Chicago
Record Herald.
| Ill Clad Statues.