Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-02-21
A PASTORAL.

One pleasant August day, at high noon
three children sat in cornfeld around
a smouldering fire. Two were girls; one
fair, angelic looking, in a jaunty ginghan
dress; the other, stolid long legged, in a
sailors suit, and the third, the youngest
was a slim brown boy III corduroys
They held en- their knees a clean single
which had butter in one corner, and IN
their hands a roasted ear of corn. : lie
| fire between them was modest but efTec.
tual, and overhead the tall thick forest
| Of the cornstaiks waved and rustled.
Il wonder" said the angelic one, tax
| ing more butter from a small tin box.
who owns this. cornfeld?'
i think it belongs to those people who
are trying to make Il sod lawn on the
sand. responded the long legged one
Those Wadsworths 2" said the boy.
"Humph, the girls have parasols and
don't know how to swim"
They're rather nice girls" said the
fair one, cautiously.
And the boy, Tonie--dont forget the
boy" broke in the other girl Don't
you remember how you lugged him off to
smoke oorn-silk in the barn, while Belle
and | used his new racket all the after
noon? Ha, ha! And here all three re-
lapscd into reminiscent chuckes.
Bob did you give me back my kaife?"
asked the small boy, suddenly.
Yes said the stolid girl.
"Then | dropped it' cried he, rising.
IFS my best knife. Oh! Get up, girls;
look for it."
wait till finish this said Belle; but
Bob uncrossed her long, black stockingcd
legs, and started to gaze wistfully about
All, that's no use" said the small boy,
impatiently. Here, Bob, you take that
side of the field and I'll take this-don't
miss an aisle!''
OF they started. Up and down the
long, loamy aisles went Bob at steady
trot, rafting the leaves of the stalks as
she brushed through. and waving her
tawny head from side to side in looking.
She must have gone hundred aisles be-
| fore she heard a shout from Tonic At
the fire again she found him, waving the
| knife over Bellies head. what do YOU
Think" he shrielled in Indignation. Belle
has been sitting ON it all the time!"
| Bob uttered no reproach, for at that
moment came a sound which made them
all turn palc--a heavy, crashing step
q mans voice, saying: BLOW me if there
amt smoke i'm this here cornfield"
| They waited not q second With one
| crash the three young criminals fell
! through the stalks about them and tore
! for the open field Over hillocks, over
stones, scuttling, flying, springing, till
! they came from the muddy corniield to
! the firm stubblc. Then straight ahead,
| like three young hounds, never faltering
| or turning eye behind them, fixed for a
sea of molten gold that heaved ahead,
! the wheat.
They reached the shore that bordered
| it, they climbed the rail fence One see
ond long they balanced on its top, then
| with three reckless, headlong leaps, they
| cast themselves far out into the grain.
| The golden sea closed over them and they
lay painting.
At last Bob raised her head. which,
like an ostrich she had been burrowing
in terror "Oh, what narrow squeak!"
She hreathed The other two crawled
through to her, still tingling with de-
licious apprehension.
| Did You leave your hat?" asked Belle.
u had to" answered Bob.
And your knife, Tonie?" But the
| knife was saved, still elutched in Tonnes
| buttcry paw.
After listening long time and hearing
nothing more than the chirping of criek-
cts they wrigglcd through the grain and
came out on a pasture land. Here they
met an idle looking creek. They always
tasted creeks 1t was a salutation not
To be omitted. This one was salty. ~
must lead to the Sound" said Tonic, and
they started oil to follow it. They had
scarcely gone five yards before Bob fell
over something 1t was an old stoneboat,
half sunk in the mud, but still firm.
IN tell you,' said Tonic, as they
halted for Bob to nurse her toe, "we'll
tloat this in the creek and sail down to
the Sound in it." This was assuredly an
excellent idea, They all laid hold to
move it. They tugged. they pulled. they
| Snorted, but it was of no use-the stone
boat wouldn't move.
Just as they raised their heads in
blank despair, they saw two small. pink
figures moving toward them through the
huttercups The Wadswoths," cried
Belle, Mortified. For to share in the ne
culiar Joys of Bob and Tonic was one
thing; TO be recognized while doing it
was another. But Bob smiled sweetly.
They are just in time she said, well
make them help and hatless but bland
she advanced to invite the round eyed
Wadsworths TO help steal their own
fathers property.
The Wadsworths did help. They laid
hold rs ii pink finger nails were of the
smallest consequence. and ny their stancl
support the raft was launched. WON
YOU come with U.S." asked Belle, gra
eiously; but the little girls looked back
at the grand new house. wherein were a..
modern Improvements and n governesS
and sadly shook their heads.
The three embarked. Belle took the
center of the raft, while Bob and Tonic
with & pole and a broken board squeezed
It along between the banks. Wistfully
the little Wadsworths waved farewell
and they were off.
That was fair voyage, At times tn,