The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-24
LESSON BOBBY LEARNED

There was no doubt at all about it. Bob
! by Britton was anextremely mischlevous
boy. Nobody would have thought it Of
| YOU, nurse used to say, after any par
! ticularl.- unexpected escapade. And GER
tainlv it did seem that Bobby himself
was Incapable of controlling his fingers
when once his brain had suggested some
/ piece of mischief
! Il only did it for fun" he would say.
! But that was before what daddy calls
the reformation" and this was how it
happened
One dav Bobby. Moli.e and Jack were
/ coming home in the afternoon from
school, and. passing through one OF the
side streets on the way, there, at the side
of the road. was the wagon that sold
kerosene oil
They had often sen it before, but to-
day it suggested a new idea to Bobby.
/ and his fingers itched to turn that bright
little tap and see the stream Of oil run
ming. not into a can held ready for it's
reception. but on to the ground.
You go on" he said TO the others, just
=
up in a minute
And, turning, he walked back the TWEEN
ty or thirty yards between him and the
cart. It was done in a moment And OH
the joy of seeing the stream of oil falling
to the ground just as he ina gined.
Then he suddenly got frightened, and
wondered what the oil man would il
he came an caught him. and. turning,
he ran after the others with all his might,
nor stopped 10 look back until he had
turned two corners.
He didn't know whether the man had
seen him or not. He hoped not; for now
that the deed was done it had suddenly
occurre to him that he might be put in
prison for doing it. or some other dread
ful thing might happen to him.
Daddy" he said that evening, when
daddy was paying his usual visit to his
room. what happens TO people who spoil
things that belong to other people? Do
they get into PRISON."
Sometimes" daddy told him. ''Of
course, if it was an accident they would
probably do nothing at all. But if it
was done purposely they might put the
man in prison or make him Pay as much
the thing was worth.
And after daddy was gone Bobby crept
quietly out Of bed and carefully counted
the coins in his money box There were
not many. Somehow, there were always
such lots of things to buy, and, all told
the box contained only 3s cents.
a headache provided him with an ex-
cuse to stay at home from school 1t
he.
sibly. instead of coming up to the house.
a policeman might be lying In wait for
him around the corner; so he shut HIM
self up and looked anxiously out of the
window, and was altoseiner so unlike
himself that nurse made up her mind he
was sickening for something, and con-
suited mother as TO the advisability Of
a dose of medicine.
But nothing happened. and when even
ing arrived Bobby went to bed as usual
well, perhaps, not quite as usual; he gen
orally felt a good deal happier than he
did then-and he made many good resolu-
tons as to things which III the future he
would not do.
But next morning, just after breakfast,
nurse came in with a message. Mr.. Cur
tbs, the Gilman, had calico
Bobby always looks back on the few
minutes that followed as a kind of night
mare of misery. Every moment he ex-
pected to be sent for, and then what
would happen TO him he hadn't the faint
est idea; but he felt certain il would be
very dreadful. When at last
the summons did come, 1t was almost a
relief.
Bobby said mother. when he entered
the dining room and went and stood by
her. Mr.. Curtis tells me he saw one Of
you turn the tap Of his oil wagon. and
a great deal of oil was wasted. Was II
YOU. Or one of the others?'
And then Bobby did what surprised
himself quite as much as 1t did mother.
FOR he burst into tears-Bobby. who never |
cried. even when he was really hurt.
"Oh. mother" he sobbed. 1--WE been so I
ireffly miserable an I'm glad you've !
found out, and 1 won't never, never do It /
again"
Mr.. Curtis was almost as much dis
ressed as Bobby was. He hadn't bar
gained for such a very penitent culpTit, [
md it quite embarrassed him.
"Oh, WELL he said, Il dare say you
iidnt think that it wasn't very nice
hing to do. But I'm sure you won't do
t again, will you? So well just say no
more about tt
ooh. no. said mother. Il am quite
ure Bobby will wish to pay you for the
Ill that was wasted. Mr.. Curtis, il you
ct him know how much It is.
And though at first Mr. Curtis strongly
isapproved OF doin Eany thing Of the
ind. he finally agreed 10 the arrange
nent
Luckily there has not been more than
wo or three gallons in the can, and
bobby did without pocket money until
Is box contained enough to settle the
important looking bill made out to "Rob-
Y BTitton. ESQ.," and when the receipt
d bill came home. with compliments
nd thanks. ne begged mother that Il
hight be nailed on the wall above MS
sd sos to remind me just in case 7
orget." For even when you're trying not
he mischievous there are times when
iemory all by Itself isn't to be trusted
So the BIZ has been framed 10 act az
reminder that, though fun Is very
ood thing in its proper place. it should
OF be allowed To degenerate into mis-
Philadelphia Public Ledger
UNIQUE DOG-CART.
Dogs hitched TO a cart. are not often
zen. bat dozen years from now they are