Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-12-17
FRECKLE.; SET MICE
AND HIS PACKAGE BROKE UP
DONATION PARTY.
story of the Tragedy, as Told by an
Eyewitness-Why Staid and Elder.
ly Members Of the Community For.
got Their Dignity.


the corner grocery over in the joyous
land of Jersey. Some of them had
taken off their boots to dump out thu
wheat chaff, while the others wee
trying to butt in on the general line
of talk. Tbe dog had just found a de-
parted rat and was trying to bury it
in the sugSr barrel and the cat was
lying under the spigot of the kerosene
tank in IN attempt to kill off some OF
its feas. The groceryman was busi-
" engaged in batting mouse trap
with piece OF excommuoicated
cheese.
Boys" sad Bill Jones, as he olce
more pushed his hoof back into his
boot, "s'pose ye heerd all about Freck.
ies?"
"Kalkerlate we didn't. then," was
:he chorused reply. What is it this
time appenjurcyties or loss of apre.
tita?"
'Taint neither one. It's wrsserD
toth He Is in disgrace ag:n and the
ceacon's got him locked up in the
Tagon-house fer two weeks unless he
knaws out sooner. Spose yer all
heered OF the package party? No?
Well, q package party is one Of than
things when you pay nothin' to get in,
bit yer have to take a package of
somethin' which is put up at auction
and is knocked down to the highest
bidder. sight on seen.
"Freckles was all puzzled up as to
what to take, 30 he went to the deac.
On, wko was runnin' the party fer the
heneft Of the church an himself, an
freckles took up the deacon on his
'rst chop. During the day he ketched
about four dozen mice in ther barn
packed them In neat-lookin' shoe
box and started fer the party as hap.
p7 as kioodle em the trail of rab.
tit.
What am I bid for this beautiful
package? sez the main guy at the
church, next to the deacon, of course
rive CENTS sez one; Ten cents sez
another; Fifteen cents sez Jim Ho'.
'ei.-egs; Twenty cents sez the deac.
Gus old maid sister. OFF to the fow-
er OF ther flock, seq tie main guy, and
the old maid tickled all over like
'aHed the same as she used to giggle
thlrtT years ago. Jim Hollerlegs, who
is stuck on her, whispered Open 1t,
sWeetie,' an ther old maid. blushin'
IKE the hair On red COW, busted the
string
Next she took of the lid, en- then.
leilers III take my oath, she let out
yeil that sounded four miles long
an jumping clean through her collar.
almost left the harness fast to the
wagon. Dearie, are yer dyin'?' SEE
Jun: and the next minet a couple Of
me mice fell In his boots, an he had
business with his feet. BY this time
oe old maid had reached the stove,
aao putin both arms around ther
pipe, she began to lick of the polish
~ putin both arms around ther
-, "a like to. Mirandy,' sez Jim, but
I've got 'em too
=. well. sir. to make q long story
u'e out sooner in just two seconds,
Tue. congregation was up in the air,
y, as iar as they could git without
o,imoln' trees, an even thes hsave
ola deacon lad his head buried In the
.oa' scuttle an his feet hung vp on
sop OF winder sill. while his wife an
eaf'er kicked over the bibles an a
1ap OF Jerusalem in tryin' to get out
on the roof.
we. wen, sir, it TUX two hours "a
saa'shten out that package party an
en az thet all tne Gid girls went
sao'n around VITA their skirts tucked
~. .p lke bathin' suits down to Allan
Wy" ns freckles was the only one oncon.
1"fhed, ~" an thet give him dead away.
i.n7 ns deacon TUX him aside, spoke feel
.sis has TO him an the coor kid went
NJ. e IN h wagon. Since then he
hose oeen locked up in the wagon
css e' an ther deacon seq he don't
p.t.s uown till he is converted"