Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-11-17
THE CONSPIRACY.


ing less than a deep-aid plot against
poor Wilhelm and Barbara could have
brought such misfortune upon their
! innocent heads.
1t happened in Germany. where it
was the custom long ago to surround
the kitchen gardens With solid stone
wall or feet high. You may yet
see them in many of the older vii
lagos, so that as you go along the
streets the yards and gardens are of
ten quite shut off from view.
In such a village lived Barbara.
She was barely five years Old, but the
favorite playmate of Wilhelm and
Max and Heinrich. Max was abou,
Barbara's age. Wilhelm. and Helm
rich were year or more older. Of
ten they played together. but any one
OF the lads was happiest when playing
with Barbara only. When She was
with Max, Heinrich and Wilhelm
would pretend to be having unusual
fun somewhere else: and so with Max
and Wilhelm if Heinrich happened to
be the favored one.
On a certain day Barbara had spent
good part of her playtime with WI
HEINZ Indeed, it had seemed that for
two or three days now the friend
ship was growing stronger every hour.
The most vociferous exclamatiOns of
Heinrich and Max announcing new'y
discovered pleasures did not lure the
little maiden from. her chosen play
mate.
Hand IN hand they raced with each
other up and down the pavement
Together they built up their toy vii
lagos. Thy set up their wooden
soldiers in q row and took turns at
shooting them down with their can
non. Now Barbara was the gentle
rCny that Wilhelm drove, with neynr
a stroke OF the whip and then Will
helm was the prancisg steed that Bar
hara could scarcely control.
/ AT last they sat on the little stone
ledge running along by the foot of
garden wall. totally unmindful Of theii.
other playmatos inside the yard TIL II
fair, round faces We're all aglow from
tie play. Barbara wore an inverted
TN funnel on her head for hat. and
Wilhelm. to match hers, had pointed
paper CAP He had given her his
tin horn to blow, and while she blew
he looked with admiration at her
puffed and rosy cheeks.
But oa the other siie Ct the wal
tho mischief was brewing. \ bench,
w.hapHi'y, was near by, aHl with this
the rivals could climb 10 the 1on of he
Wall and look do4.a upon 5lic unsu=.
pecting playmates
Putting his finger to his lips to II
dictate silence, Max slipped down 10
tho ground and hazteael 10 the httch.
en-. When he retH~el i Wa" wi
pail aNd rs Hnch water as he coufs
carry. Willingly Heinrich helped him
np With ii. and tesethar dreadful 10
relate. they poured the Wat like
deluae uoon the haa3s ef Barbara and
WilheIm!
For al inst2~t fash y 70 fYjahton-
cd Then Parhaea BEGAN 80 lanah and
Wilhei'a aees9 f. @Hoss enary.
] -; is Heinrich ana Max.' he shout
e.l u Will show then"
j And before barbara could say
word he VAS of. Now The coHspra-
tors had been SO careful as TO fasten
the garden gate on the inside. There
fcro when Wilheln began to hammer
a, it with his wooden sword they
laughed at hin. in deris;on, and told
him to go home with Barbara.
! But Wilhelm. seeing that good
space had been left at the bottom of
the gate, by which the cats might
pass in and ont, put his face there,
and found that by much squeezing
and wriggling he could work himself
through.
! With dust and dirt clincinc to his
wet clothes and with an angry as well
as grimy countenancc, he made a
dreadful appearance to the two fright
ened culprits. They started TO run
down the garden walk, but whore The
lath turned, by the dahlia bed, Max
stumbled and fell. The water pail
that he carried went rolling d.
rectly in front Of Heinrich and sent
him sprawling, too. Max scrambled
to his feet and was off aaain but poor