The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1905-06-28

81 ACK GRIDLEY Crawled through
81 a hole in the fence back OF his
W home and cautiously tiptocd toward
the house. The sun was higher than
Jack had intended it should be when he
returned; when he had slipped out of the
back door, just before midnight, with
two big cannon crackers and his pockets
full of smaller ones, and had joined Bill
Ainsley, to set the church bell wildly
ringing, on the stroke Of u, in joyous
time-honored salutation to the glorious
Fourth. he had planned to be back in
his room ana in bed before the sun rose.
But the noisy hours had fed and now it
was broad day.
A rooster crowed on a ~neighboring
farm, and from the henhOuse back of
him the old Buff Cochin answered long
and clear. Buff was Miss AIMS alarm
clock, and beads of anxiety stood out on
Jacks face as he cautiously but hur-
riedly lifted the latch Of the back door.
Why didn't it open? He had left it un-
locked when he stole out IN the night
and now-he gave q reckless, desperate
tug, but the door yielded not one whit.
Could he have carelessly left the hook so
tIiI II lei bdCh III lLiIS WIN II JNl
of closing? He must have. Jack glanc-
ed u~neasily towards Miss AIMS bed
room, then slipped off his shoes, climbed
to the low shed at the back, ran swiftly
and nOiselessly across the roof, and
reaching up to the window sill Of his
room pulled himself up, and with a sigh
of relief dropped inside. Thank heaven,
he had left that window wide open.
He was none too soon. for even as he
slipped his jacket off preparatory to
jumping into bed, Miss AIMS thin,
cracked voice rang up the narrow stair
way: Jack, you can get up now"'
'Yes'm," was the meek reply. Waiting
such length of time as would naturally
elapse during the process of dressing,
Jack filled his pockets with the remain
dee of his crackers and presented himself
in the kitchen. Jack Gridley was moth
erless, and his father, a commercial tray
eler, had found a home for the boy with
Miss Ann Hobart.
"Good morning." said Miss Ann, as
Jack entered the kitchen. Good morn
he replied as he hurried toward
the woodshed for an armful of wood.
Breakfast was ready when he returned,
and there had been no opportunity to fire
a cracker.
John said Miss Ann, helping him
to a second dish Of oatmeal, IF | were
you l would save those two largest
day with" "Yes'm,' said Jack.
"Now, suppose" continued Miss Ann,
''that you give them to me for safe keep
ing; l am afraid the temptation to fire
them will be too great otherwise" Jack
grew red in the face, and hastily gulped
down a glass of milk. Cant, they're
busted" he said.
"You mean they are broken. But you
haven't told me how you broke them"
continued Miss Ann, sweetly. I'll
fred 'em!' Jack blurted the truth out
m~anfully. John Gridley. what do you
mean?" All the sweetness was gone
from Miss Ann now you haven't fired
a cracker since you rose this morning.
Now, when did you fire those big ones?
Tell me the truth instantly"
Last night" said Jack, feebly. "At
what time last night?' II don't know
jes' what time" was the weak reply.
John Gridley, you look me in the face
and tell me what time you left this
house" The jig was up and Jack knew
it. "Well, if you must know, it was
a few minutes of 12," he said.
Hand ms those crackers, every one
you've got Now, John Gridiey, don't
you stir foot outside of the yard this
day. Now go out to the woodpile and
saw until l tell you to STOP"
Poor Jack! He wouldn't give Miss
Ann the satisfaction of knowing how
bad he felt, but when his stint of wood
was finished, he fed to the barn and up
in a dark corner of the hawmcw he had
his cry ont with only the sympathetic
whinny Of old Nell in the stall below,
SoI comfort. All the morning hs had