The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1905-06-30

- ACk GR1DLEY crawled through
nj hole In the fence back of his
" home and cautiously tiptoed 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 IL, in joyous
time-honored salutation to the glorious
Fourth, he had planned to be back In
his room and 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 1t open? He had left it I'M
locked when he stole out in the night
and now-he gave a reckless, desperate
tug, but the door yielded not one whit.
Could he have carelessly left the hook 30
that 1t fell back in place with the jar
of closing? He must have. Jack gianc-
ed uneasily towards Miss AIMS bed
room, then slipped of lis 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 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 noww
"Yes'm," was the meek reply. Waiting
such length of time as would naturally
elapse during the process of dressing,
Jack filed his pockets with the remain
der of his crackers and presented himself
In the kitchen. Jack Gridley was moth
erless, and his father, a commercial trav-
eler, had found home for the boy with
Miss Ann Hobart
Good morning." said Miss Ann, as
Jack entered the kitchen. Good morn
ing" 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
q cracker.
"John," said Miss Ann, helping him
to q second dish of oatmeal, If were
you would save those two largest
crackers for this evening, to close the
day with" "Yes'm," said Jack.
"Now, suppose" continued Miss Ann,
''that you give them to me for safe keep
ing; am afraid the temptation to Are
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 'emr' Jack blurted the truth out
John Gridley! what do you
meanY' All the sweetness was gone
from Miss Ann-now. You haven't fred
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 nightT' 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
1t. "Well, If you must know, it was
q few minutes of r." he said.
Hand me those crackers, every one
you've got. Now, John Gridley, don't
you stir foot outside of the yard this
day. Now 60 out to the wooIpile and
saw until l tell you to STOP"
Poor Jack! He wouldn't eve 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 hawmow he had
his cry out with only the sympa thetic
whinny of old Nell in the stall below,
for comfort. All the morning he had
heard the pop, pop, pop of crackers, and
later the circus band, as the procession
paraded the streets; he had even caught
just a glimpse of the parade as it enter
ed the tent, for the circus had pitched
not far from Miss AIMS house. This
was the first circus In Easthampton for
years, and Jack had set his heart on
going. Miss Ann strongly disapproved
Of circuses, but Jack had written to his
father and obtained consent, providing
he was a good boy, and now-Jack wept
afresh. Most of all he wanted to see
the elephant Qt was small circus and
had but one of the huge pachyderms).
About o'clock Miss Ann selented to