Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-06-28
Homemade 1orpsdoss.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

III years old, and had grievance. His
" sister. Mariannina, was half-past u.
1t was Fourth of July. and all the other
boys had irecrackers. but Johnny had
none.
But though there were no firscrackers,
there were six packages of torpedoes that
Uncle Joey had bought for him and Mari
annina. At first Johnny said he would
take but one package; torpedoes were
only for girls, anyhow. Like martyr
he singled out the smallest bag, and
put Ave into his sisters pinafore. Sadly
the two went out into the back yard.
well take turns out O. mine first,
Ninny," said he. First frow, den
you.
"P'r'aps, after all, we'd better keep
the bags all sep'rate," Johnny went on
to say. II take half the bags, and you
take half"
But even with this careful manage.
mont the torpedoes We're soon gone.
Suddenly Mariannina had an idea. She
picked up the torn cover of one Of the
exploded torpedoes. 1t was common
white tissue paper. She examined its
contents. The torpedoes seemed to BIZ
made of and and salt and things.
Johnny" chried she, ''supposing We
make some torpedoes"'
II don't believe dey'll torpedo" an
swered Johnny, gloomily.
1--WE can't tell till we try" said Ninny
"Tve got plenty of tissue paper that
came In the box with my beautiful wax
DOLL"
"Oh, yes" said Johnny; "but what's
dc stufang made OFF,
TT. "a 4.
Cd Ninny.
"Looks like sand and gravel" replied
Johnny. but sand hasn't got any fire
bang to 1t, cause I've frowed 1t ever sc
many times"
Perhaps red pepper would help" sug
gestsd Ninny. Anyway, I'm going to
get some"
You'd better get bofe kinds of pep.
perl! cried Johnny, as Mariannina ran
into the house.
Ninny soon returned with spice box
scissors and tissue paper.
Ninny cut and Johnny mixed. Both
children began to sneeze.
"Supposing 1t went off wiz bang
while was mixing It," said pruden,
John Hancock. He turned his head and
mixed at long range.
First we'll twist up two, Just to try
said Ninny.
But just as they had finished the two,
Q curly head appeared above the high
fence. The head belonged to Angelina
Thurston; the children knew very well
that she was standing on the rain bar
rel.
what you doin'?" she called.
"Oh. just making torpedoes," answered
Johnny.
"Gi'-gi me one?'
II couldn't exactly give 'em away
responded Johnny.
"Poohl" said Angelina. II don't be.
lieve they're any good, anyhoww
Don't let's fire off any till she's gone
whispered Mirannnina. "'cause If any.
thing should happen that they wouldn',
be good. she'd laugh at us. Let's make
more"
Soon there was fine large pile Of
beautifully formed torpedoes, looking for
all the world like those you buy in the
store.
Nov, then" said Mariannina, her
cheeks red with excitement 'let's try
'em. You try first"
She held her breath, and had her fin.
gers ready to stop her ears. JOHNNY
Strengthened himself, took aim and furi
ously hurled one of the largest torpedoes
against the stone. Alas and alas! /,
fell as noiselessly as snowflake.
ut doesn't torpedo" said JOHNNY
piaintively.
He tried another, and another. wifi
the same result. Those plump and beau.
tiful torpedoes, half filling the little cart.
were-failures!
Mariannina wept. But the dinner
bell rang and they went in.
Now all this time Uncle joey, hidden
behind the library blinds, had been
chuckling quietly to himself. Still smil-
Ing, Uncle joey opened the door of the
library closet. On the top shelf were
two packages of torpedoes, intended as
pleasant surprise. Uncle Joey slipped
out Into the yard and put them in place
Of the torpedoes the children had made,
After dinner the children went again
Into the shady yard The little cart
with Its little load Of torpedoes was still
there. John Hancock picked up a tor
pedo, sighed, and let 1t fall Bang! To
his immense surprise that torpedo was n
success! He tried another, and another.
Oh, Joy!
Then appeared Angelina on the rain
barrel.
See our torpedoes?" cried johnny.
Smell EN-? Hear 'em?" And he threw
three together.
Il say, will you give me cents
worth" asked Angelina.
she tossed down cent, while Johnny,
standing on soap box, gave her five tor
pedoes.
Then Isabel and Anabel, the Bolton
twins, sauntered into the yard. They
had cent between them; and seeing
Angelina's purchase, they too, wished to
buy. Johnny sold them cents worth.
made 'em ourselves" he said airily.
"How did you do it?" asked the twins,
In awe.
"Oh, It's easy" answered Johnny.
Just take sand and salt and red pepper
and black pepper, and twist 'em up In
paper. could do 1t wiz my eyes shut"
Johnny, intent upon proving to the
twins the ease with which torpedoes
could be made, mixed more "stuffing!.'
Mariannina cut two covers; and there
were now two brand-new homemade tor.
pedoes, one for Isabel and one for ANA.
bel
Aim, fire, bang" shouted Johnny lisa.
bel and Amabel obeyed. A painful sur.
prise awaited them. The little white
balls dropped as gently as kernels of pop
corn.
Then Uncle Joey had to come out and
set all things right in the eyes Of every.
body. When the truth was known, and
Angelina and Isabel and Amabel found
they had bought common store torpedoes
they objected.
II only bought EN-" said Angelina
"'cause I thought they were home
made"
$50 did we," added the twins.
"All right" said Uncle joey, kindly