Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
JACkANAPEs.

Ethel Widner, age 10,
Ottumwa, Ia
JAckANAPEs.
Two donl-eys and the geese lived ON
the Green. and all other residents OF
any social standing lived in houses
round 1t. The houses had no names.
Everybody's address was THE Green"
but the postman and the people of the
place knew where each family lived.
Once a year the Goose Green became
the scene of carnival. First Of all,
carts and caravans were rumbling up
all along, day and night. Jackanapes
could hear them as he lay in bed and
could hardly sleep for thinking what
booths and whirligigs he should find
when he and his dog Spitfire went out
after breakfast.
The gray goose always ran away
after the first approach OF the cara
vans, and never came back to the Green
until nothing was left OF the Fair but
footmarks and oyster shells.
Grass soon grows over footprints,
and the village children took the oys-
ter shells to trim their gardens with,
but one year there fingered another
relic Of the Fair time in which Jack
anapes was. deeply interested.
THE Green" was only part Of a
struggling common where gypsies
sometimes camped. especially after the
annual Fair. And 1t was after the
Fair that Jackanapes. out rambling by
himself, was knocked over by the gyp-
sy's son riding the gypsy's red haired
pony at breakneck pace across the Com
mon.
Jackapapes got up and shook him
self, none the worse, except for heels
over head in love with the red-haired
pony. What a rate he went at! How
he spurned the ground with his nimble
feet! How his red coat shone in the
peeped out Of his dark forelock as it
was blown by the wind!
The gypsy boy had had a fright, and
he was willing enough to reward Jack
anapes for not having been hurt by
consenting to let him have ride.
DO you mean to kill the fine little
gentleman, you rascal?" screamed tho
gypsy mother, who came up Just as
Jackanapes and the pony set off.
''He would get on" replied her son.
It'll not kill him. He fell on his yell
low head. and it's as tough as a cocoa
nut" But Jackanapes did not fall He
stuck to the red-haired pony, and ohl
the delight of this wild gallop with
flesh and blood.
.'Lollo!" Round turned the pony SO
quick that Jackanapes had to cling to
his neck. and he did not recover him
self until Lollo stopped with jerk at
the place where they had started.
'Is his name Lollo?" asked Jacka-
napes, his hand lingering on the wiry
name.
YES"
What does Lollo mean7.
Red"
rs Lollo your pony?"
mo. my fathers" And the gypsy
bay led Lollo away.
At the first opportunity Jackanapes6 +
stole away again to the Common. This
time he saw the gypsy father
'Lollo is your pony, isn't her said
Jackanapes.
YES
HE is very nice one
Hes a racer
''You don't want to sell him, dc
you?"
Fifteen pounds" said the gypsy
father; and Jackanapes sighed and
went home again.
A few days later Miss Jessamine
spoke very seriously to Jackanapes.
She was much agitated, as she told
him his grandfather, the General. was
coming up the Green. and that he must
tie on his very best behavior during
the visit.
"Ycu are good boy, Jpckanapes,"
said Miss Jessamine, II can tell your
grandfather that; an ob-lient boy, an
But you are-in short, YOU are boy
Jackanapes. and I hope the General
knows that boys will be boys"
What mischief could be foreseen
Jackanapes promised to guard against
He was to keep his clothes and his
hands clean, not to put sticky things
in his pockets, to keep his hair smooth,
,o% 10 h,,.e To-, Of f1,a, ,~1c lr0 ~
not to talk at the top Of his voice.
He must sit quiet during the Sunday
sermon, be sure to say Sir" to the
General and be careful about rubbing
his shoes on the door mat
The General arrived. and for the first
day all went well, except that Jacka-ll
nape's hair was as wild as usual He
began to feel more at ease with his
grandfather, and disposed to talk con-
fldentially with him as he did with the
| postman
| All that the General felt 1t would
take too long to tell but the result was
the same. He was disposed to talk
confdentially with Jackanapes
| Pretty place this" he said, looking
out of the window on the Green,
where the grass was vivid with sunset.
and the shadows were long and peace~
| full.
you should see 1t in Fair week, SIR
said Jackanapes. shaking his yellow
hair, and leaning back in the armchair
| in which he sat-
"a fine time that?" said the General,
with twinkle in his eye.
Jackanapes shook his hair. Il ems
joyed the last one best Of ALL" he said,
Il had so much money
TITS not common complaint in
these bad times. How much had
your"
4 -H-,y
Aunty gave me, and eleven pence /
had saved UP, and a penny from tho
postman.-sir,'' added Jackanapes,
with a jerk, having forgotten it.
"And now suppose you've not
got penny in your pocket?" said the
| General.
/ YES have" said Jackanapes, "two
pennies. They are saving up" and
Jackanapes jingled them with his
hand. 4
] TO Be continued.>