Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-11
LAWRlE's CHICKEN THIEF.
By NAY STUART.

By NAY STUART.
III We can only succeed In pleasing Mr.
Jessup. he Is quite sure to choose Bard
town." said Mrs. Tate at the breakfast
table. Remember. children. that IT de-
ponds upon our family almost entirely
whether we have the new school and library
buildings, or whether they are given across
| the river. I'm sure We none Of US want
Fenwick to get ahead OF our town, do wsr
Indeed we DON'T" chorused the children
1--WE just hate Fenwick."
'And BESIDES" added Lawrie. 'ff we don't
have a good school here how are we going
to prepare for college2"
You see." their aunt went on. 'your
Uncle Darius being the minister. we shall
be expected to entertain Mr.. Jessup. ]
want every one OF you children to promise
to be good and to do whatever you can to
help"
1--WE willr' chorused the children readily.
Ing" added Uncle Darius. Your aunt Is
going with me to Chatham this afternoon,
and We will not be back till late. Be sure
to take good care Of everything"
Telling the children to be sure to feed
the chickens and fasten the barn up tight
after Ezra MIXED the cow and fed the
horse, Uncle Darius and Aunt Abbie de-
parted.
Lawrie, being the oldest, felt called upon
to boss the rest of the children, and he did
1t without finching. Sam did not mind It
because he never cared to be q leader, but
Ethel and Don did, and they did not q bit
relish doing just as Lawrie said. The ell
max came at supper. Ethel helped herself
to a second piece Of fruit cake and DON
followed suit
You can't have two pieces Of cake" said
Lawrie cheerfully. Ses
Just watch and see II we can't" replied
Ethel defiantly. taking a bite.
You know Aunt Abbie wouldn't let YOU -
Lawrie went on.
"She never said So" declared Don.
'Oh-oh! cried Lawrie accnsingiy.
She didn'tP' said Ethel. ''and you're
Just too dreadfully bossy for anything.
Lawrie Tate. Aunt Abbie never said any
thing more than she thought two pieces
might be bad for us, and.
Ethel was Interrupted by Frances. the
old colored cook, at the door, her wool
fairly standing on end, and the whites of
her eyes showing wide in fright. =
Il jes' done bring in de wood I'm de pile.
an dey g man In de chicken houser'
she gasped
Chicken thieves!' cried Lawrie spring.
ing up. Il Just expected some fellow
would be along after I bought those Piym-
outh Rocks. We've got to catch him, boys
come ont"
Lawrie took his uncles rife. which had
been loaded for many year; Sam a heavy
hickory cane and Don the poker, while
Ethel and Frances brought up the rear
with long piece OF ciothesline to tie the
thief when he was captured.
wait second" said Lawrie, as tHey
went noiselessly out the front door, and he
ran back in the sitting room and got Aunt
A .;l,as shawl IL II we get him. he con
over his head so he won't see we are only.
children, and then we can tie him all right.
You two women stay back q ways until we
get him-'cause he may show fight"
Lawrie took command now. without ques-
ton. Most Of the chickens belonged to him.
/ Sure enough as they neared the chicken
house, there was a cOmmotiOn among the
chickens, and the shadowy form OF a man
could be seen.
Draw back in the shadowr' ordered
Lawrie, az he advanced cautiously. the
shawl unfelded In readiness to throw over
the mans head. Just at that moment the
thief unexpectedly appeared at the corner
OF the chicken house. and Lawrie almost
fell into his arms. With rare~presence of
mind, however, he shouted In srun. manly
shawl over the thiefs head. Then the
others rushed up, and in a minute, before
the thief had time to collect his thoughts,
he was tn eT1n up wisn oM
Now" said Lawrie. still in his gruf.
manly voice, you come right along. I've
got a shotgun here and II you dare open
your mouth I'll pepper you The man
him In the ribs with the shotgun.
you're going to jail and the quieter you
are the better" added Iawrie. Then he
instructed Frances to lock the house door
and the procession headed down the road
toward Sheriff Handy's house.
Ethel felt uncomfortable. She was very
sorry for the man. even II he were a thief,
SO bundled up that he had to stumble along
under Lawries guidance; and somehow.
as they walked on, her conscience troubled
her little for taking the man 30 COM
pletely unawares.
"Lawrie." she said, perhaps he'd be
mora comfortable IL"
"Shut upr' growied Lawrie, 50 Grossly
that she was really afraid to finish her
sentence.
By that time the village square was
reached and there came her uncle's buggy
with his kindly face peering out toward
the blinking village lights.
"Heigh-ho. what have we 'hereT asked
Uncle Darius in surprise.
Its chicken thief. explained Lawrie
triumphantiy. land we're taking him to
Mr., Handy.
Chicken THEIR exclaimed Uncle Darius.
"Give the fellow chance to breathe.
Lawrence"
my new shawl" groaned Aunt Abbie.
What won't you children do next! Why,
Darius then Aunt Abbie gasped and
pointed to the mans right hand, in which
was clasped pigskin travelling bag.
Lawrence was undoing the shawl. and In
a minute perspiring and wrathy face ap-
peared. Uncle Darius and Aunt Abbie
gasped in horror.
Darius was out Of the buggy in minute.
"Laws-a-massy!" groaned Frances. The
children were too horror stricken to speak,
and Lawrie felt as small as mosquito.
1T came on this evenings train instead OF
waiting till morning" explained Mr.. Jessup.
land tried to find your house. lost the
road somehow In the dark when I thought
I was almost there, and fell into the hands
of a lot of brigands. This is my welcome"
and he scoWled. Some fellow threatened
to shoot me II spoke. so / thought 1t
safer to keep silent, as couldn't see"
TT was very careless mistake OF tho
childreI's." began Aunt Abbie.,
Children" said Mr.. sJessup, and he
looked around at the three covering fig
ures. do you mean to tell me I was cap
tured by children?,
Yes" said Uncle Darius. ST was obliged
to go away, and left them alone. They
thought you were a chicken thief, as they
have some chickens they value highly. and
you were right by my chicken house."
By the time the family reached home
again Mr.. Jessup had quite recovered his
spirits. and he proved very jolly visitor.
Lawrie was unusually quiet. Mr.. Jessup'
made friends with Ethel. s"If you had
listened to me, Lawrie," said Ethel sT
was going to tell you he didn't look like q
thief and carried beautiful new bag but
WI do uy,r