Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-03-26

dONndllly beheld something that made
him catch hold of his companions
hand, in fright. "
Make haste. Quick, quick!.'' said
ne. There he Is again.
"Who" asked the stranger, very
quietly.
odd Mr.. Toll" said Daffydowndilly,
trembling. There! he is overseeing
the carpenters. 1t is my old school
master"
The stranger cast his eye. where
Daffy downdilly pointed his finger; and
he saw an elderly man with carpen-
ter's rule. This person went about
the house, marking out the work that
was to be done, and continually urging
the other carpenters to be diligent
"Oh, no! this is not Mr. Toll, the
schoolmaster," said the stranger. Tt
is another brother of his, who follows
the trade of carpenter"
1 am very glad to hear it," quoth
Daffydowndilly. But if you please,
sir, should like to get out Of his way
as soon as possible
Then they went on a little further
and soon heard the sound of drum
and fife. Daffydowndilly begged his
companion to hurry forward, that they
might not miss seeing the soldiers
They made what haste they could,
and soon met a company of soldiers,
gayly dressed, with beautiful muskets
on their shoulders. In front marched
two drummers and two fifers, beating.
on their drums and playing on their
flies with might and main, and maxi
ing such lively music, that little Daily
downdilly would gladly have followed
them to. the end of the world And
if he were only soldier, then, he
said to himself, old Mr.. Toll would
never dare to look him in the face
"Quick step! Forward march!"
shouted a gruff voice.
Little Daffydowndilly started In
great dismay; for this voice which
had spoken to the soldiers sounded
precisely the same as that which he
had heard every day in Mr.. Tolls
schoolroom. And turning his eyes to
the captain Of the company, what
should he see but the very image of
old Mr.. Toll himself, with long
sword in his hand.
This is certainly old Mr.. Toll, said
in trembling voice.
Let us run away"
friend" replied the stranger. This
is not Mr.. Toll, the schoolmaster, but
a brother of his, who has served insthe
army all his life: People say he is a
very severe fellow; but we need not
be afraid of him.
well, WE'LL" said little Daffydown-
dilly; but, If you please, sir, I don't
want to see the soldiers any more"
So the child and the stranger went
on their journey. BY and by, they
came to a house by the roadside.
where number of people were making
merry. Young men and rosy-cheeked
girls with smiles on their faces, We're
dancing to the sound of fiddle. 1t
was the pleasantest sight that Daffys
downdilly had yet met with
oh let us stop here" he cried to
his companion, 'for Mr. Toll will new
err show his face where there is fid.
dler, and where people are dancing and.
making merry. am sure we will be-
quite safe here!"
But these last words died away on
Daffydowndilly's tongue; for, happen
ing to cast his eyes on the, fiddler,
whom should he behold again but the
bow instead of birch rod
ooh, dear me- whispered he, turn
ing pale cit seems as If there was
nobody but Mr.. Toll in the world. Who
would have thought Of his playing on
fiddle?" s
"This is not your old oolmaster.n
observed the stranger, but another
brother of his who is a fiddler. He gem
orally calls himself Mr.. Pleasure. But
his real name is Toll, and those who
have known him best think him more
disagreeable than his brothers. =
pray let us go little farther"
said Daffydowndilly to the stranger.
81 don't like the looks of this fiddler at
ALL
Well, thus the stranger and little
Daffydowndilly went wandering along
the highway. and in shady lanes and
through pleasant villages. But wher-
ever they went, behold! there was the
image Of old Mr.. Toll
"Oh. take me back take me back!"
cried little Daffydowndilly j, bursting
into tears "If there is nothing but
Toll all the world over, may just as
we'll go back to the schoolhouse!"
"Yonder it is-there is the school
housed" said the stranger; for though
he and little Daffdowndilly had taken
great manw steps, they had travel
ed in a circle, instead of straight
line. Come; we will go back to school
together''
There was something in his compan-
ions voice that little Daffydowndilly
now remembered and it is strange
that he had not remembered it sooner.
Looking up into his face, behold!
there again was the likeness Of old
Mr.. Toll. The poor child had been In
company with Toll all day, even while
he was doing his best to run away
from him.
Some people who have heard little
Daffydowndilly' story believe that old
Mr. Toll was magician, and that he
could change himself into as many
shapes as he saw fit.
Be that as it may, little Daffydown-
dilly had learned good Lesson, and
fro,,, +ipoo Forum ri h a tryo o1n