Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1908-01-17
HIDE-AND-SE

HIDE-AND-SEEK.
'Mabefs It! Mabers it," screamed
all the children at once, and away
they rushed, to find hiding-places be-
fore the little girl could count fifty,
Johnny ran to the big rosebush ;
Fred and Harry to the barn; Nellie
crept behind grandma, who was rock
ing and knitting on the porch: and
before forty had been reached. the
last one had vanished. i've found
the best place Of ALL" said Richard,
laughing all over, as he crept in a
barrel half filled with straw that had
been standing on a wagon in the al
ley for months. II mean to hide
here every time"
'Bushel wheat, bushel rye" chant.
ed Mabel; but no one answered. so
she started on her search. "One. two,
three for Fred" she called presently.
"One. two, three for Nellie. ! see
you there. back CT grandma's chair"
Children, there is an organ-grinder
with a tiny monkey up on Elm street"
called Mrs. Blake. Don't you all
want to go?"
Away they rushed, but Richard In
the big barrel heard nothing of the
cutlery. He wondered why they did
not come to fnd him. and then con-
cluded It would be a great joke to
stay where he was. till all the chill.
dren helped Mabel to search him out
81 must have gone to Sleep" said
Richard. suddenly opening his eyes.
Il guess I'll sneak out and pat for
myself"
"One, two. three for me-" he called.
as he pounded on the door OF the
woodhouse with his eyes still full Of
sleep.
''Pa! pa! Come here!" said an ex.
cited old lady on the back porch who
wasn't his grandma at all. Here's
a strange little boy! He got out Of
that barrel on the wagon. and you
must have brought him from town."
I'm Richard Blake" said the alittle
boy. almost ready to cry. "and we
were playing hide-and-seek."
And you hid in the straw in the
barrel? You see. sonny. l bought
that old wagon that stood in your al
ley so long, and you must have been
asleep when l drove on"
Il was only asleep minute or
two" said Richard. looking at the
kindly old gentleman. as II he nigh;
be a fairy who had waved his wand
and hidden all the boys and girls.
This isn't our house."
You are six miles from town.
Richard. Get him a bite to eat. moth
er, and I'll take him right back home
His folks must be nearly crazy"
Il can walt till dinner-time." said
Richard. politely. 81 don't want to
bother you."
Il guess you're all turned around.
sonny" said the old lady. 1T is four
o'clock. and everybody had dinner
long ago."
So Richard ate his bread and milk.
while the nice old gentleman hitched
up. and presently he was on his way
to town. with two big cookies in his
hand. He could hardly wait till he
saw his mamma. and 1t seemed
long time before the buggy got to
the familiar streets and houses.
1.-The next time you must not hide
in anything that can run away" said
Richards mamma, when she had
laughed and cried and kissed the
wanderer a long time. "We though,
of every place but the old wagon, and
even the policemen have been out
looking for you. don't believe
shall ever want you to play hide
and-seek again"
'Pll take them all out to my farm
some day next week, to pay for break
ing up that game" said the nice old
gentleman; "and then. II they act
lost, we will have old Rover find him
You folks hunted everywhere. and
didn't find him; and We didn't seek a.
all, but we brought him to the base"
81 didn't pat for myself" said
Richard, breaking away from his
mother, to beat Mabel to the base
and pound on the right wood
house-docr this time. I'm not II
for the next game, anyway."-Hilda
Do,A~aI DraChvforfan