Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-09-18
mouse. And, like mouse, he hides
In the corners--especially kitchen cor.

mouse. And. like mouse, he hides
In the corners--especially kitchen cor.
! ners.
Nobody had ever seen him except
the chtldren-the three little boys and
three little girls. They declared he
| often came to play with them when
they were alone. He was the incest
companion in the world, they said,
though he was such an old man-hun-
dreds Of years old! He was full of
fun and mischief, and up to all sorts
of tricks, but he never did anybody
any harm unless he deserved it.
Their favorite pla--- place was the
| orchard, where grew the biggest
cherry tree you ever saw. They called
1t their Castle" This was because 1t
rose UP ten feet from the ground in
one thick stem, and then branched out
into a circle Of boughs with a fat
place In the middle. Here two or three
children could sit at once, The big
'gest boy made a sort of rope ladder
by which they could climb up and
down-which they did all winter, and
enjoyed their castle" very much.
But one day in spring they found
their ladder cut away. The gardner
had done it, saying 1t injured the tree,
which was just coming into blossom
Now this gardner was a rather gruff
man, with growing voice. He did
not mean to be unkind, but he dis
liked children; he said they bothered
him.
But when they complained to their
mother about the ladder, she agreed
with the gardner. The tree must not
be injured, as it bore the biggest
cherries In all the neighborhood.
wait till the cherries are ripe,"
said she.
The little people waited, and watch
ed it through Its leaflng and blossom
ing. till the fruit began to show, and
grew large and red On every bough.
At last one morning the mother said
Children, would you like to help
gather the cherries today?"
"Hurrah!" they cried, land not a
day too soon. We saw flock of
starlings in the next f1eld-and If we
don's clear the tree, they will"
Very well; clear it, then. Only
mind and fill my basket quite full for
preserving. What Is over you may eat
if you like"
THANK you, thank you!" and the
children were eager to be off; but the
mother stopped them till she could
get the gardner and the ladder.
For 1t Is he who must climb the
tree, not you; and you must do exactly
as he tells you; and he will stop with
you all the time and see that you
don't come to HARM
This was no slight cloud on the
children's happiness, and they begged
hard to go alone.
Please, might we?" We will be SO
good!"
The mother shook her head. All
the goodness in the world would not
help them if they tumbled off the tree
or ate themselves sick with cherries.
You would not be safe, and should
be so unhappy"
To make mother unhappy" was the
worst rebuke possible to these chill
dren; so they choked down their dis
appointment, and followed the garden
er as he walked on ahead, carrying his
ladder on his shoulder. He looked
very cross, and as If he did not like
the children's company at all.
They were pretty good, on the
whole, though they chartered good
deal; but the gardener said not
word to them all the way to the
orchard.
However, children who make the
best Of things, and try to be as good
as they can, sometimes have fun I'M
awares.
While the gardener was steadying
his ladder agaisnt the trunk Of the
cherry tree, there was suddenly heard
the barking of dog, and very
fierce dog, too. First it seemed close
beside them, then in the flower garden
and then in the fowl yard.
The gardener dropped the ladder
out of his hands. cts that Boxer! He
has got loose again! He will be run
ming after my chickens, and dragging
his broken chain all over my borders.
And he is SO fierce, and SO delighted
to get free. He'll bite anybody who
ties him up, except me-"
Hadn't you better go and see after
him?'
The gardner thought it was the eld-
est boy who spoke, and turned round
angrily; but the little fellow had never
opened his lips.
Here there was heard still louder
bark, and from quite different part
of the garden.
There he is-Im sure of 1t! jump
ing over my bedding-out plants, and
breaking my cucumber frames.
Abominable beast!-just let me catch
him!"
Off the gardner darted in violent
passion, throwing the ladder down up
On the grass, and forgetting all about
the cherries and the children.
The instant he was gone, shrill
laugh, loud and merry, was heard
close by, and little brown old mans
face peeped from behind the cherry
tree.
How dye do?-Boxer was me-
Didn't / bark well? Now am come
to play with YOU
The children clapped their hands;
for they knew they were going to