The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1910-07-13


and 1t ont for me full tilt. don't
feed good fresh clans to dogs as q
usual thing. but that mouth had to be
filed. / waited Till he was almost On
me. and then let drive with one Of
the dreeners. Prince and a couple OF
pecks of CLAIMS went I'D In the air ike
busted b0mbsheIl. There was d little
pine tree In the lot, and / give one
jump and landed Ira the middle of 1t. /
went up the rest OF the way like I'd
forgot something, and then / chung On
to the top or that tree and painted and
swung round In circles, while the dog
hoped Np and down ON his hind legs
and fairly sobbed with disapp 'intment.
Allie was rolling ON the grass. oh.
dear me- says he between spasms,
that was the funniest thing / ever
sawr
I'D seen dots funnier things myself,
but want worth while 20 argue.
Besides. I was busy hanging on to
that tree. Twas an awful little pine
and the bendiest one ] ever climbed
Allie rolled around awhile longer. and
then he gets up and comes over.
Well, Reuben, says he, looking up
at me on the roost, you're a good deal
hands0mer up there than you are on
the ground. ! guess III let you stay
there for awhile as d lesson to You.
Watch him. Prince And away he
goes, and for an hour that had no less
than 6O.000 minutes in it Z chung to that
tree ike green apple, with Prince
setting open mouthed underneath
waiting for me to get ripe and drop.
Just as was fggering that i was
growing fast to the limb heard some
body calling my name. I unglued nv
eyes from the dog and looked up, and
there, looking over the fence that I'd
tried so hard TO reach, was Barbara
Saunders, Cap'n Eben Saunders girl.
who lived in the house next door to
mine
Barbara was always pretty girl.
and that morning she looked preftfer
than ever, with her black hair blowing
every which way and her black ewes
swapping fuIl of laugh.
Why, Mr.. Nickersonr she calls.
What are you doing up in that treeY
That was kind Of a puzzler to an
sWer ofhand, and / don't know what
I'd have said If Friend Allie hadn't
hove in sight just then and saved me
the trouble.
Beg pardon, I'm sure, says Allie,
tossing away his cigarette. May /
ask If fhat-er-deep sea gentleman in
my tree is a friend of yowsY
'Barbara kind Of laughed and drop
ped her eyes and said why, yes, was.
BY .Jove, he's luckier than l
thought says Allie, never taking his
eyes from her face. And what do
they call him, please, when they want
him to answer
It's BIr. Nickerson.' saws Barbara.
He lives in that house there, the one
this sidesof ours
oh, a neighbor! That's different.
AwfnIly sorry, I'm sure Prince. come
here Er-Nickersen. for the dady's
sake well call it Off You mayer
vacate the perch
i waited till he'd got Glove hitch
on to Prince. He had to give him one
or two welts over the head fore he
could do it. The dog acred like he'd
been cheated. Then / Rried myself
loose from that blessed limb and shin
ned down to solid ground. Ny. but i
was bling insidel
You see says Allie, talking to
Barbara, the gov'nor told me ned
been plagued with trespassers. so /
thought I'D give 'em a lesson. But
when they're scarce as Ours
are, ought to be friends. DON'T You
think so, Miss-er- Nickerson.' saws
he, Introduce me to our other neigh
Dor
$50 had to do it, though ] didn't
want to. lie turned loose some SOFT
soap about not realizing afore what D
beautiful place the Cape was. Thought
twas time to go.
= But Miss Saunders hasn't answer
ed my question yet, says Allie. Don't |
you think neighbors ought to be /
friends. Miss Saunders?
Barbara blushed and laughed and /
said she guessed they had. Then she
walked away. ] started to follow, but
Allie stopped me
Look here. Nickerson,' SAYS he.
I let you of this time, but don't try
I again. De you hearY
7 hear, says l. You and that
lyena of yours have had all the fun
his morning. Some day maybe the
loot II be on f'other leg
Barbara was waiting for me. We
walked on together without speaking
or minute. Then ! says, to myself
Ike: SO that's old man Davidson's
on, is it? Well. he's the prize peach
q the crate, he isr
Barbara was thinking too. He's
cry nice looking, isn't her SAYS she.
Twas what you'd expect 4 girl to say,
ut hated to hear her say 1T. went
Iome and marked d big chalk mark on
ne inside Of my shanty door. signify
ag that ] had debt 10 pay some time
r other