The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-02-23
What MoppeltD! Did

SRl8A
Moppet and Mary had been playing
hide;and-golsee all the morning.
! They had hid In the house In the
barn. in the shed, and in the play
house, and had had q bea utifnli time.
1t was Mays time to seek" and
Moppet meant to find new, new,
place to hide. as she went scamper-
Ing around the house past the juni-
per-tree.
/ Twas Just at that minute thatiher
eyes were dazzled by a; sudden gilt
ter down the lane. twas the CLEAN
of the bright new pals ona the tin
mans cart. The tired old horse
stood at the gate withydrooping head.
The cart was sheaped high with bum
dies OF rags that the tinman had got
from the farmers wives in exchange
for bis, shining pans and kettles.
The door at the back OF the cart
stood invitingly; open; aud there was
not a soul watching; for the tlnman
was at the back door haggllng with
Aunty Lou over the exchange OF a
@uit Of Ben's forSSa stew-pan with a
long handle. Moppet saw all with
her round bright eyes. Mary would
never think OF looking for her In the
tinman's cart-neyer In the wide
world!
Back of the lilac bushes through.
the fence she scudded TO the lane.
The old horse stood as II asleep.
Moppet rose on tIptoe and peeped.
j. through the open doors, Of the cart.
1t was lined with shining things. but
there was plenty Of room inside for
little Moppet.
She wlggled and jiggled. she
pushed and she pulled, lying fat on
her little stomach. until there she
was, breathless but happy, safe In
the tlnman's cart.
Once inside she ,cuddled down on
a blanket she found there and peeped
out.
There was Aunty Lou and the tin
mar at the back door. There was
Ben. at the barn and grandpa sitting
on the veranda reading his paper:
and Oigoodness me! there came Mary
Smith pell-mell around the corner
Of the house past the juniper-tree!
Suppose she, too. saw the glittering
pals and the open cart! Quick as
a fash Moppet reached out and
pulled to the swinging doors. They
came together with a muffed bang
and a sudden snap!
Moppet lay just as, still as a lit
tie mouse. giggling to herself.
Moppet. Moppet," she could hear
Mary family calling. TOO far away
is no fair-no-fair!"
Nearer, nearer came Mary's voice.
Moppet held her breath.
.Moppet, gMoppetI. nearer still
then. Just outside the cart--then
: farther farther, ard fainter -
fainter. "Moppet,t Moppet!"
And still Moppet giggled away in
the darkness. 4s6tG
Then something fell With a soft
thud on the top ofsthe cart!
Get up" cried the tlnman. crack
Ing his whip. get up. old lazy
bones:" And away swung the sleepy
old horse and the tinman's cart: and
there in its dusky depths crouched
Moppet, with the giggle frozen in her
I throat.
MIR. Tinman. Mr.. Tinman!" she
walled, when she could catch her
breath.
But over the clatter OF the jolting
tInware rang the Jolly tinman's
81 a walkin' by the river
In the ffowery month Of May;
for the tinman had made an excellent
bargain. In spite OF Aunty Louis hag-
Cling. and he was in a singing mood,
"Mr. Tinman. Mr.. 3Tinman!" sob
bed Moppet. banging on a tin pan
with dimpled fists,
Twas there I met sweet Ellen.
A-singin' by the way"
roared on the Jolly tInman.
Clitter-clatter, clitter-clatter, rang
the jinsling tinware; and all poor
little Moppet could do was to bang
land call. and bang and call-but no.
body heard.
"Whoa!" called the tinman. after