Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1911-11-25

word with a neighbOr Wnlcn rOao he
must take to follow them, and also
where he would find the clothes TO
wear. ~ .s III. .gS
AS it happened, however, Martin
came home without being seen by the
neighbor, and could not imagine what
had become of everybody. he snout'
ed. he ratified the chairs, Went down
cellar, through all the chambers, even
up tho garret stairs but not soul
could he flnd -.
In the garret there was an old
fashioned hair trunk, and in. that halr
trunk was an old-fashioned suit or
clothes which had belonged to Mar
tins grandfather. 1t consisted OF
cooked hat a long-skirted coat, a
figured waistcoat, a standing collar.
breeches. stockings, and buckled
shoes, and it was the cause of all
Martins bad luck that day. In look
ing after the family, he opened that
trunk, and no sooner saw those
clothes than he made up his mind to
put them on and have some fun.
1t took long time to dress up; !;
the collar would twist in spite of h1m-
self. and then the coat skirts would
get under his feet, and what to do with
them was the question. At last he
took one on each arm, and in that
manner went down into the street,
where he marched along, head thrown
back, toes turned out, and making
quite a show with his buckled shoes
and his cocked-up hat. +. f..
The street boys came running to see
and one little fellow picked up an old
smoking-cap that had dropped from
the coat pocket, put in on his head,
then rolled up his trousers, and went
marching behind with a stick over
his shoulder. >i.".s..
As they passed along, more boys
came, all shouting and laughing ana
by and by, some of them began to
throw stones. At last one stone went
smash through a. window. Then
man came rushing out III his shirt
sleeves, and bawled. at them, "Who
threw that stone?' .... ~ ..:s-.-.'
The boys started to run. Some kept
in the road: some jumped over into
the field. Martin was one who jump
ed over He made for the brook,
thinking to cross on the stepping
stones. When he heard the man COM
ing behind, he let go the coat skirts
to run faster, because he thought one
of the boys called out, There he
comes with q horsewhip."
But the clothes would not let him
run. Just as he reached the bank,
one of the skirts tapped between his
legs, then he stepped on 1t, and then
he stumbled, and then-went down.
In falling he pitched headforemost
into the brook. A flock of geese,
swimming near by, flew off, in a hurry.
Martin, rolled over and picked HIM
self up. The next thing was to pick
up his hat. for it had floated away, on
a voyage by itself. Many times he
was Just going to catch hold Of It,,
and each time it slipped from under
his fingers. .<a e.,. D.. =.
The frogs made fun Of him, and the
boys hooted, calling out, "A race! a
race! Hurrah!" Martin found it
hard work wading with SO many
clothes on, and was just going to give
up, when help came quite unexpected
ly. A lively puff Of wind happened
along, took hold of the cooked hat,
and puffed 1t ashore in a twinkling.
Martin picked up his hat and sat
down by the brook on log, to keep
out of sight, peeplng through the
coarse grass to see what the old man
was doing. Martin would better have
been looking the other way. If he
had been looking the other way he
would have sene coming toward him
a dozen or twenty animals of kind
not famous for beauty or good be-
havior, called pigs.
Animals OF this kind have not very
genteel manners, but no doubt they
mean well. But little Martin Klover,
when he saw this company of curl
tails coming, did not stop to think OF
good looks or good manners. He
hurried with all his might, and tried
to run, but was not quick enough, on
account of having on SO many clothes
and the clothes being wet. lean
while, the company came forward at
full gallop, being driven on by the
boys. Some pigs stopped to smell at
what was sprawling and squalling in
the mud, and, finding that it was moth
ing but boy, walked over him and
went away.
BY this time Martin had had fun
enough for one day. He got up, polk
ed his hair out Of his eyes, and walk.
ed, as we'll as he could. toward home.
The boys ran after him, calling out,
Martin Klover!, Martin Klover! On
ly look at his clothes! What do you
think of pigs?'
When Martin reached home, it was
almost dark. The family had arrived
some time before. AS soon as his
mother saw him. she lifted up both
hands and did not know what to say.
She had never seen such looking
boy. >f5
Martin had only bare bread for his
supper that night, and was left to eat
| it, in a room by himself, that he might
think over the mischief he had done
| And that he might think the harder
he was placed on a hard bench.
His mother gave him three thick
slices, but his grandmother, thinking
| he would starve, put inside the door
a whole bakers loaf. Martin began
with the loaf. then went on with the
| three thick slices. ... 49,
The cat jumped in at the window
| and he was very glad Of her company
Good little pussy!" he sobbed. Good
little pussy! Pussy loves Martin
doesn't she?" And pussy mewed that
| =