Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1911-09-29
Tod Mannow's
Strategy

'Shucks!" said Tod Mannows, dis
tinctly. Then he sat down on the low
est step and glumly surveyed the back
yard. Never before had he noted how
extremely large is a back yard 80 By
80 feet.
Thrusting his hands into his pock-
cts he leaned back stiffly and contin-
ued to glover at the vast expanse
The reason for this sudden and ex-
treme dislike for the rear part of the
Mannows premises was the ultimatum
issued that morning at breakfast by
the elder Mannows.
I'm tired of your fooling around
getting into mischief all through va
cation" his father had announced at
the conclusion of an episode relat.
ing to two broken windows, careless
ly thrown baseball and an irate neigh
bor You are big and strong enough
to devote your surplus energy to
something useful. | have long wish
ed to have garden. Now, you may
spade up the entire back yard so that
next spring it will be in condition to
plant. You can take as long as you
like for its accomplishment, but you've
got to work at it for awhile every day"
Tod was well acquainted with his
father. Nothing short of a convul-
sion of nature and the complete wiping
out of the Mannows premises would
suffice to alter that decree. Therefore,
he remarked again with desperate en-
phasis, "Shucks!" and then got to his
feet slowly.
AT an ear piercing whistle from the
next yard he looked even more glum
than before. The summons emanated
from Fatty Dyckman and meant that
the boys were gathering in the base
ball lot.
Can't" Tod yelled to Fatty. Gotta
spade a garden."
Fatty's head rose above the high
board fence. "Aw, cumalong," he said,
unbelievingly. He looked serious, how
ever, when Tod appeared at the base
ment door with spade in his hand
"Gee!" he breathed That's fierce!
Mebbe I'll help you" Fatty said nobly
If | get time that is" he added. more
cautiously.
Tod did not cheei' up at the hand
some offer. He was a pessimist on this
subject. Fatty's head disappeared, and
Tod with great effort spaded up at
least teaspoonful OF the soil Manual
labor was his acute idea of nothing at
all to do.
Suddenly something in the dirt gilt
tered and he pounced upon it breath
lessly. 1t was nothing but a bit of
glass. AS he turned it over in his
fingers an idea crept into his brain.
grin slowly transtigured his features.
Then he dropped the piece of glass and
the spade, ran to the rear door and slid
into the house.
When he emerged he had his moth
er's embroidery scissors and a large
back comb that belonged to his sister.
It had been laid away in her top bu-
reau drawer to await the return OF the
style demanding large back combs in
ones hair. Thickly strewn over it
were big, sparkly brilliants which gilt
tered in the sunlight like the best
product of the South African mines.
1t did not take the boy long to pry
'hShi al iooSc' iAes uldue q ldnQ-
full.
Tod planted three of them very near
the spot where he had spaded up the
teaspoonful of soil. Then he distrib.
uted the others over the yard with the
skill of veteran salter of gold mines.
Next he strolled to the fence. Fatty
was just starting out with his catch
ers' glove.
"Yow-ww!" Tod yelled. q must "a
sprained by wrist" He dangled it in
the air. Pail jump on me for not
spadin', too"
Fatty looked irresolute. Il s'pose |
kin do little before the boys git
there" he said, heroically. He climb
ed the fence and took the spade.
Right here l started" Tod direct
ed, nursing his wrist "Oh, gee!"
Fatty had shoveled two swadefuIs of
earth when he suddenly went down on
his knees.
What's the matter?" asked Tod
from the back steps
"Nothin'." Fatty replied, bending
over something he held in his hand.
He made another wild grab into the
dirt. Then he turned around with an
excited face.
Say he called. You'd better go
into the house and lie down. You
can't tell about sprain. Mebbe it's
broke. You wanta be careful! Any
how, | like to spade,"
"All right" said Tod reluctantly.
Don't work too hard" he cautioned
Fatty as he disappeared through the
back door.
Frequently during the morning he
abandoned his hammock and wild
west book and plate of fudge, which his
sister thought she had hidden behind
the top row of books, to look out upon