Norwich bulletin., 1913-01-03

l Jefford watched the big farm wagon rattle down the road and turned dis consolate1y to his charge. It was pretty hard that he should be cut ou because Nellie Carter's married siste chose to declare that Bobby's life wal too precious to be jeopardized by wan derin& into the weeds where as HheE at the very least, there was chaHcs that he would climb a tree when some one's back was turned and fall througt the breaking of rotten branch. Bobby 9ermaine had been ever, ones cross that summer Day aftel day some excursion had been propos- ed and some one had to stay at homs with Bobby. Jefferd often wond8rel why his mother did not remain hehine with her preefous offspring, but Mrs first to accept and for the sake of hel pretty sister some one had volunteeret to remain behind with the year old Usually it had been Turner or Rascom for they had been rivals for Nellie Carters affections ever since the sea- son had opened.
 Jefford had made good headway ir
 attracting Nellie's attention but this
 was the first time he had sought to
 gain her favor by remaining at home
 with Bobby, and he would not have
 been left out of the party this time
 had it net been that Nellie herself had
 made the request,
 It was piazza gossip that Bobby was a sort of test as to the fitness of Mel, lies suitors. and that the masterful Mrs. Geruaine would throw the bal ance of her favor to the fortunate man who had most successfully filled the role of day nurse to her young hope full
 Jefford loved Nellie sincerely, but he had avoided those tetea-tetes with Bobby relisiously. Now he watched the rest of the summer party down the road and lifted his eyes just in time to behold Bobby falling into the tiny foun- tain on the lawn. He had to form his small body into an almost complete circle to accomplish this result, but he was successful, and moment later was dragged forth, wet and wailing, to be sent upstairs to his nurse to be dried out.
 Twenty minutes later he was on the lawn in a new linen suit, and Jefford raced across the grass just in time to prevent him from putting his hands on the mower.
 Jefrord went back to his book and Bobby crossed the road to the pasture beyond, whence there presently arose axonized cries, and Jenord arrived fn time to haul Bobby over the fence be- fore his change of venue was assisted by a goat. For a moment there was 8 decided inclination to lay the young ster across his knee but there came the realisation that he was his aunt's nephew, and beyond mild rehuke there was no developments.
 Through the morning Bobby man aged to get into half dozen scrapes. from which he was rescued by his guardian before serious complications arose, and only the ring of the dinner bell saved him from seeking to inter view the bull in the north pasture.
 The meal was comparatively peace full, for the nurse girl was in attend ance to check any demonstration. but ste conveniently vanished after the meal, and Jefford sat upon the porch with his after dinner cigar and won- dered how it was that Turner and Bas- com had been able to get through an entire day without committing murder. Half a dozen times through the morning he had been moved to take decided action. and had been restrain ed therefrom only by the thought of what Nellie would say, but when Bob by dug up from somewhere the rem nants of his Fourth of July stock of firecrackers and proceeded to set them off in the henhouse, where a dozen hens were on their nests. Jefford's pa- tience gave way
 With a firm grasp upon the offend er's collar he led him toward the porch, while Bobby, with streaming eyes, developed an unexpected fertility of invention in explaining what he would say to his mother and his aunt upon their return.