Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-03-15

ments-no, comperments, or some
thing, and she hopes you are YER
we'll And then perhaps she'll say
Tell your mother I'm very nue.
obliged to her. And wouldn't you lik
a bunch of grapes?' And I'll make an
other bow, and say, I'm not particular
thank you, ma am" ..
Johnny just here set down hi
basket for few moments to thinl
whether it would be too much of
risk to say he was not particular
What if the lady should think h
meant it,.
"Pshaw!" he concluded. "They al
ways know you mean that just TO
politeness. She'd smile just as MANN;
does, and give me a jolly big bunch.
Having settled this, Johnny picket
up his basket and walked briskly on
But no one was on the porch as HI
drew near. He stepped in under thu
vine, rang at the door, and turned
while he waited, to look at the grapes
If they had looked fine from the
street, how much more SO here!
There's just bushels of EN- ex
claimed Johnny, gazing up and dowr
and all along the piazza
No one came to the door, so he rams
back door and knocked. Nobody wa:
there, so he walked back to the piazzs
and gave another ring.
| '"Nobody's at home" he said.
1t was disappointment. No one tt
say Wouldn't you like a bunch OF
grapes?" Johnny was hot and thirsty
after his walk, and he longed for some
81 don't believe 1t would be any harm
for me to take just one bunch" said
Johnny. II guess the lady would have
given me two or three punches. II
she was here, she'd be real sorry for
me to 60 away without some, when
I'm so thirsty. It's just the, same as
taking a drink of water. Everybody
has right to a drink of water
The bright eyes looked keenly about
to make sure that no one could be
looking, as the small hands moved
near the stem Of the large bunch Of
grapes. ......
s"Whos that? Who's that? Who's
that?" -.
Johnny jumped as if he had been
shot as the words were jerked out in
a very harsh voice., 1t sounded like
the voice of an old man Johnny
thought.
Quit, quit, quit, quit quit" said the
voice. I'm coming! I'm coming!
liant doing anything" said John
ny, in trembling voice, as he hurried
away from the grapes. ........l
"Go way, go way, go way" came
next.
I'm going" 1850.
Johnny picked up his basket. and
ran from the house as fast as he
could.
Mamma was sorry when she learned
that he could not find Mrs. Lee.
'tBut l am going to see her in few
days, and you shall 60 with me-" she
said.
=, Johnny did not say anything about
the grapes or the person who had or
dered him away from the house. But
he wanted never to go there again.
He hoped his mother would forget
about taking him; but, when she called
him to 60 with her, he thought he
would rather go than tell her about it.
Perhaps that man won't remem-
Der me-" he said to himself
Mrs. Lee was glad to see Johnny's
mother, and they sat In the piazza and
talked. Before long, Mrs. Lee said to
johnny
Don't you want some grapes, dear?
Help yourself, and l must give you a
basket, so you can take some home
Johnny did not care half so much
for the grapes as he had the other
day: but he picked a bunch, and sat
down on the step to eat it.
who's that? Who's that? Go way,
60 way! Quit, quit"
It was the same dreadful vC/,e.
Johnny dropped his grapes, and looked
aroung in terror.
There's that noisy Uncle Tom -
said Mrs. Lee, laughing. do you want
to come and see him."
whats the matter Quit. quit,
quit" screamed the voice. Johnny
did not want to see Uncle Tom, and
did not offer to go to him.
Never mind, he's coming" said
Mrs. Lee HE sits around there in
the piazza all day sometimes. Come
along. Uncle Tom
Johnny felt very much like running
away. Here was the person who had
seen him just on the point of taking
which was not h siown.
I'm coming, I'm coming" said the
harsh voice. Johnny waited for him
with sinking heart. If Uncle Tom
was as dreadful as his voice. what
dreadful old man he must be. He would
away, Here was the person who sent
probably tell his mother and Mrs. Lee
all about what he had seen the other
day.
Z. who's that? Who's that?" cried
Uncle Tom, as he came from the side
piazza
He was very small, not so high as
Johnny's knees. He wore coat OF
bright green, with little dobs of red
near the tails, and bit Of a red cap
on his head.
I'm yoming! I'm coming! who's
that? Who's that" he cried. as he
solemnly strutted toward them.
Johnny stared for moment, and
then laughed and laughed until Mrs.
Lee and his mother laughed with him.
Then Mrs Lee brought a cracker,
and gave it to him to feed Uncle Tom
and they became fast friends. Tom
sang yankee Doodle" and Captain