Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1919-02-13

pot Of honey IN the top shelf Of the
pantry and ever since I had seen it
put there I had cherished secret de.
sires.
I ran into the deserted house, and
with the aid Of a chair climbed to
the first shelf and then to the next,
and reached into the pan and drew
out a comb of honey, and with no
delay whatever it went to my mouth.
Suddenly it seemed to me that 1 had
been hit by lightning. 1t was the
sting Of a bee. 1 felt myself 60
ing and made a wild grab and caught
the edge of the pan and down we
came to the tloor-the pan and L
with a great crash.
l discovered that I was in desper.
ate pain and trouble and I got to
my feet and ran. 1 didn't know
where I was going. 1t seemed to me
that any other place would be better
than that. My feet took me toward
the barn and l crawled under it and
hid there. My lip began to feel better,
by and by, but big and queer. 1t
stuck out so that l could see it. !
heard my uncle coming with the
horses. I concluded that I would
stay where I was, but the dog came
and shifted and parked at the hole
through which l had crawled as if
saying, "Here he Isl" My position
was. untenable. I came out. Shep
began trying to clean my clothes with
his tongue. Uncle Peabody stood
near with the horses. He looked at
me. He stuck his finger into the
honey on my coat and smelt it.
"Well, by" he stopped and came
closer and asked.
"What's happened?"
"Bee stung me-" l answered.
"Where did We find so much honey
chat We could go swimmin' in it?" he
asked.
I heard the door Of the house open
suddenly and the voice of Aunt Deel.
"Peabody; Peabody, come here
quick" she called.
Uncle Peabody ran to the house, but
7 stayed cut With the dog.
Through The open door 1 heard Aunt
De! saying: 81 can't stan it any
Ion&tv and I H'on't-not another day
ayes, T l.-. SAN it. That boy is &,
regular pest."
They came out on the veranda. III
lie Peabody said nothing, but I could
zee that he couldn't stand it either.
Wy brain was working fast.
"Come here, sir" Uncle Peabody
allied.
l knew it was serious, for he had
never called me "sir" before. I went
slowly to the steps.
My Lord!' Aunt Deel exclaimed.
Look at that lip and the honey all
Wer him-ayes! I tell ye-I can't
tan it."
Say, boy, is there anything on this
lace that Je amt tipped over?" Uncle
eeubody asked in a sorrowful tone.
Wouldn't We like to tip the house
)ver?"
I was near breaking down in this
answer:
II went into the but'ry and that
pan jumped on to me-"
Didn't you taste the h%oney?"
mo" 1 drew in my breath and
shook my head.
Liar, tool" said Aunt Deel. II
can't stan it an I won't"
Uncle Peabody was sorely tried, but
he was keeping down his anger. His
voice trembled as he said:
"Boy, guess you'll have to"
Uncle Peabody stopped. He had
been driven to the last ditch, but he
had not stepped over it. However, 1
knew what he had started to say and
sat down on the steps in great de-
lection. Shep followed, working at
my coat with his tongue.
l think the sight of me must have
touched the heart of Aunt Deel.
"Peabody Baynes, we mustn't be
cruel" said she in a softer tone, and
then she brought a rag and began to
assist Shep in the process Of clean
ing my coat. "Good land! He's got to
stay here-ayes!-he amt got no
other place to go to-"
"But if you can't stan it," said I'm
Gle Peabody.
1--we got to STAN it-ayes!- can't
stan it, but I've got to-ayes! So
have YOU"
Aunt Deel put ME to bed although
it was only five O'Clock. AS I lay
looking up at the shingles a singular
resolution came to me. It was born
of my longing for the companionship
Of my kind and Of my resentment. ]
would go and live with the Dunkel-
bergs. I would 90 the way they had
gone and find them. I knew it was
ten miles away, but of course every
body knew where the Dunkelbergs
lived and any one would show me,
l would run and get there before
dark and tell them that l wanted to
live with them and every day l would
play with Sally Dunkelberg. Uncle
Peabody was not half as nice to play
with as she was.