Year: 1873

Old Farmer WOOdSOm was about a
mean an individual as one would be likely
, to meet i'm lifetime. He never let any
! thing 90 To waste on his farm. and he was
never known to give anything willingly
away. The village SchOOlhOuSe STOOD
about quarter of mile from his place
and this was a source of great anxiety tC
him, as the boys i'm going TO and from
school. were often tempted 10 turn aside
and gather the fruit from under an early
apple tree which grew on one side OF his
garden. Now as old Wood-Om always
collected the apples from Oft the ground
and mixed them with the sound ones, il
made him very angry to find the boys
helping themselves. He tried various
ways to drive off the youngsters. but
they only laughed at him, and finally
growing bolder, frequently made mid
night excursions to the old tree. But at
last WoOdsOm hit on a plan which seemed
TO please him. SO he at once set TO work
To put it in execution. That evening at
dusk he dug a large hole about six feet
deep, making the sides very steep; from
this hole he laid trough through the
yard To a large tank which stood at the
door of the kitchen, and which was al
ways kept filled with water. He took
DtI tdtt W ulg Hoit ulltCllN
across the path which led under the ap-
pie tree, and covering it up completely
with leaves and grass, lying a long strip
of hickory across the middle. to which
he attached stout twine, fastening the
other end OF the cord to large Tin dish
which he hung on a nail ut the kitchen
door. After smiling grimly to himself
over the completion of his work. he re-
turned to the house. and gave his wife
strict injunctiOnS TO Immediately pull out
the plug from the tank the moment she
heard the clatter of the falling tin.


But alas. for WoOdSom pair OF bright
eyes Were watching him from behind the
trunk OF a neighboring tree, during the
whole operation, and no sooner was the
farmers back turned than the owner OF
those eyes darted toward the village and
quickly returned with all the boys he
could muster, all determined TO see some
fun.


$50 he intended to give us tumble
and a cOld-water bath III the. bargain :"
exclaimed Tom, one of the boys. Nov
we'll see if we can't beat him at his own
game. Just come here and hel Up me knot
this grass, ard We'll astOnish him."


In short time the boys had the long
grass which grew on each side of the path
securely knotted in several places directly
across the path. and then they went for
the apples. purposely making great deal
of noise.


Old WCOdSom soon became aware that
some one was at the apple tree. So he
softly opened the door. and waited for the
springing of the trap; but, of course. he
listened in vain. Finally. getting impa-
tient. he started on a run for the boys.
shouting and gesticulating violently. But
the young rascals paid no attention 10 his
cries, which only eXasperated him the
more.


He had at first taken a roundabout
course, intending to head the boys of. but
he now came on at full tilt down the very
path which led into the trap. WoOdsom
was no light-weight-he had turned the
scale at two hundred and twenty pounds
two years before, and he had, if anything.
gained in flesh since then, so il was about
as hard for him to stop suddenly as it is
for locomotive on a down grade.


His foot caught in the knOtted grass.
and over he went, turning complete
somersault, disappearing with a crash
through the covering of the trap: down
came the tin dish at the door, and out
rushed Mrs. WoOdsOm, who, remember
ing her husbands admOnitiOn, quickly
pulled the plug from the tank, and flood
of water rushed down the trough into the
trap.


Old WOOdsOm had sat in state of in
tense amaZement just where he had landed
in the bottom of the hole, swearing softly
TO himself and cursing the boys and his
own stupidity. But when he felt the cold
water rush in torrent down upon him,
he quickly came to himself and essayed to
make his exit from his uncomfortable
quarters, but in vain. He had been par
ticular, in digging the excavation, to
guard against this very thing; he could
just grasp the surface of the ground at
the edge of the trap, but to hold on and
draw up his immense weight by mere
muscular force was an utter impOssibility.
So he yelled at the top of his voice for his
wife, who, hearing his piteOus cries for
help, came to his rescue, and with the
help of Betsey. the hired girl. and stout
fence-rail, finally managed to land him on
terra tirma, but not before he had been
completely soaked. When he stood at
last on solid ground, he was very thank
full but crest-fallen man. The boys. after
greeting his appearance with hearty
laugh, suddenly disappeared in the direc-
ton of the village. The next morning
WOOdsom retilled the trap with more solid
material than water. but he did not hear
the last of that confOunded trap for many
years after.-N. y. Weekly.