Year: 1873

| Farmer Woodsom's Trap.


Old Farmer Woodsom was about a


mean an individual as one would be likel,


to meet in lifetime. He never let any


thing go to waste on his farm, and he wa


never known to give anything willingly


away. The village schoolhOuse stood
about quarter of milo from his place


and this was source of great anxiety tC


him, as the boys in going to and from


school, were often tempted to turn aside


and gather the fruit from under an early


apple tree which gre W on one side of his


garden. Now as old WoodsOm always


collected the apples. from off the ground


and mixed them With the sound ones, il


made him very an cry to find the boys


helping themselv es He tried various


ways to drive OFF the youngsters, but


they only laugh ed at him, and finally
growing bolder,. frequently made mid
night excursion to the old tree. But at
last Woodsom nit on plan which seemed
to please him. So he at once set to work


to put it In execution. That evening at


dusk he dug large hole about six feet


deep, making the sides very steep; from


this hole he laid trough through the


yard to large tank which stood at the


door OF the kitchen, and which was al


ways kept filed with water. He took
particular care to dig the hole directly
across the path which led under the ap-
pie tree, and covering it up completely


with leaves and grass, lying 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 nail at 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 Woodsoml pair of bright
eyes were watching him from behind the
trunk of neighboring tree, during the
whole operation, and no sooner was the
farmers back turned than the owner of
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 in the bargain ?'
exclaimed Tom, one of the boys. .Now
Wen see If we can't beat him at his own
game. Just come here and help me knot
this grass, and 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 Woodsom 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 to 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 ight-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 it was about
IS hard for him to stop suddenly as It is
for locomotive on down grade.


His foot caught in the knotted grass,
and over he went, turning q complete
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
ng her husbands admonition, quickly
pulled the plug from the tank, and flood
If water rushed down the trough into the ,
rap.


Old Woodsom Had sat in state of in !
ense amazement just where he had landed J
n the bottom of the hole, swearing softly /,
% himself and cursing the boys and his !
,wn stupidity. But when he felt the cold )
water rush in torrent down upon him, :
le quickly came to himself and essayed to |;
make his exit from his uncomfortable 9
quarters, but in vain. He had been par :
icular, in digging the excavation, to :
'uard against this very thing; he could >
ust grasp the surface of the ground at
he edge Of the trap, but to hold on and s
raw up his immense weightsby mere :,
muscular force was an utter impossibility. !,
% he yelled at the top of his voice for his
7ife, who, hearing his piteous cries for q
elp, came to his rescue, and with the =
elp of Betsey, the hired girl, and stout 8
finally managed to land him on =
ezra firma, but not before he had been a
soaked. When he stood at :,
ast on solid ground, he was very thank g
III but crest-fallen man. The boys, after N
reeting his appearance with a hearty
augh, suddenly disappeared in the direc-
on of the village. The next morning
Voodsom refilled the trap with more solid
laterial than water. but he did not hear G
ne last of that confounded trap for many Il
nff NJ u 4