Tommy's Adventure

Tommy was standing od a onokut, by the west window, flattening his nose againnt tlic pane, and niaking small all over the glaas with his tongue, whou granduia drove up with Dolly and the red wagon. Dolly was the horso, and she and grandina had come to take Tommy out to the farm, in Poarfield, you know, whcre his grandparents lived, tq stay two whple days. And he wasn't going as a baby with soinobody to take care ot' hini, but as a young gentleman, who could look out for hitnself. "Ñobody ain't goin' wiv me," said hc to Ellen, triumphantly. "I'm jes goin' all myslf, alone, me'n gamma." It was the gfandest thing that ever was heard of, to go off as his father did, kissing thein all good-by, and perhaps seeing his mother cry a little. If' she feit ever so mach like crying, she uould only cry with laughter when Tommy carne down from the garret, covered with cobwebs and dust, and presented himself in the parlur, draggiug an old blue umbrclla and a carpet-bag bigper than himself. "There, now, niy fings are all ready," said bc. j Oranduia laughed heartily, too ; yet she made no objection to th; outfit of the young travulcr, but etowed the lag and uuibi olla into tlio wagun, while Tóramy waa lifted into the seat, and Dolly's hcad was turned toward Pearfield. The journey was not a long one, and only onc thing worth montioning happened on the way. They were passing a great clover field, just at the eago of the pine woods, when Tommy cried out : "Oh ! gamma, gamma, I see a bear, asittin' right on the end of his tail." (randma looked where Tommy had pointed ; and .Dolly Btopped to look too. "Don't you see him? " cried Tommy. "No." "Put on your gpectales, then." The spectacles were put on, and after a loug while, she saw what the sharp young eyes had esiied so quiekly, an old woodchuck sitting at his hole. Just as Tommy was proposing to capture him in the carpetbag, he wbisked out of sight; and Dolly started off at a brisk pace, which she kept up without stopping till abo reached her own hitching-post at grandma's gate. Grandpa himself was there to meet them, and lifted the funny baggaf?e out of the wagon. When he heard about the bear, he told Tommy there were plenty of ssuch bears in his fieldf", and that perhaps they could go and catch one after dinner. " In the carpet-bag?" asked Tommy, "ïes." "We most have the 'brella to spear hira wiv." "Of course." Long before grandpa was rcady to go, Tommy was parading the yard, spearing imaginary bears with his umbrellaand putting them into his bag. He had just caught a fine largc one, when he hcard a lond ruinble, and looking aaw a man run a fcreat yellow stage out of the barn on tho cither sido of the street. Tommy ran to the fenco, and squeezing his chubby face as far as poiaible through the pickets, watcbed the man while hc washed the OOMhi greasod the wheels one at a time, then lit his pipe and went away. When he was quite out of sight, Tommy unkitohed the gato and went over to the coach. Vinding one of the doors open, he climbed up the iron .steps, tugging the bag and umbrell after him, to try a short ride by stage, - a Btand-still ride of course. Ho iilayed that he was papa going to New ïork ; then that the preat hole under tho seat was a den i'ull of bcars ; and then In: was a bear hinisoll. He urawled into the den ; it was a funny place, with nice traw on the floor, and a funny curlain of leather in front. Ile lay very still in there and coftly growled to make-believe cubs to look out for that terrible himter, Tommy. Now, you know that bears are vory sleepy fellows ond it is not strange that this little wild animal by and by feil asleep in his little den. Moantime grandma had looked out of the front door, and not seeing Tommy anywhere, tliought he had gone with grandpa to the field ; while grandpa himself had fonrotten the young bear-liuntcr altogether aud had gone to the field alone. Afïer a while the stage drivor camc, harnessed his f'our horses to the coach and drove away. He stoppcd at the store to f."'t tho mail-bag and take in several passengers. There was a fat woman witb a baby, an Irish servant girl, a one-leggcd little French peddler, and a etiff old gentleman with a gold headed cane. With this load the yellow stage started for Ilvetown, twelve miles away, and Tommy still aslcep under the seat. When he nwoke he couldn't teil whero he was, and wondered what made his bed nek and bounce about so. Then he heard the people talking right over hi baMi He peeped under the leather curtain and saw several pairs of shoes. Too frightened to know what hc did, he lifted the curtain and uave one desperate spring, thrusting his curly head, all oovered with straw, right botwecn the old gentleman's lcgs. If a real bear had jumped out, he could not have made more confusión. The old gentleman spraDg to his feet, smashing his hat over his eyos by striking against the top of the coach; The Irish girl screamed "murthur!" and triod to leap out of the window; the fat woman fainted and dropped herbaliy; the little tVenchniaii jiinipoil up and dowo on his ono leg till he lort balance and tumbled over ; and poor Tommy clung with both hands to the oíd geodtmtg'i pantaloons, and screamed with all bil might. I cannot begin to describe what fcllowed or record the questions with whieh I'omiuy was ;issailed, in English, Irish and French, to all of which he could only say that his grandpa owned Dolly and kopt bears, nnd that lie was a bear himself' when he went to sleep. Or course there was nothing to do but take tho little bear to Ryetown, and send him back by Triday's coach. So he cried himnelf to sleep that night in the llyetown hotel, and early the nest morning wan lifted into the yellow stage again. All tho way back the driver wondered what he should do with the boy when he got to Pearfield ; but there was no noed of worryiug aliout that, f'ur evorybody in towu knew that he was lost, and dozeqs ot' peopla were looking ia every direction. ïoa can guess whether anybody was glad when the little runaway was set down at grandpa's gate, umbrella, carpe t bag and all. GraDdma'a eyes looked vory red and her voico tretubled wbeu she said : "Why, Tommy, Tommy, you poor, dear child, where have you boen?" "Oh, cvor ao t'ar," said tho young adventurer with a sigh ; "way, wuy over most to tho 'lutionary war. IIis grandpa caught my bear? "