Adventures Of Tad

AUTHOR Of "PEPPEIÏ ADAMS," "BLOWN OüT to Sea," "Paul, Grafton," Etc. [Copyrighted, MS, by D. Lothrop eê Co., andPublished by Special Arrangement.'] CHAPTER Vn.- CONTINUED. "The men pulled four into the boat then," said Polly, in a hushed awc- struck voice, "a lady - a beautiful ladyj with a HtUe baby in her arms, was, drifting b}r. Captain llagg reachedj out for her, but she said 'my baby first,' and held it right up in both: hands, so he couldn't help catching' hold of it. Then a great sea swept the lady awa}-. A piece of the wreek! broke a hole in the boat's side," continued Polly, steadying her voice with an effort, "and the crew had hard. work to get ashore. They managed to somehow, though, and the saved people vrere sent up' to Bixport. Captain Flagg took! the baby - that was me- home to his wife. Ever and ever so many bodies drifted ashore," said Polly, with a little shudder, "and the beautiful lady among them. Some of the passcngers had seen her with hor husbaad and baby on board the steamer, bus no one of the saved people knew their names. Lots of folks wlio had friends and relations on the " Pomerania " came on to Bixport and took tho bodies away;1 but nobody recognized tho beautiful ; lady, so Captain Flagg had her buried here, and this stone put up. Therei was a ring on her wedding iinger, that I always wear on a little ohain round my neck," - and Polly touehed the! front of her simple linen collar, "with1 'Pauline' engraved inside, so Captain; Flagg nanied me the same- that's whyi they cali me 'Polly.'" " Then the beautiful lady was your motüer, and yon the little baby!" breathlessly cried Tad. Polly nodded gravely, and again the far-away look came into lier eyes, as they rested ou the grassy mound at her feet. But soon the practical side of her nature aaserted itself. "Como, Tad," she said, rising to her feet, "it's getting pretty near supper-, time, aud I must help Mother Flagg - ', she's got doughtuits to fry." So the two made Uu-ir way out of the old, chnrch-yard, aud entemllhc homegato at the same time as Captain Flagg, who, with a adiant face, was just returning froto his iutervic-w with Miss Smith. "You'rc to go over there ia the, morning, Tad," said the Captain, aft-' er disclosing to hiin the nature of his ówn errand f o the house of the maiden UAj in question, "and if she likes the! cut of your jib she'll hire you on trial for a spell, at two dollars a week and' board - what do you sny to that?'' For a moment or two Tad could say nothing whatever; the prospect of earning sueh a snm at the very onset, fairly took away his breath. More than a hundred dollars a year, and board beside! Why, ít would not be so very long, at that rate, before he should be able to buy himselí the little home of his die anís. "Well, didn't yon hear what I said? 'pears to me you're dretftü deof!" observed the Captain, a linie sharply, thinking perhape that Tad' 3 silenee aróse from a disinelination to accept the offer whieh he, Captain Flugg, knew was a most favorable one. " Who's thafs so dretfid deef- Tad?" interposed a familiar voiee, before Tad could frame a replv. The speaker was no other than Joe Whitney, who, scenting tho odor of frying doughnuts in passing, had come in for a possiblo share of the spoils, just in time to hear his uncle's remark. "Deef as a haddock," grumbled the Captain, irritably, "and dumb into the bargain, anybody'd think; forherel've as good as got him a berth to Miss bmitu s, and he s to go over there fust Ithing in the morning for a kind of overjhaulin', but when I teil hini, ho never (60 mueh as says whether ho's glad or sorry - don't say nothin', in fact." And here, as the Captain pausetl for breath, astonished Tad had at last a citanos to explain himself. "Indeed, sir," exclaimed the boy, with sparkling eyes and eager speech, "it's only because that I'm so glad and so - so - every thing," Baid Tad, unable to frame his gratitude, "that Ican'tsay what I want to." The Captain, who saw his mistake, was instantly appeasetl. He patted Tad on the shoulder in the most friendly manner imaginable, and after clearing his throat toll him in a low tone: that Solomon hit the nail square on the head when he said that there's a Providence that shapesour ends, refuse them, as much as we've a mind to, and then, remembering that the small sachel was still in Tad's possession, he gtt toether his writing materials, and, with the help of the "Business Man's Assistant" and "Every Man His Own Lawyer," drew up the following notice for publication : " To All Whom it May Concern : "Be it known that on tlie evenfng of Maren 28, Í87- , a certain party left on a seat in tha Broad Street Station, city of Philadelphla, a hand-bag supposed to contain valuables. Now, therefore, if said party shall at the time of reading this notiflcation, or as soon thereafter-j ward as may be possible, communicate by let-i ter with the subscriber, describing said bag, to-, gether with such other information as shall! satisfy the subscriber aforesaid that said respondent is the true and lawful owner thereof, the hand-bag before mentioned will be duly returned on the payment of the sum of flve dollars, to cover expenses of advertising, etc. (Signed) " Captain Jethro Flago, " Besidenee, Bixport, State of Maiae." Having iinished this rather remarkable production, Captain Flagg read it aloud for the edification of Tad and Joe Whitney, who had just returned from the kitchen. "Tain't the way Vd put it, Uncle Jeth," remarked the irrepressible Joe, with his mouth full of doughnut and a suspicious bunchiness about his' pockets, as Captain Flagg laid down the paper with a look of conscious pride. "I'd just say: 'Found in Broad Street station, Philadelphia, on suchand-such a night, a hand-bag. Prove Property and pay charges. Address CilDtain Jethl-O VWcrtr KW-ntr Maine.'" Captain Flagg regarded his audacious nephcw with a look in which mild indignation was blended with' pity. "Mebbeyou would, Joseph," hej said, with some severity, "mubbe youi would; but, considerin' that I'm jest few years older'n you, I've took thet liberty of doin' this my own way." "All right, Uncle Jeth," returnedj the unabashed youth, "if you don't; mind, don't, I'm sure. Say, Tad," he remarked, briskly, turning to thei secretly amused youth, "how'd you: like me to go over to Miss Smith's in! the morning and speak a good word' for you, eh?" ■, 'í'd like you to go with me ever so much," warmly replied Tad. He did; not relj much upon Joe's verbal rec- ommendation, but lie had a sort of. feeling that the moral support of his presence would be a great deal. " I'll cali tor you right after breakfast," briefly returned Joe, with a twinkle in the eye, that, had Polly been present, she would have understood at once to mean mischief. But she was helping Mrs. Flagg with supper preparations, and the Captain was busy sending off the copies of his notiee to: a couple of city papers, so Tad had no warning as to Joe Whitney's love of practical jokes. And all the way home Joe choked down certain little twinges of conscionce, by represonting to himself that it was " only a little f un, anyway," an excuse which I fancy has been common to mischievous youth froni the fabled stoning of the frogs down to the present day. Miss Sniith was " shooing " some hens out of her yard as Joe eame by the house, and he at once volunteered his services with marked success. Send-' ing the last hen shricking aeross the street with a stick following elosely at her tail-fcathers, Joe closed the gate; earefully. "Oh, I say, Miss Smith," he re-i marked, as he was tnrning away, "ï told Tad- the boy that Ünch "jeth; brought liome this trip - that l'd come over with him in the moniing - he's sort of basliful with otraagers." "Nobody'd acense you of any thing of the kind, Joe Whitney," was Miss Smith's uncompromising answer. She was tall, thin, angular and forty, with a good hcuit, but ratheruncertain temper. And Joe was not a prime fayorite with Miss Smith, by rcason of, his rather peculiar tendeneies to mischief. "Pad's a real good boy, I guess," said Joe, ignoring the personal! ty, "but if hti'á as hard of hearin' as Únele Jeth says- for I heard him say Tad was deef as a haddock - you'll have to holler like oíd boots to make hira liear." And, without waiting to be questioned farther, Joe gcudded homeward. Truc to lús proiaise, Joe was on hand bright and early on the following morning. Captain Flagg had gone down to supcriutend the discharge of the "Mry J.'s" cargo, and Mis. Flagg was in the kiuhen. Only Polly and Bounce follovred the two boys to the gate. Remember, nowl no trioks- Joe," called out Polly, warningly; "good Juck to you Tad," and she waved her 'hand eneouragingly, as the latter turned with a very full heart, to look back at the old homo vrhose occupants ïad given him so friendly a roception. " Oh, isn't this nice!" saiil Tad, enIhusiastieallv, aá he drew in a gï-eat brcath of the sweet, pure air, and looked at the quiet beauty of the landscape about him. Behind the village rose a range of spruce and pine eovered huls. All round were fertile farms, and, in the eyes of the city-bred boj-, Bixport and its surroundings seemed a sort of miniature Paradise. "Hot so bad," patronizingly assented his companion. And as they crossed a small stono bridge which spanned a deep narrow stream, Joe stopped and peeped Bcrutinizingly over the rail, at the diirk current beloiv. "I guess the water'a warm enough to try the trout - to-morrow'a Saturlay, and if Miss Smith'll tet yon offin the afternoon - if sho hires you - what do yon say if we ?o tronting':1" Say ! What would any boy saj to such a proposition- particularh' a boy whohad never before been outside city walls? "But may be Miss Sniith won't hire me," suggested Tad, a littlo anxiously, after having expressed a rapturous readiness to accompany his newlymade friend on a trouting tramp, or anywhere else that Joe might suggest. "No trouble aboutthat!" Joe replied. eonncienuy; "siie d tafce anybody Uncle Jeth recommended. You know she's hard of hearing?" he added, carelessly. No, Tad did not know it. "Fact!" said Joe, with a nod; "and if I was you, I'd speak up good and loud, so's to let her sec that you've got a voice of your own. The louder you holler, the better she'll like you," he added, with a slight twinge of his not over-sensitive conscience. For though it was true that Miss Smith was undeniably hard of hearing in lier right ear, persons speaking a little above their ordinary tone had no particular difficulty in making themselves heard. Tad resolved that if this was the case, he would place himself without delay on the topmost round of Miss Smith's affections; and little more was said, as they had now arrived at their new place of destination. Mis3 Smith's house was a high, square-roofed building, sadly in need of painting, standing a little back from the road. It had one immense chimney at the very apex of the roof, and a low, old-fashioned piazza on the western front. Two great elm-trees bent protcctingly over it, an orchard of gnarled apple-trees was in tho rear, the vegetable garden at one side, and a small yard in front, where, as the two boys entered the gate, Miss Smith herself was raking aw;iv the dead leaves froni a bed of upspringing croCU8S. At their approach Miss Smith threw her sun-bonnct back, and, straightening up the rake-handle, stood stifflys erect, clasping it between her gloved hands - somothing like the manner of a sentinel with his musket when not ott active duty - as she stared very hard at Tad, whose heartwasbeatingfuriously. "So this is the boy," she said, in an uneompromising sort of voice - her remark seemingly addressed to herself - "humph!" This was by no means encouraging, and Tad's hopes went down below zero1 with considerable rapidity. Joe stood a little at one side, with a shadowy look I of expectancy on his freckled face. "How old are you, Tad?" suddenly I ehricked Miss Smith, with such I pected energy that mech.anica.lly Tad I clapped his handt to his ears. "Fourteen - in my fifteenth year!" I shoutcd Tad, whose face bccame quite I crimson through the exertion. So did I Joe's, but froni a different cause. Miss Smith started back involnntarily. "Mercy on lis!" she exclaimed. "Why don't you speak a little louder!" she added, in a sarcastio sort of roar. "I said fourteen, marm - in my fifteenth year!" Tad yelled, with the full power of his lungs; for, unfortunately, lie took lier ironical suggestion in perfect good-faith. Miss Smith dropped the rake-handle, and sat down on the piazza steps. Joe, whoos face was of a lively purple which extended to his ear-tips, began to edge toward the gate. "ïou woti't do, boy," screamed Alisi Smitli, 80 shiilly that John Doty, who was plowing in an adjoining field, stopped his oxen and looked wonderingly across at the "old Smith place," as it was locally called, wliile Samantha Nason, Miss Smith's "hired help," rushed bare-armcd from the kitchen, with a vague impression that Miss Smith was in hysterics. "1 can't hire any one as deaf as you are, and run the risk of breaking a blood-vessel hollering to you," continued Miss Smith in the same high key, as ïad stood confounded and despondont at her abrupt refusal; "besides, l'ni not so hard of hearing as all that comes to, and your voice goes through my head like a kuif e - yah-h-H!" with whieh concluding ejaoulatiom Miss Smith put her hands to the sides of her pasteboard sun-bonnet and shnddered. "Why, Iain'tdeaf, marm!" wonderingly exclaimed Tad, dropping,his voice several octaves, "and L wouldn't have spoke so )oud -onlyJo 'said you was hard of hearing, iin1 if ho Kvas me he'd speak up good and loud." Joe could stand it no longer. With an explosivo yell of laughter he dodged through the gate, and, dropping In th green sward, at a safe distance, doubled himself up in an ecstasy of uaseemly mirtli. "Joe Whitney!" gasped Miss Smith,. starting to her feet and shaking her iinger threatening in the direction of the prostrate practical joker, as the truth of the matter liashed across her: mind, "you see if your father don't liear of this, sir!" Bot lier indignation was always short lived, and gradually a grim smila sof tened the hanl linea of her face, though the overshadowing head-gear hid it froui Tad'a anxious gaze. "And so you want a place, eh?" she said, abrnptly, but not unkindly, as she turned lier sharp gray yes full upon Tad, who was looking reproachfully at Joe as, having risen, he cautiously advanced within earshot. "If you picase, marm," was the respectful answer, and Tad looked pleadingly up at the maiden lady as he spoke. Something in his thin, pale face moved Miss Smith's heart curiously. The boys who had worked for her from time to time had generally been unintelligent, brown-faced boys, with large appetites and a teneney to dio away as much time as they possiblf could. "He's got a look I kind of like, though he ia a pindlin-g sort of a boy," thought Miss Smith, rublniig her nose reflectively. "Uon't you dare enter thal gate, Joseph Whitncy!'' slic cxclairaed, vtith sudden energy, as Joe, with traces of his recent mirth on his features, edged himself along the front fence. "No, marm," responded Joe, in a fvoice suggestive of the deepest contrition. Affecting to be overeóme with remorseful sorrow, he appled a small red-boardered cotton handkerchief to his eyes, and sobbed hysterically, after which, twisting it between liis lingers, he (eigned to wring teara of bitter grief from its folds. Turning her back upon the arct diasembler, Miss Smith proceeded to put ad througli a rapid eourseof qucstioning. Wel 1k Bmoke or swear? Had foe been vaccinatcd? Were Jiis father and mothor living? Had he been to school? What churoh did ho attendP - and a few other queries, of similar import. On all pomts exccpt that of churchgoing Tad's answers were veiy satisfactory; and Miss Smith graciously admitted that lus lack of clotlies waa a tolerably reasonable excuse for his deficiency in that one respect. [TO BE CONTINUED.]