Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 230, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 September 1911 — What Moppet Did [ARTICLE]

What Moppet Did

Moppet and Mary had been playlfti hide-and-go-seek All the morning. They had hid in the hoass in the barn, In the shed, and in the playhouse, And had had a beautiful time. It was Mary's time to “seek." and' Moppet meant to find a new, new place to hide, as she went scampering around the house past the juni-per-tree. It was just At that minute that her eyes were dazzled by a Sudden glitter down the lane. It was the gleam o t the bright new palls on the tinman’s cart. The tired old horse stood at the gate with drooping head. The cart was heaped high with bundles ot rags that the tinman had got from the farmers’ wives in exchange for his shining pans and kettlbs. The door at the back of the cart stood invitingly open, and there was not A soul watching; for the tinman was at the back door haggling with Aunty Lou over the exchange of a salt of Fen’s for a stew-pan with a long handle, fanppet saw all with her round bright eyes. Mary would never think of looking for her In the tinman's cart —never in the wide worldt * 1 Back of the lilac bushes through the fence she scudded to the lane. The old horse stood as if asleep. Moppet rose on tiptoe and peeped through the open doors of the cart. It was lined with shining things, hut there waß plenty of room Inside for little Moppet. She wiggled and jiggled, she pushed and she pulled, lying flat on her little stomach, ■ until there she was, breathless but happy, safe In the tinman’s cart. Once Inside she cuddled down on a blanket she found there and peeped out. v \ There was Aunty Lou and the tinnfan at the back door. There was Ben at the barn and gfondpa sitting on the veranda reading his paper; and O goodness me! there came Mary Smith pell-mell around the corner of the house past the Juniper-tree! Suppose she, too, saw the glittering pails and the open cart! Quick a'A a flash Moppet reached out and palled to the swinging floors. They came together with a and a sudden snap! Moppet lay Jus* as still as a little mouse, giggling to herself. Moppet, Moppet,” she could hear Mary faintly calling. “Too far 'away is no fair—no—fair!” Nearer, nearer came Mary’s voice. Moppet held her breath. “Moppet, Moppet!” nearer still—then Just outside the cart—then farther farthtr, and fainter fainter, “Moppet. Moppet!” And still Moppet giggled away in the darkness. Then eomethlng fell with. a soft thud on the top of the cart! “Get up!’’ cried the tinman, cracking his whip, “get up, old lazybones!’’ And away swung the sleepy old horse apd the tinman’s cart; and there in Its dusky depths crouched Moppet, with the giggle frozen In her throat. “Mr. Tinman, Mr. Tinman!” she wailed, when she could catch her breath. But over the clatter of the jolting tinware rang the jolly tinman’s voice,— ’* ‘I was walkin’ by the river In the flowery month of May’ for the tinman had made an excellent bargain, in spite ot Aunty Lou's haggling. and he was In a singing mood. “Mr. Tinman, Mr. Tinman!” sobbed Moppet, banging on a tin pan with dimpled fists. ” 'Twas there I met sweet Ellen, A-singin’ by the way,'” roared on the jolly tinman. Clltter-clatter, clitter-clatter, rang the jingling tinware; and all poor little Moppet could do was to bang and call, and bang and call —but nobody heard. “Whoa!” called the tinman, after it had seemed hours and hours to Moppet, “whoa!” And the tlncart slowed up and stopped. “Mr. Tinman. Mr. Tinman!” watled Moppet shaking the locked doors, “Mr. Tinman, Mr. Tinman!” There was no answer. One minute, two minutes, throe minutes, and still the minutes dragged. Then suddenly there was the sound of some one approaching. Tho doors of the cart flew open—into its dusky darkness flashed the daxsllng sunshine. In rushed the sweet fresh air, and a familiar voice said, — “I want a quart cup and a stew** “Granny Murry, Granny Murry!” shrieked Moppet. A rush, a scurry, ant),, If 1c hadn't been for thd tinman, somebody would have had a bad flail: for there was sobbing Moppet clinging to startled'Granny’s neck. “My child you scared me half out of my wits!” gasped Granny who* the tinman had helped her to alt down on the grassy bank with Moppet still in her arms. “I won’t get wear that Id a year.” “I'll merer,, merer, never get over tt Small, my born, days!” sobbed MopHL. Bat when.she had,bad. a bowl of .fiiTuasrsas Pnntton, in Little folks.