The Adventures of Joel Pepper

their doughnuts stolen, kept coming over to the little brown house or stopping Mrs. Pepper after church on Sunday to thank her for what h

black hair viciously. "I'll kick 'em--so there!" So one day, when he caught sight of a wag

the wagon and made her way up to the door, "for Mis' Beebe s

said Mrs. Pepper, "Come in

chair, while Polly ran out the

hat horse." As Mr. Beebe, who ran the little shoe shop up in the town, owned a horse that nothing but a whip

, an' bein' my boy's got a birthday, an' him bein' grandson, as

ed Mrs. Pepper, in perplexity. "I thoug

eye on the horse; "but as you may say, Ab'm's their grandson, for my husband's mother was sister to

" said Mr

en a-bakin' doughnuts all this mornin', got up at four o'clock an'

can't find Joel, Ma

han any of the rest o' you. She said, 'Marinthy, be sure to bring that boy who wa

asping her hands, "whatever c

to the brook, and been gone for hours, following along its course, never coming home till dinner-time.

readful bad. Well, I'm afraid that horse'll start, so I'

ok on her rosy face, and her brown eyes drooped as she l

without Joel, Mamsie," sa

g. So go on, and take care of the children, and see that they behave nicely. And don't let Phr

e put Phronsie into the wagon, and climbed up beside her. Davie, with a very sober face at thought of

' set an' passed the time o' day longer with your Ma, but I didn't darst to. It's dretful to have a horse run. I couldn't never a-catched him in all t

face up as she sat squeezed in between Ab

at her, "no, for he didn't catch me. You see I ha

said P

possible, and bracing back; "I guess he won't run, bein's I'm so strong in my hands. Well, y

e. "An' did he kill you, Mrs.

ow could I throw off my shawl an' me a-runnin' so, an' 'twas all pinned

her troubled eyes raised

knew, I went down kerslump i

ed Davie, getting up to stan

, all gone to rot,"

me!" sai

afterwards--he kept right on over my head, couldn't stop, you know, an'

" asked Phronsie,

me runnin' an' heard Jane hollerin' an' took him off before he came to, which he did after a spell,

e was killed. Davie gazed at Abram's mother in g

smutched up, fallin' in that mess, an' I couldn't put it on my back. It beats all how you never know what's best to do; but then, says

le back, smiling and rubbing his hands, and in the little window where the shoes and rubbers

ll say there never was sech a boy. Well, I'm glad we're here safe an' sound, an' t

mped down over the wheel. "Why, where's Joel?" she cried. "In the botto

s hands together harder than ever. "I want him t

hy he couldn't come, when the big woman shouted ou

sie in her arms, and was whispering to her some of the delights to come. "Well, well, well, come right

arly knocking down David, who came last. "Ab'm, come here an' make your manners," she called. Ab'm got down fr

with a twitch, and looking at him admiringly; "these children's c

an' you're gla

r, with a shake; "hain't you no mor

say it so," said

another shake. The little bunch of Pepper

ains spared 'n his bringin' up? Well, he's ten to-day, t

Polly. "Take me home," sh

eel so badly if I don't stop her. Phronsie," and she drew her off one side of the shop,

quivering, and the tears begi

Mrs. Beebe and dear Mr. Beebe sick

ked Phronsie,

would. People never go to a part

olly?" asked t

a thing. And just think, Phronsie Pepper, how Mamsie

hronsie, battling with her tears, "an' I won't lo

th the exertions she had been making, and Mr. Beebe having seen to his horse, came in r

be. "Why, you haven't laid off y

ied Phronsie's sun-bonnet and took off the shawl, David putting his cap d

hoes?" whispered Mr. Beebe, getting hold

g for a moment the big woman and the boy, "dear, nice Mr. Beebe, they're a

ed; "well, now, when those are worn ou

worn out," said Phronsie, po

ng his tongue, "your shoes ain't never g

face on Mr. Beebe's fat shoul

n' they're company? Ab'm Bennett, I'm ashamed of ye." W

ng. And what they would have done, no one knows, if Mrs. Beebe hadn't said, "Won't you a

her; "that's style, seein' t

' I'll foller on. Now then, my dear." He set her on the floor, and bent his old white head

ought up the rear of the procession, "

m so glad that Joel isn't here, for he'd say something, I'm afra

good Mrs. Beebe got up at four o'clock to make them! And a great dish of pink and white sticks and cunning little biscuits with re

into a happy smile. Ab'm was so intent on choosing which of the pink and white sticks he should pick for, that he could think of nothing else, so Mrs. Beebe got them all seated without any f

nk cap-ribbons all in a flutter, while old Mr. Beebe exclaimed, with a beami

up the chair next to Ab'm; "there's more room thi

a jolly little laugh. "Now we'll have fine times, won'

the doughnuts, "'cept when I met a man with a load of hay. An' he

"well, wife, do give Joel a doughnu

ed Joel, thrusting o

p the doughnuts first, an' specially when that boy

n her big face. "Well, pass the biscuits, do, then," said old Mr. Beebe, good-naturedly; "let's get somethin' a

witching her elbow, "this strange boy's a-lo

ry. "Don't let 'em hurt Joey," s

rt Joel, don't you be af

, that might have been cleaner; "hear her now. An' she s

yes off from Mrs. Marinthy's face to fasten them on her son. "Ow

uch him a single bit! But he shan't scare Ph

, in great distress

oy shan't, or I will pitch into him," and his black e

Oh, marm!" and her brown eyes were fixed imploringly on Mrs. Beebe's round countenance, "I do feel so ash

to a birthday party and abusin' the boy it's give for. I never see th' like. An' to

ease, dear Mr. and Mrs. Beebe, till you get through the party. And then, if you please, we'd like

eebe looked over at him and nodded his white head, and Joel was quite sure he winked pleasantly at him. But the pink stick and doughnut lay quite untouched on his plate, and after a time, Polly having crept back to her seat,

faction, sliding out of his chair with a black look for

the others go back into the shop." So he followed her

addled back to the supper table. "Come here, Joel, my boy, and hold it open there and there." In went the biggest doughnuts

. Beebe an' me thinks a sight o' you, an' that you're a-comin' ou

ting up his bag. "An' I'll come,

hings don't fall out

another twist, a

on the shoulder, and fairly cried over Phronsie. "Well, you've got to go, I s'pose," she said again, "'cause Pa's a-waitin'; yes, Pa," she called, "they're a-comin'." And presently the little

is shoulder, "well, he ain't reelly no kin to us, thank the Lord, an' they're a-goin' ne