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Ralph Waldo Emerson
HE two young very much as if they needed someone to gentlemen whom take them home and dry them. But the you see in the old farmer has a peculiar smile upon his engraving are face, and is enjoying the ducking to the not dressed fullest extent much more than as if he for a bath. were in the water himself.
Their bathing The old farmer has, as he thinks, a suits are not good reason for enjoying the misfortune on, and, from which has overtaken these two young appearances, men. He is the proprietor of an orchard, the ducking is and having some very choice fruit there, not yielding he, of course, did not wish to have it the usual en- stolen. joyment that These young men, having a fondness a bath does at the seaside. They look for fruit, and enjoying it, probably, a little. "PLUMP IN THE WATER." (286) better if it were stolen, entered the old the most agile fashion, and you can see man's grounds and made themselves quite where they landed. at home. He was not long in discovering It was a singular laundry for them to them and they were not longin discovering patronize; not only their linen, but their him. The old man was not quite so spry outer garments are receiving a washing, on his feet as the thieves were, but he if such it can be called. It is often the gave chase in his best style. If he could case that those who are guilty of mishave caught them he would have dealt practices come out differently from what with them as their misdemeanor deserved, but they were unwilling to be caught. they expected. There may be much fun in getting into a neighbor's orchard, but there isn't so much fun in getting into the water.
Young people may always set it down as a rule that wrong-doing will bring very Seeing a fence, they ran toward it with all their might, not knowing what was on the other side. You can see, from the picture, what was on the other side of this unpleasant consequences. There are fence. The old man must have felt pleased many who play their tricks and are guilty when he found that the youths were run- of misconduct, thinking they are smart ning into a trap. They were respectably enough to escape; but in some way or dressed, although it may not seem so other they will hear from their doings from their appearance in the muddy afterward. It is to be hoped that after stream. Running with all their might, these youths got out of their predicament the old man followed; they came to the and were once thoroughly dried, they befence surrounded by brush; they thought haved themselves, and if they wanted any if they could only leap over that they fruit of a farmer did the graceful thing of would be pretty safe; over they went in asking him for it.
