The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-10-31
Only Mother,
OR THE FIRST LESSONS IN DRILLING.

OR THE FIRST LESSONS in DRiI4LING'
The July sun was almost overhead in tn
heavens, drinking up the water from the it'll
brooks, and fairly scorching the short grass Il
the pastures The cattle left feediI g in tn
meadow and stood knee deep in the pond, wher
the thick shadows of the wood fell over it.
was far too warm to work, OF even to play, s.
the boys who had been standing all the morning
with their fishing lines dtnghng over the railing
of the bridge put up their hooks and threw them
| selves down in the shade of the elms on tn
bank They made very pretty picture rs the
lay there, with their shirt collars unbuttoned
and their moist hair pushed back from thei
flushed faces. One ofthem, Willie Downer, hat
pictorial ne Wspaper in his pocket, with larg
eng avings of the companies Of soldiers a
Washington, their campgrounds, flags cannon
and the uniforms they wore. He spread thu
paper on the grass and bf gan explaining th'
| pictures to his companion, Archie Morris
If was only old enough said Willie ear
neslly; i should enlist for II soldier. 1t would
be so grand to 90 and fight for the country anC
defend our liberties. Dent you wish you Were
d man, Archie?
Yes, said Archie, Il should like to be man
| but mother says we need NOT wait till that TIME
to be brave; We can show our courage now.
| Il know SAID Willie, cousin Lyman JOINED
| the company, and he is only three years Older
| 49,
! Bit
That was MT what mother meant said Arch
le she said good soldier must be ready Il
undertake any duty, and it took more courage
| 10 do little disagreeable things than to marct
| up in tt e face of an enemy TO battle Then she
said the frs, duty OF every soldier was to learn
to obeu orders, and that is just what we Doysale
doing
Willie looked good deal dissatisfied, and
did not seem TO like this view OF the matter, ouI
lust at this moment somebody came to the door
of one of the white cottages just below the
bridoe and called, Willie Willie! He did
not stir. but went on examining the paper.
Somebody called you, Willie, said Archie,
lookit towards the houses
Its onlv Mother replied Willie; she wants
me to go of some errand, and l am noS gong
out i'll this hot sum
archie looked at him moment In astonlsh-
ment, aud then HI ed, But what VIII she say
when you get home 7
90 said Willie carelessly, she won't know
heard her, for didn turn my head bit.
She is going 10 the spring fol water said
Archie, still watching the house would
scorch my face to blister before L would lie
here and let my mother do that
Pooh J. said Willie, that's nothing she $
so used to being over the hot stove that she
don t mind it much
Just ,hen a woman with a baby in her arms
cane to the window OF the other cottage aud
called Archie.
Az. avn said Archie, splinging up and
swinging his hat towards the house.
Don't 90 vet, Archie said Willie; just
wait till we finish this paper; it won't make
any difference
besides know she wants me to take care of
the baby while she gets dinner
Il do hate baby tending it's girls work, said
Willie.
soldiers have TO do both. Right about tace,
said he, shouldeiing his fish pole ana starting
for home my company has received marching
orders
lust in tina, Archie said his mother, pla-
cino the baby in his arms. see my volunteer
mean, to be on hand whenever his orders
come
Now, Archie really dislike,l tending baby very
much. especially on such warm day, when 1t
took al! his patience and ingenuity TO amuse his
little brother, made unusually irettul by the
heat. But one glance into the hea'ta Aitcheh'
where his mother was busy over the glowing
stove. made him think himself very oitunae
To h. able to remain in the sitting room with
close blinds and open windows. But baby was
not At all pleased with the darkened room. He
would not sit on the floor and roll Archie s ball;
he would laugh at all Archie's antics and grim
aces ne wanted to be carried, and carried ne
must be-
Come on them said Archie. tossing him to
his shoulders Now I'm on a forced march
from Washington to Texas, and this Is my
knapsack and blanket Heavy load-hot wealth
er-mercury up to 500 degrees in the shade
whole army of secessioner1 running away IRON
us bound to get there before mofning-band
strike up Yankee Doodle : and he commenced
whist ng Yankee Doodle, to baby's great sat
isiacti' n.
JusG as he was beginning to find it pretty
hard work the door opened and his sister Sa-
rah came in from school. Turn out and relieve
guard said Archie, dropping the baby into her
LAP, and throwing himself full length on the
carpet. IL G.
rah laughing
20, we'll said Archie, anything to amuse
baby and keep fellow good natured this not
weather.