The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-02-11
Holidays and Work.

There was not boy in the whole
school who took more delight I'm holi-
DAYS than Edgar White. He always
counted the weeks and the days before
they came, and was the most bolster
Gus of any i'm his welcome. He had
even been heard to say, "1 wish holi-
days would last all the year." wish
which Of course was not granted. But
Edgarlearnt during the Christmas holi-
days that there Is something better than
play, something which makes people
happier and more satisfied than any
kind of amusement, and that some
thing is good, honest, hearty work.
Edgar was feeling very moody and
discontented one morning, just In the
humor to quarrel with everybody and
himself too.
"I am not enjoying the holidays
bit," he said, i'm very grumbling tone.
at is stupid to have a Christmas like
this; there's no fun going on at ALL"
Why don't you amuse yourself, Ed
gar" asked his sister, little Emma,
who was i'm the room.
"Oh, IL Is all very well for you to
TALK said Edgar, sneeringly; "you
fuss about with that silly dol! hour af-
ter hour, and I dare say you are quite
content. But | want something more
than that nonsense to amuse me-"
"What do you wantf'
81 want a good turn mt skating. |
bought some new skates with my own
money because i should have some
good fun this Christmas, and there has
not been single frost since"
Here was the secret of his discomfort.
Disappointed i'm skating, he cared for
nothing else.
"Tbere is nothing to do"
Nothing to do" That was Edgar's
cry the whole time, and there Is really
very little that makes Us feel so thor
Oughly uncomfortable and miserable
as having plenty of time and nothing
to occupy it.
Edgar did not enjoy that day at all.
He sauntered about with his hands I'm
his pckets, first i'm one room aud then
i'm another, whistling and signing, and
looking out of the windows until he be-
gan to wish it would be bed time. For
he could settle to nothing. As soon as he
took up a book and began to read 1t he
grew tired of il, and threw it down
again. Emma tried to persuade him
to play a game at draughts, bat he did
not care either for that, or for chess, or
indeed for anything. And once he
went 20 far as to say, " shall be glad
when school begins again."
Was not Edgar boy to he pitied?
All that day it rained fast, and I'm
the night that foil owed, Edgar, not
sleeping n soundly as usual, awoke
several times to hear it pouring down
and beating against the window. Ii
quite frightened him, though he was
usually a very courageous boy. In
the morning, almost before it was light,
there were some stranger noises still to
be heard, and when Edgar got out ofbed
and looked through the window he
was startled to see nothing but water.
"Oh, the floods are cut" he scream
ed. "Father, mother, the waters are
up to our steps and will come into the
house."
1t was true. The river was swollen
to almost twice its usual size, and i'm
several places the embankment had
Civ, way, and the waters had rushed
over the meadows and into the gardens
of the row of houses i'm one Of which
Edgar lived.
His father and mother hurried down,
and so did the servants. Martha, the
hOusemaid, went first. But rs she
went down the kitchen stairs they
were all startled to hear her shrek out
ooh, I shall be drowned! The wa
ter Is coming up the stairsv
And indeed two of the steps were al
ready covered. What was to be done?
The waters were still steadily rising,
and Edgar was quite afraid that they
would all he drowned. But presently
a happy thought gtruck him.
"Oh, father, If we could only get that
boat that | built last Summer! Don't
you know that with the wood which
uncle gave me built boat, and you
would not let me take it with me to
school because 1t was such an awkward
thing"
II remember said his father.
Where is it,"
ain the attic" said two or three
voices together, rs they started at once
to fetch Il.
Very soon the boat was brought
down.
"But am afraid ii is not watertight,"
said his father, land how shall we
row even if we get i'm ?''
al can row." said Edgar, I" for we
have rowing matches at school, and 1
have got more than one prize"
{" But 1 shall not venture I'm the boat
i'll can help ii, /" saithis mother. "Ours
is large house, and / think the wa
tiers will reach no higher than the
kitchen, But how will those poor
',Old Hawkins" :"
Several thought of him at once.
He lived i'm q very little house near
to the river. There were only two
rooms on one floor, and it was low, for
there were no steps to enter u.
" He will be drowned" said Emma.
And she could not help crying, for
she loved old Hawkins, who talked 80
nicely TO her, and thanked her 80 ear
nestly for the putldings and other things
which she often took him. 5
"Mama," said Edgar, "let me go
i'm my boat and fetch him. He will be
safe i'm one of our upper rooms, and that
will be much better, for he must feel
very sad and very lonely there"
|" But | dare not let you go Above,
Edgar"
"I will go with you, Edgar said
his father.
The boat was launched With much
difficulty, but at ! st Edgar and his
father were safely in il, sad they began
rowing away rs hard IS they could.
Many people called them from the
windows, and they promised to come
back for them a. soon as they had fetch
esl Hawkins.
The boat answered admirably, and
you can not imagine the old mans de
light when he found they had come to
fetch him. He was sitting on his bed,
looking at his wet floor very disconso-
lately when they called to him. And
he was very thankful indeed when he
had been safely taken to Ealgar's home.
That was indeed busy day. Edgar
rowed until his arms achcd, and he WAS
able to do goosl work in placing many
i'm position of safety.
81 find" said Edgar, that night,
"that hard work Is much better than
holiday keeping"
A good many people have found the
same thing.
A Chicago school teacher testified as
follows the other day: witness I MI