Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-05-31

"Boys must ha' gone to bed up
stairs," remarked Nancy, briskly;
"anyhow the tiddle's stopped clat-
TERM"
Mrs. Gurney wished another in
strument would follow the fiddle's
example, but she refrained from
saying so, and began to wonder a
little herself at the unusually early
hush that had fallen over the up
per regions. Presently Mr.. Gruney
came in, and seated himself COM
fortably by the fire.
another days work done, Susan.
"Mine isn't, she answered, rather
shortly.
"Well, some folks can contrive to
make little work stretch Il good
ways, he suggested, mischievously.
"What are you busy with now?"
''Patches, of course. It's always
mending."
eyes, l expect SO. It's wonder
ful how boy can go through things
isn't it? Used to be just SO my
self Well, if they weren't tearing
their clothes to pieces, they'd be
doing something else, l suppose"
he added, carelessly.
"And l might find a chance to do
something else, too," she said, pro-
vokcd at such q comfortable view
OF the case.
But Mr.. Gruney had opened a
little notebook, and was too intent
upon it to heed the remark.
"What day of the month is it?"
he asked, looking up.
"Twenty-fourth. Tomorrow is
my birth day, Stephen"
"Eh! is it? We're both growing
old, ant we, wife?" And he plung-
ed into his accounts again.
There was nothing very consola-
tory in that Mrs. Gurney made no
further observation, only stitched
on IN silence that had something
Of bitterness in it.
In the rooms above slumber had
nothing to do with the quiet-only
Jimmy, the youngest of the quintette
had discovered that his eyes would
go shut, and generously yielding to
their inclination had sought his
pillow. David seemed to have
been waiting for such an occurrence,
for at the first heavy breath from
the inner room he unlocked a draw
er, and began to tumble among its
contents with the air of one having
imp 'rtant business on hand.
''What are you after?" asked sgd,
attracted by his manner.
David laid out a roll of wire,
piece of sealing-wax, and shingle.
'I'il show you Directly" he re-
sponded at last, drawing forth a
curious something, that, when fairly
out and right side up, proved to be
a small gray owl. "Therer'
"Hello! regular old owl! Where'd
you get him?" demanded Bob.
"What you going to do with him?"
interposcd Mark.
David surveyed the bird COM
placently.
"Nice, amt he? Bought him of
Bill Jones for rabbit-only rab-
bit | ever caught in my trap, too;
but | thought this would look nicer"
"Nicer for what? What'll you
do with it?" persisted Mark.
elk him up and-Tll tell you
what it is, boys" said David, lean
ing back against the chest of draw
ers, and deciding to begin at the
beginning, 'to-morrow's mothers
birthday, and she's just as good
right to birthday presents as any
body, and / mean to give her this.
Do you see?"
"What do you s'posc she'll do
with it?" asked Bob, rather doubt
fully.
"Do? Why, keep it," responded
David. "Putit in the parlor to
look at, of course"
can owl, without any legs, and
its eyes out!' began Sgd, slowly
surveying the purposed gift.
''Bothcr! can't you wait until n
fellow can say what he means to do?'
interrupted Dave, impaticntly.
"Nobody said it looked like much
now; but it amt done yet. Bill
Jones only got it half finished--stuff-
ed you know-and then he got tired
of it, and sold it to me. I don't
know how the legs come off, but
it'll have to be fixed up on some
thing, so that won't show, and have
some sealing-wax eyes put in and
then it'll be all right. Mother thinks
lots of having things round to look
at, such as other folks have. She's
always telling how nice they are,
and this'll be sight prettier than
any of the woolen worstcd catsss and
dogs that the Davis girls make OH
cushions and things, for they amt
natural, anyhow, and this is"
The three pairs of eyes began to
scan David admiringly, and his
purchase less critically. Pleasing g
mother was considerable, to say
nothing of outdoing the "Davis
girls" Besides, the project had
the charm of novelty. Dave saw
that he had produced an impression
and gathered up his wire and wax
for work.
eff you had little tree to put il
ON now" suggested sgd, "it would
look better"
i "But it would all wither, you see
and | want something that'll stay
Guess I'll have to stick it on to this
shingle and paint it green or some
way, to look nice"
ssLook here! / know something
| better'n that, announced Bob, max
II ing 4 sudden dash for . clumsy oli
[trunk-i in one corner, that was hil
\ mother's abhOrrenp6 and biz oa,