Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-06-20

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accustomed to the ways of needless set o
men who do not know how to wait on them
selves nor tighten the labors of Others, cal
realize how much trouble they are-hov
many things they can put out of place, how
much trash and litter they can scatter on al
sides-and how frequent are their calls fol
what they could get for themselves. Fou
hungry men to feed, four extra beds to make
rooms to clean and arrange, was something
but very little compared to the unnecessary
work they made. Their waiting-uen, who
had gone through the war with many chances
to desert or run away, and had not usee
them, now found their attachment too weal
for everyday tasks, and little companionsbiI
beyond the "low down" negroes who still
clung to the fortunes of the family. In les
than a week they had departed without saying
eby your leave"
Lance was willing to work, but she coulo
not do all; and many unusual and disagree
able duties fell on Conway, Grace and even
Alice. All joined in keeping their mother
from anything irksome. Their tenderness
towards her was "a beautiful trait in thell
dispositions No matter what Lance was
doing, or how important the work, there was
some one to call her of: It was
"Lance, bring another fresh pitcher OF
water to my room." "Lance, run up stairs
and bring my cigar-case." "Lance, where's
that pair of boots I pulled off this morning
when went hunting?" Lance, why is there
never any water in the piazza?" "Where's
the book I left on the sofa just now?" "Lance
what's become of my other hat?" "Put that
coat away, Lance" "Look for my gloves,
Lance; I left them on the table, or some
where" "Lance, come and clean up where
I was washing my gun" Lance, who has
taken my powder-fask off the rack find it
for me at once" These, and q hundred other
calls, took her from her regular duties, till it
was no wonder she accomplished so little.
Mr.. Elliott was as bad as the boys about
calling on Lance; but Mr.. Ellison, more
thoughtful and observing, soon saw how mat,
ters stood, and giving Jack few hints, they
two we're careful to wait Oh themselves, and
often saved the girl many weary steps. The
others were not so much under Mr.. Ellison's
supervision as Jack-were not so used to his
kind counsel-and cared less for it when
given.
Mr.. Ellison settled down at once into as
many of his old habits as practicable. He
spent certain number of hours in studying
visited some family, either far or near, every
day, and sought to do them either spiritual or
temporal good, as they most needed; and,
after little time, heard part of Stuart'a
and Alice's lessons.
Russell and Arthur spent hours in the
house teasing the girls, smoking, sleeping and
lounging about. A ride in the morning, or a
bird hunt of an hour or two, suficed them for
the day. It is astonishing how days, weeks,
and even years, can be frittered away in al.
most perfect idleness, by people unaccustomed
to steady employment, and how exceedingly
hard it is for them to break off from lazy,
indolent habits, and do anything which can
be called regular work.
Jack, partly because his uncle Ellison had
drilled him in regular duties in his youth
partly because he was more mercurial than
the others, and for reasons to be mentioned
hereafter-soon tired of the house, and was
up to all sorts of pranks and doings. If he
found Conway or Grace in their garden, he
would help them for awhile with the most
commendable steadiness, doing more work in
an hour than the old gardener would have
done in six. All at once he would drop what
he had begun, transplant large rose-bush to
the centre of walk, set out one Of the most
thrifty weeds in the finest Aower-beds, or
upset wheelbarrow load of trash at the
garden-gate and leave the girls to open it
and get out the best way they could. Jack
was in all sorts of places, and tinkering at all
sorts of things. Full Of life, which bubbled,
sparkled and overaowed, half his friends did
not know there was any depth beneath the
laughing, singing, whistling, surface. Rus
sell had the credit of greater and more
solid attainments and Mr.. Ellison's remark,
that "There is more in Jack than Russell and
Arthur together-he always accomplishes
what he undertakes, but laughs over it till no
one thinks he has done anything" was set
down to his partiality for the child of his
early love.
AS days wore on, it was discovered Jacks
vagaries we're as triAes compared to the real
work he had done; and late as it was in the
season, flowers not only bloomed to reward
him, but long rows Of corn, numerous hills of
cucumbers and melons, and nicely-trained
tomato vines began to show themselves in the
vegetable garden, where daddy Dicks few
efforts had hardly given promise of anything
but fine crop of weeds.
II wouldn't stoop to negro's work" said
Arthur, one day, when he found Jack with
coat off, setting out potato plants.
"What I do is not negro's work, was Jacks
reply, and his merry whistling was continued
without regard to the curt-"Well, I'm above
such things, if you are not"
Perhaps word of encouragement from
Mr. Ellison, and ofpleased approval from his
aunt Georgia, as Mrs. Elliott was called,
helped him to persevere in spite of blistered
hands and more than one sneer from Russell
and Arthur.
"He always did what others wouldn't, and
seemed to enjoy being laughed at" said
Russell.
The family found Jacks vegetables the
greatest help late in the summer, and those