Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-12-18
PLENTY OF TIME; OR JOHNNY'S
FAULT.
BY SARAH HART.

JOHNNY" said Mr. Gray to his little
son, "do you see that pile of brush and
rubbish over there | want to see that all
| cleared away to-day. The brush you
must chop up into frewood for your
mother, and the other rubbish must be
gathered into pile, and tonight you may
have bonfire"
Eyes, sir" answered Johnny, careless
ly. He was building miniature ship,
and was wholly occupied with his masts
and sails.
Remember to have it all done by to-
night" said his father as he rode
away.
"That little bit of work won't keep
me long. I'll just finish shaping this
rudder, then I'll go at it," said johnny,
whiting away.
How fast the moments slip by when we
are not thinking much about them
Johnny thought it would only take
him few moments to finish his rudder,
and so it did, but, that finished,
something else was begun, until John
ny was surprised to hear the bell ring for
school,
Odd you chop the brush, Johnny ?'
asked his mother as he flew into the din
ing room after his books.
mo, mother, I'll do it at noon. I'll
have plenty of time" said Johnny as he
hurried off.
But Johnny was unfortunate that morn
ing. He put off studying his lesson
until just few moments before his class
was called. The result was he missed
and was kept in at noon to learn it.
When he had recited it perfectly, after
studying nearly all the noon spell, he
found he had just twenty minutes left in
which to go home, eat his dinner and get
back to school. No time for cutting
brush, surely, but [ regret to say that
Johnny had not once thought of the
brush since he left home in the morning.
That afternoon the boys had planned to
go out in the woods after school to
gather nuts. The girls, some of them,
were going with them, and the hour for
dismissal was eagerly waited for. John
ny ran home to leave his books and ask
his mothers permission.
ooh, mother" he exclaimed, ''the chill
dren are all going off to the woods to
gather nuts. l am going too. I'll be
back before dark
But Johnny, how about that pile of
brush and rubbish? You know your
father told you it must be done," said his
mother.
ooh, mother! Can't I do it tomorrow?
I'll have plenty of time in the morning.
I'll get up early, and do it all before
school. Say, mother, won't that do?"
But his mother shook her head as she
answered,
81 fear it will not do to put it off,
Johnny; you had plenty of time to do
it this morning, but you neglected to do
So"
Jobnp1, I-no,- II ,,-os No ,,ca +o +oII- snv
further. So he threw down his hat and
coat, stamped his foot, grit his teeth and
commenced to cry Yes, he actually did
all that, although he was eleven years old
By and by he heard the voice of his
schoolmates, and he knew they would
soon be along inquiring for him. He
could not bear to meet them. So he Just
picked up his hat and ran into the gar
den, and hid in the branches of the old
apple tree.
"Johnny Gray! Johnny Gray! Ho,
JOHNNY" called Willie Short, the ring
leader of the party. Johnny, from his re-
treat could see them, but he answered not
a word
Very soon he saw them all talking and
looking, then little Minnie Lee went trip
ping into the house, committee of one to
look up the absentee.
"Pleath, NTH Gray, we're going after
nuts, and we want Johnny" was her mes
sage.
Il am very sorry" replied Mrs. Gray,
" but Johnny cannot possibly go to day.
His father has something for him to do
which cannot be postponed" She did
not tell that it was Johnny's own fault:
So little Minnie went briskly out and told
the result of her inquiry.
"Too bad! Its mean, so 1t is! MT:
Gray might put off his something, L
think;' and so the children talked as
long as Johnny could hear them, and then
when they were well out OF sight, ne crept
down out of his hiding place and went
reluctantly at his work.
1t was not hard task nor TEDIOUS one;
and if Johnny had worked with VIII,
he might have done it all IN an hour.
But he was disappointed and out ut, OF hu-
NOR, and so the work Jagged. Then ne
saw rabbit run through the garden:
at won't take me long to eaten II" he
said, dropping the axe and giving chase.
But it proved wild goose chase" Tor
after watching and poking around the
hole in the stone fence where 1t was seen
to go in, and 'knew it couldn't get out"
he was obliged to go back without it.
Then he thought of his fathers promise OF
the bip bonfire at night and went at his