Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-09-10
Che family Circle.

L hsA W 4SSAS $4,000
father every day at two O'Clock, but they
were thoughtless boys who liked to play
and idle away their time, so very otter
the lessons were not ready, because they
had to put off studying too long. Over
and over again they had been %reproved
until they thought they would really try
to be dill gent and %punctual. For almost
a week they did pretty we'll, but then there
came a day when the sun was bright and
warm and the air so soft that it seemed as
if nothing in the world could draw then
away from under the old apple tree, where
they lay in the tall grass OF their backs.
and looking up at the cool green leaves
and the peeps of the blue sky. There they
lay and talked of all that they meant to dc
and the things they wished they had, and
the places they wanted to visit.
"Uncle Henry is going to send for us
some day very soon," said Harry, to &C
with him out to MIR. Cheeseboro's farm. to
stay all night and the next day. Won't
it be splendid ? | mean to carry my fish
ing.rod, for there are trout in the brook
and l may carry Ben's gun and hunt wood
chucks."
Yes, and what good things we shall
have to eat" said Jack. "Tnere will be
mince pie and doughnuts, and roast goose
and pickles, and plum pudding. Do you
remember the other time we went, how
Mrs. Cheeseboro' gave us great slices of
cake beta cen meals and filled our pockets
with nuts ?"
"Guess | do =! answered Harry. al
have been wanting to 60 ever since. Sam
my Cheeseboro'said the next time We came
he'd have a party and play old fashioned
games. Won't it be fun? wonder wha,
day Uncle Henry is going"
He said pretty soon," said Jack hope
fully. Say, Harry, you know that big
swing they've got out in the barn, and the
high hay mows! Oh, what fun we shall
have! | wish we were there now and then
we shouldn't have that awful arithmetic
lesson to learn"
THAT awful geography lesson, you'd
better say" said Harry. d" took a look
at it before l came here, and it's dreadful,
We've got to bound every country in Asia.
Can you do it p
mo, but it won't take long to learn it
Say, Harry, see that fish hawk away up in
the sky. | wish had a bow and arrow
"Ho. | don't. | wish | had a rifle
sa i'd Harry, shading his eye to look up.
And so they planned, and dreamed, and
talked, lying luxuriously in the tall nod
ding grass, with birds to sing over them
and flowers to sweeten the air. If they
had only learned their lessons first. But
time flew, the hours sped by, and when al
last they arose and reluctantly went into
the Il ouse after their books, behold it Wa:
one o'clock, and lunch was waiting fol
them
They stared at each other in dismay
and then, being very hungry, they begar
TO eat their sandwiches and gingerbread
and talked over their situation between The
mouthfuls.
g. We never can learn it at all, never :
exclaimed Harry. "There are two endles.
sums in partial payments to work out, anc
then all those countries If we only hae
two hours even y
Tell you what" said Jack, " let's Sc
the clock back an hour! He always look
at the clock before he calls us, and he won
think nor find out about it."
Harry whistled, thought it over, and
made up his mind.
"All right :" he said. "Well do it
You're awful sharp, Jack. Here, pull
that big chair around, so | can stand in i
and reach up to the hands!
1t took but an instant, the clock ticket
on as TRANQUILITY as before, but now tn
hands pointed to twelve instead of one
and the boys had the two hours they want
, ed for study.
Away they hurried to their books, ant
while the quickest one worked out tn
longest sums, the other delved at boupda
, ries. 1t was hard work, but they kept a
it as if they we're running a race. Hal
? an hour after their father came up tn
!. avenue walking very fast, and almost gu
of breath.
e Bless me }" he said, as he looked a
, the clock, 81 thought it was a great des
/ later than this! So much for getting one
l., lunch away from home. Brown must hav
r his as early as eleven o'clock. Well, II
: glad it's no later. l shall have time
), write three or four letters before [ call til
c boys"
e And he shut himself into his librar
. among bis papers. There was quiet in til
It house an hour longer, during which tin
e the BOYS applied themselves almost breath
= lesslv to their tasks. The arithmetic e.
= ercise was ready and the boundaries wei
almost learned, only it seemed as if JAG
never could get Siam and Anam right.
At half.past one by the clock their faith
, came out of the library.
. "Come, boys" he called loudly. IN
lessons to-day! Hurry on your JACKIE
n and hats. Uncle Henry wants you to
: out to Cheeseboro's with him ; and L
y going to drive you over to the train"
:. How the boys sprang up and shoute
= and dashed away their books. They we
all ready by the time the horse was at Il
le door. Harry had no. forgotten his ifs
Y ing-rod, and Jack wore his trousers tn
he had the deepest pockets. Their moth
: stood on the steps to see them of.
re "Hurry along !" called their faith
e, : from the carriage. We've none too mu'
i time. The train starts at ten minutes pa
le two precisely"
,e "Oh why" faltered Jack, and Har
< stopped short, looking dumbfounded.
What's the matter 2" cried their faith
le " Hurry, / tell you! We've no til
- whatever to lose"
i "The clock is too slow :" said Harry,s
spairingly.