The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-05-09
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The rnaa looked at his bov proudly
sternly. sorrowfully. TIE lad looked
into MS fathers face sadly, exnIting
~, heroica.ly. It was i living table
no artist could reproduce. ''Blily,"
says the father, grayely, "I took
your mother apd sister to church
yesterday" Yes, sir. . '.And left
you to Zee TO the things" Yes.
sir" replied the boy, gazing out
through the w;nGow st the flicker a.
ii iIifcaed down the gate post, and
finally dropped iiilo the grass With "a
shrlli cairp. Ind you dis.nt Wa
ter the pigs" 30 90, Oh, sir
Geeroody! Oh. fae! Lawsy, Iawsy
ine~ The slender scion of an apple
tree fell IN the hands OF NJ. Coui-
ter. and mp from tbe jacket OF the
lad, Ike incense from an altar, rose
a cloud OF dust mingled with tic
nap Of jeans, Down IN the young
clover of tue meadow the lark ana
sparrows sansscheerily, the gnatS
and flies danced ue and dogn in the
sunshine. the fresh soft leaves OF tne
vines rgstied, and all vas n.egry in
deed. BiIIy's eyes tGrned ~
toward the face Of nis father In ao-
pealing agony. bat sill with sharp
hiss the switch cut the air, falling
steadily aud merc.lessly on bis shout
ders. and along the green bluks OF
the river, tie willows shook their
shiny fingers ct the lifting fog, and
the voices Of children going b. 10
school sinote the sweet 1Iay wind.
"Oh, pap. Hi not forget the pigs
no more!' ''Speet you won't, nea-
ther" Toe 9ind, by sudden prsf.
lifted into the room shower CT
white bloom petals from a sweet
appIe-tree. letting theE fall grace
fully upon tie patch work carpes,
the while a plowHan wbistled pIaiat-
lively in the distant fed '.Oa.ch,
Crackee! Oh. pap, papg' shut
your mouth, or il split you to the
backbone. How many delightful
places iii the woo -. how many cool
spots besides the niur.auriag river.
would have been more pee to
Billy than the place he then occu pied.
'Oh, mel oh, me- yel.el tue lad.
Still the dust rose and danced III the
slanting Jet OF the Sunlight that fell
across the room, aud the hens out at
the barn cackled aud sang for JOY
over new eggs laid in cho;ce places.
At one time during the failing Of the
rod the girl quit wisiiing, and thrust
-. I
a subdued tone, BY land. amt Billy
gitten' an awful oue:" You're
mighty right" replied the mother
sniemnly. Along toward tie lass
Dir. Coulter tiploed at every stroke.
The switch actually SCREAMED through
the ar rs 1t fell. Billy danced.
Now go, sir. cried the Hlan, toss
ing the frizzid stump OF The gad ous
at the window. 60 now, aud the
next time you water them PIGS"
And, while the finch poured out u
cataract of melody from the loclsf,
be went. Poor boy. that was
terrible thTashing. and, 10 make 1t
worse, it had been promised to hin
the evening before, SO taat ne had
been dreading it aud sLiyering over
it all night. Now, as be walked
through the breakfast-room ,lis SIS
ter looked at him IN 4 commiseratins
way, but, on passing through the
kitchen he could no: catch the eye
of his mother. Fiua.ly he stood in
the free. open air. in front OF the
closets. 1t was just then :, speckled
rooster on the barn yard fence fop-
ped his wings and crowed vocifer-
curly. A turkey cock was strutting
upon the grass by tue cid cherry
tree. Billy opened the door of the
closets. "A boys VIII is the winds
will, and the thoughts of yostl are
long, long thoughts. Bill peeped
into tue closets, and then east 4
glance about him, as II to see if any
thing was near. At length, dari e
pleasant lul In the morning wind,
AID while the low, tenderiy DeiIow
flow of the river was distinSSHg Hgy-r1-
dible, aud the song ef the fnSh in-
creased in volume. and the bleatiug
of new lambs IN the meadow died in
futtering echoes lnder the barn, and
while the fragrance OF apple blooms
grew fainter. aud while tie sun, now
flaming just above the eastern tree
tops, launched shower over him
from head to foot, he took from un-
der his jacket behind q double
sheepskin. which, with an ineffable
smile, he tossed into the closet.
Then as the yellow flicker rose rapid-
ly from, the grass. Billy walked of,
whistling the air OF that once popu-
lar ballad:
"Oh, give me back my fftncr oantsn