The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-04-28
New CasabIanca.

n new NusuuluuSat
The man looked at his boy proudly.
sternly, sorrowfully. The lad looked
into his fathers face sadly, exultingly,
heroically. 1t was living tableau no
artist could reproduce. Billy" said
the father, grayely, az took your moth
err and sister TO church yesterday"
" Yes, sir" "And left You to sec to
the things" Yes, SIR" replied the
boy, gazing ont through the window at
the flicker as it hitched down the gate
post, and finally dropped into the grass
with a shrill chirp. And yon didn't
water the pigs?" 5000 Oh, sir !
Geeroodyi oh, me Lawsy, lawsy
mo y The slender scion of IN apple
tree rose and fell in the hand Of Mr.,
Coulter, and up from the jacket OF the
lad, like incense from mn altar, rose Il
cloud OF dust, mingled with the nap Of
jeans. Down in the young clover Of
the meadow the lark and sparrows sang
cheerily, the gnats and flies danced up
and down in the sunshine, the fresh soft
leaves OF the vines rustled, and all was
merry indeed. Billy's eyes turned up
towards the face Of his father in appeal
ing agony, but still with sharp hiss
the switch cut the air, FILLING steadily
and mercilessly on his shoulders.
And along the green banks OF the
river the willows shook their shiny fin
gers ut the lifting fog, and the voices Of
children going by to school smote the
sweet NAV wind, ooh, pap, I'll not
forget the pigs no more |" aspect you
won't, heather" The wind, by a sud-
den puff, lifted into the room n shower
of white bloom petals from n sweet mp.
pie tree, letting them fall gracefully
upon the patchwork carpet, the while a
pioughman whistled plaintively in n
distant field. "0utch Cracked Oh,
pap, pap y "Shut yeur mouth, RI I'll
split you to the backbone" How many
delightful places in tho woods, how
many cool spots beside the murmuring
river, would have been more pleasant to
Billy than the place he then occupied.
"oh, me oh, me |" yelled the lad.
Still the dust rose and danced in the
slanting jet Of sunlight that fell across
the room, and the hens out Mt the barn
cackled and sang for joy over new eggs
laid in choice places.
AT one time during the falling Of the
rod the girl quit washing, and thrusting
her head into the kitchen, said, in a
subdued tone, "My land, amt Bill
gittin' IN awful one?" "You're mighty
right" replied the mother, solemnly.
Along towards the last Mr.. Coulter tip
toed at every stroke. The switch &c.
tually screamed through the air as it
fell. Billy danced. "Now go, sir y
cried the man, tossing the frizzled
stump OF the CAD ont of the window.
eco now, and the next time you water
them pigs" And, while the finch
poured ont n cataract Of melody from
the locust, he went. Poor boy that
was n terrible thrashing, and, to make
il worse, it had been promised to him
the evening before, so TINT he Ind been
drcading il and shivering over IL NIL
night. Now, rs ho walked through the
brcakiast-room, his sister looked at him
in commissioning way, but, on pass
ing through the kitchen, he could not
catch the eye OF his mother. Finally
he stood in the free, open air, in front
OF the saddle closet. II was Just then
n speckled rooster on the barn.yard
fence Topped his wings and crowed
vociferously.
A turkey.cock was strutting upon the
grass by the old cherry tree. Billy
opened the door of the closets. IA
boys will is the winds will, and the
thoughts Of youth arc long, long
thoughts" Billypeeped into the closet,
and then cast u glance about him, us II
to see il anything was near. At length,
during pleasant lull in the morning
wind, and while the low, tenderly mellow
flow OF the river was distinctly audible,
and the song Of the finch increased in
volume, and the bleating of new lambs
in the meadow died in ilnttcring echoes
under the barn, and while the fragrance
OF apple-blooms grew fainter and while
the sun, now flaming Just above the
eastern tree.tops, launched n shower
over him from head to foot, he took
from under his jacket behind double
sheep.skin, which, with an inefIa5le
smile, he tossed into the closet. Then,
Us the yellow flicker rose rapidly from
the grass, Billy walked of, whistling
the air Of that once popular ballad:
"oh, give mo back my fifteen cents"