The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-12-09
Selerf Sto!''yly.
DUTY FIRST.

a O - = y
, The summer MONDAY sun shone broad
ly and brightly, over the haY-fields. The
birds sang in the trees ;the rabbits ran in
and out of the hollows 1.-THE insects hum
med overhead; the merry little brook
went tumbling along; and the fish came
leaping out every now and then, their sill
yer sides flashing in the warm light, ,1.
In the bayfield, the mowers were busy,
and borne on the gentle wind, softened
to musical murmur, came the voices Of
the men and the sharpening Of their
scythes. - -.
Ben Mallett and his little cousins Jen-
nv snd, Jake Brown were as happy and
light hearted this bright summers day
as any three children could possibly be-
Ben's father had made him little
wooden sword, and this morning the boy
had run, oyerto his apnt,s cottage and
carried the two. young children out TO
play with him. -
They were-in the middle of an excit
ing game, when Mrs, Browns voice was
heard calling to them, "Children, chill
dren! II want you.' ni1sl-r.fi. iafgi5 E.
Ben ran back to the cottage at once,
and met his aunt coming out. g.,q.l 3a
9d"Ben, dear" she said, "it's Your UNI
ele's dinner time, andI have made him
some stew. i He is working in Farmer
Rix's bayfield,, and / should be glad if
you would take the children with yon,
and carry your uncle his dinner Here
it is, I'M this li.tlespot. Be careful not to
spill any Of itany boy for it is not of.
ten l can afford to buy meat nova
days" ~, 7,,,,.,,,., .,.,,..
Ben took the pot and trudged of, to
the place where he had left the little
ones, They were not there, but he
thought he heard their voices, and fol
lowiCg the sound, he found the children
in the poultry yard, where the ducks and
geese crowded round them, expecting to
be fed. ''i'"p. ti''"i.'i'i' ''5 si'' '1'l7'L
.sHurrah! now we'll have some fun!
shouted Ben, ,snatching up his sword and
brandishing it over his head. "Hrre
Jenny, hold the pot, and JAKE ard Twill
review the troops" '< -4'.
Jenny took .theypot, and Jake was told
to hold the flag, which consisted of an
old pocket handkerchief tied to stick.
Then Ben grasped his sword more
firmly : and blowing on half a clothes
peg instead Of horn, he managed to
sdrone out tune, which he,thousht very
grand indeed. = 5s, n III e74ss IS
The only trouble was that the ducks
would not march in time, and they would
interrupt the music, by. 'their, ,quacking.
1t was good half hour before he re.
membered the errand, on which he had
been sent.6 The, game had been SO new
and so full Of fun that the thought of
his poor uncle working in the hot sun
had quite escaped bis memory. -.
''Oh, dear mer' he cried, throwing
down his sword, show stupid I've been
Come along, pets; let us take your ia
theirs dinner to him. ! don't know what
he'll say at being kept waiting so long.
Here, Jenny. give me the rot." ''' ''
Jenny gave up the pot, but as Ben
looked into i. he gave a cry Of dismay
it was nearly empty The savory broth
was all gone,and only few little bits OF
meat lay at the bottom. p! q '7 q
"Oh, Jenny, how stupid you are,
cried Ben. '.What shave you done with
all that stew 7--have you split it, OIL
what z" bge .Htf l.r. ..f ,ro,.ae.sr..
+ Jenny began to cry. 81 did not touch
it," she sobbed ands indeed, she hao
been as much interested in the game a:
Ben himself, and had only held the poi
without thinking Of it. .is rA .,,V
just then Ben spied Toby,a the old
watch dog, Sinking out of the yard, ,witl
his tail between his legs and his eye;
glancing behind him, as if he knew he
had been doing wrong, and half expect
ell to be punished. a~ raf'f r.it ac
"Ah, sir, so you are the thief, are
you?' said Ben; and making dive Al
the dog, he boxed his ears smartly, and
sent the poor thing away howling.-
'Now we must go to your mother,
suppose" said Ben, "and tell her about
it. Oh dear me! what will she say p
And with heavy hearts and long face:
the children returned to the cottage.
TO tell the truth, Ben had begun tc
! feel nv this tiInn that he had donn gron @