The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-07-10
MoTHER's WAY
By ALICE CRAWFORD.

SiueWaIk, slowly replacing MS SHOES
and stockings. The shoes were
heavy with red clay, znd the stock
ings clung with damp tenacity to
pair OF blue feet, refusing TO be tag
I ged beyond the vet little heels Or
their oYner
81 say, Rob +"
'Well?" inquired Rob, medits
lively, tracing with one bare toe the
hop Scotch pattern on the sidewalk
"Well?"
@You and the rest Of the boys GO
long and get your 'seuses Don't
wait for me, tugging st the refrac-
tory sock. @TeacheFl expect rs
back right away''--tug, tug, and
sound of parting stitches in the
stocking. Meet me at the corner
and we'll go into school together.
Therei" "
Seeing that Fred's prospects were
Frightening, Rob and the others ran
down the street, intent on producing
from maternal pens the required
cuses for an unfortunate tardiness
in the school room.
"HOW they do singl" soliloquized
Fred, as the voices Of his schocl-
mates fell upon his ears tkrougl the
open EindoEsa They amt late,
nor going home Tor q note, nor any
thing. Bother the raftand the poles
and the mud!" and the little boy
ruefully wiped his cheek with his
clean jaeket.sleeve, and proceeded 70
tie knot in the stiff clay-eolored
shoe string.
q win Be good, IWil Sc good, ~
Twill be good to-day
shouted the chorus in the school
room as Fred arose and started for
his home around the next corner
sIYin be good 1 nil be good
proceeded the songsters, with the
usual vehemence Of three-score mis-
chieYcus and thoughtless urohins;
but the words struck the listener un-
pleasantly.
"Just what I said to mamma this
morning, when she pinned my col
lar,n said he, feeling inYoluntarilY
for the too-frequently-iOst article. II
meant it, too. But Rob and the boys
called me to the water, and theE ToHa
Gray said I didn't dare go On the
raft; and, anyway, 1 won't be dared
by Tom"
Fred sighed as he opened the lit
tie gate and went through the grass
to the kitchen door The hardest
of his way lay in meeting his man
ma and conqueriDg her scruples-
for mamma had her seruples, and
they interfered sadly sometimes with
Ffed's plans. She was Washing
though, and perhaps would be in
hurry. That was in his favor.
'Isay, mamma 2 winningly.
"Why! Freddy" came in sweet,
tones from the cloud Of
steam,
''Say, noW-noW, mammS." laying
a stick of wood with great precision
on the nearest pile.
"What is it, dear2 Why aren't you
at school? 1t is late"
''Well, that's just it, You see
Rob and the boys and-Well, yes
and, and me-
''Come here, Freddy. Let me wipe
your face and your collar. How
came you to take hold of It with
muddy fngers2 Come into she
house"
"Oht never mind. Pm in hurry
Fred thrust his feet behind the chips
for reasons known to himself Pm
tardy, mamma, and teacher wants q
note. Please do it quick, cause I've
cot to be back in time for 'rithmetic.
I'll be bringing in wood while you
write" +"
Now this unusual offer Of Fred's
struck his mother suspiciously, and
she dried her hands slowly with 2
troubled look on her face. It was
way his mother had. She always
looked seriously upon the misde-
meanors of her children in their
dealings With their teachers. Fred
never liked it. Itmade him so much
trouble to have her ask questions.
why didn't she let things 60, as Tom
Gray's mother did?
Freddy"
"Yes'm," hesitatingly, from the
dim recesses Of the Woodshed.Where
the dry sticks lay.
"Come in for amoment."
Fred obeyed. She was 3 little
mother, but he always obeyed when
she spoke. She led him into the
coal-room beyond the kitchen.
''Yes, sir" said Fred to himself
'fYes, sir, she's going to ask ques-
tons. The boys'H be waiting. Oh
dear That old raft and Tom Cray
and, any 0oay, what did make
so inquisitiYe?" /"
"Where have you been2" began
his mother, sitting down in the green
arm chair (she looked pale against
the green, Fred thought) and re-
moving the strip Of linen from the
neck of his @roundaboGt.
"Just down to the raVine a little
while. There were whole lots Of
boys md raft. They said I daren's
get aboard; md SO I did. You
wouldn't have me be coward, Of
doubtfully but encouraging
ly.
Mamma didn't seem very appreci-
ative Just here, so Fred proceeded
"'Nd then we went to the bridge,
and the bell rang there before We
could get ashore. Rob and the 9TH
ers were late, toe"
As his mothers eyes we're slightly
Fred stood little closer
to her skirts. His feet seemed in
the way.
"What did your teacher say9n
asked Mrs. WhiUe-so sadly, it
from Fred's pocket
q roll Of soiled linen, once a clean
handkerchief.
"Oh! she said We must getour
seuses-the rule you know. OH
no. My feet are warm enough.
Don't mind me! You just be writin
cause Pm in such q hurry
Quietly surveying the clay-spread
shoes, Mrs. White began removing
them. Fred thought her hands look
ed very white and delicate against
his soiled stockings aad wondered