Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-07-02
LEARNING TO SPELL KATE.

LEARNING TO SPELL KATE.
Clearly, Widow Arnolds hens were the
cause of James Henry's shiftlessness.
One day fearful clatter proceeded from
the hen-house; cackle, cackle, cackle,
cut cut, cut, cutarker, cut, cut, cut, cut
Mker," cried the hens; then the old
rooster mounted upon barrel at the
door and tapped his wings in triumph
ant fashion, and crowed SO Justify that
Mrs. Arnold, who was frying doughnuts
in the kitchen, exclaimed:
"Good land! what's the matter with
them hens? must be they've laid lots Of
eggs. Run, James Henry, and bring 'em
in fore they eat 'em up"
But James Henry, who was whiting
with an old e-knife, did not start, only
asked interestedly How many do you
'spose they've laid, mother?"
"Oh, don't know, perhaps two dozen"
al got twelve and half cents for the
last carried to the store. A jack
knife don't cost but quarter"
"Well, what of it? Go and get them
eggs"
S"But say, mother, if there's two dozen
mayn't buy jack-knife? All the rest
of the boys have got 'em. Jim Green's
beauty, and it didn't cost but quar-
ter"
"Why, Mrs Green takes in washing !"
said his mother
James saw his advantage. Yes, and
Jim can't white no morn a"-woman
he was about to say, but, fearing his
mother might take offense at this i'm
pOrtant time, substituted COW" no morn
q COW. i bet them hens have laid as
many as three dozen; they're cackling
yet. Say, mother, mayn't buy jack
knife?"
ayes, guess SO, if you are good boy
and learn well at school,"
James Henry walked off jauntily, his
hands in his pockets, anG slight swing
in his gait betokening his satisfaction,
until eagerness getting the better of his
dignity he gave two or three jumps
which brought him to the door of the
hen-house. Alas, for human hopes
There were but twenty eggs. Lacks
four eggs of jack knife" he said mourn
fully to his mother as he entered.
His look of disappointment was too
much for her tender heart, and she went
into the pantry and returned with bas-
kct in which reposed twenty-four eggs.
"There, sonny, she said kindly, ego and
buy jack knife, but be sure to get a strong
one"
mother, and she was a widow. Years
ago she was a rosy-cheeked farmers girl,
belle and beauty, who for while
Airted and kept the beaus' hearts fut
tering in the way girls are so fond of,
and then, to their chagrin married the
least among them, Matthew Arnold,
with fine chateau d EsDagne, but none in
this country, and great fortune in hopes
and plans as yet not realized. Mary's
father bought them little house and
garden when he found her mind was
made up to marry Matthew, and they
went to housekeeping in that happy in
consequent fashion people are SO apt to
pity.
Had Matthew been rich his friends
would have called him genius; but as it
was, two years had not elapsed since ere
the neighbors said he was "shiftless," no
calculator; which, now / think of it, are
synonymous with genius.
But whatever the meaning of the word,
the house mot the Spanish castle, that
was more beautiful than ever began to
wear adilapidated appearance, the fences
leaned over in careless fashion, and the
gate swung idly in the breeze, for Mat
thew was all the time at work upon some
thlng that was sure to bring fortune
ASSSi COlhCLiIhCS ~ Ndo
churns of marvellous workmanship which
were to churn and work out the butter
milk at the same time; then it was
mock with many new features, and was
sure to become general favorite; again,
asteam-engine, kind of perpetual mo-
non, as it was to use the steam over and
over again.
But unhappily they all lacked some
important element The churn wouldn't
work, the clock wouldn't go, and the en-
Hne refused to bulge an inch.
Mrs. Arnold was the greatest possible
contrast to her husband. But for her
tney would have come to want She it
was who not only attended to the house
mold affairs, but cultivated vegetables In
.neir little garden, sold eggs from their
lew hens, butter from their one cow, and
spun and wove for her more fortunate
neighbors. More than all the rest, she
vas CHEEKY and pleasant as ever, and had
implicit faith in her husbands genius. !.
sometimes the neighbors cOndOled
NTH her, but Mrs. Arnold would say:
matthew never made thing couldn't
Use. There's that churn, now, use II TO
Pul meal in, and it's just the incest thing
you ever see for that. The old clock
1"uldn't get along without. | keep. my
MV1Snkets in 1t, and the other wooiens'
never q mouse gets at 'em. You have
70 idea what it is to have husband 80
aanoy TO make things"