Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-03-16

Olg arm cnalI DelOIe nIiIp Saho i"'
Philip expected his iather would say
grnilly: at is high time you were IL
bed" And so he was taken by surprise
when his father said gently:
Won't you hand me the almanac be-
fore you sit down, Phiiip''
Philips mother raised her eyes IRON
her sewing and glanced at her husband
as though she wondered what had called
forth such unusual genlleuess. Raymond
opened the almanac at September, and
al,cr g,anciug down the page, he turned
to his vile and asked. as to day the third
or fourth Tuesday of the month 9'
The fourth" she replied. ITO or
row is the last day OF the month"
care you quite sure about it?' he
queried, Iii you are correct | am week
behind hand in my reckoning. I've had
SO many things crowdinG upon ne lately,
I've hardly known which way to turn first.
promised Mr. Shidmorc that | would
take that two.year old heifcr away that |
bought Of him before the first of October.
She must be got home TO morrow
Philip got up to 60 10 bed. Raymond
said
Don't hurry, Philip; I'm thinking how
10 Get that heller home. believe | will
take YOU down there early in the morn.
ing, aud leave you 10 drive herup. II is
nine miles there. but you can come back
lcisurely. and let her feed along side the
road. You'd like it as well as to stay at
home and work, wouldn't you, Philip ?'
YES, sir
Philip replied in an absent minded way
He was in quandarY. Perhaps he had
better Try to stay at home little longer
and see il things didn't seem more agree.
able TO him. Maybe he had Judged his
father litl!e too harshly. Clinton Dex
ter would come to the barn at midnight
to meet him. and
Philip was arrested in his cogtalions by
his father saying;
81 have so many cases, so many things
10 think OF that ! can hardly keep track
OF my childrens ages. believe Philip,
your birthday comes the lhirtieth Of Sep.
tember, doesn't it?'
Yes, sir"
And so YOU will be fifteen years old
to morrow. Well, well, it does beat all
how lime ilies. Fifteen years II doesn't
seem more than hall that time since you
were a baby. Let me see, believe
promised TO let you 60 10 Hartford this
lall. didn't /? We shall be half way there
when we get 10 Skidmore's. and seeing
TO morrow Is your birthday, perhaps we
had better keep on. don't know as we
shall have any better time to leave. We
can take an early start-have breakfast
at halt past FIVE. and get of by six. and
by nine, II we have good luck, we shall
be there We can stay ill three O'Clock
in the afternoon, and you wouldn't be
late home. It will be light tomorrow
evening-there is good moon. now.
Well. you may as we'll 90 to bed and gel
all the sleep you can. Ishall call you up
at -four o'clock"
Philip started the second time 10 go,
but just as he got his hand on the door
latch his father said
"Wait a minute, Philip. II you had
some one TO keep you company from
Skidmore's. and help you drive..the heifer,
l wouldn't mind staoing till nearly night
before we left the city Perhaps Clinton
Dexter would be willing TO walk up from
there with you and help drive her. II he
could go with US 10 Hartford and spend
the day. II you think that he would.
and you would like TO have him 60. you
may ruu over to Mr. Dexter's and tell him
that il il Is convenient Tor him to spare
Clinton | would like to have him 60 to
Hartford with US to.morrow and walk
home from Skidmore's with you in the
evening And be sure and tell Clinton,
Il his father consents to his going that we
will call for him as early as six o'clock. u
Philip said YES. sir" and took up his
hat and went into the hall; but before he
got 10 the outside door, his father called
out:
"One thing more, Philip. left my
bride hanging on bar post down by the
sheep barn. this afternoon. If you'll
come back across the lots and bring it up,
it'll save going for it is' the morning.
intended to get it myself when came
home from Mr.. Dcxter's, but it slipped
my mind"
"Lurky thing it did," Philip said 10
himself as he stepped out OF the door.
If he had come around that way home
and heard Clint and talking in that barn
guess he wouldn't be in quite SO gentle
mood tonight He would have given
me Hail Columbi' right and left; and
Clint would have Jared worse than |, fol
when bis fathers back is up he's as saw
age as a tiger. Strange what has come
ever father tonight! noticed thai
mother was surprised to see him so much
more social and gentle than common"
On his way over to Mr.. Dexter's Philip
had as great a variety of feelings and as
great conflict with them as his father
had while standing behind the barn door