The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-04-22
SPRING..

|
Little Jack Frost was glad to go.
The Alline.
SPRING.
| A CHICAGO sCHOoLBOY's COMPOSITION.
SPRING is here! No one will doubt this
who has been on the street frequently
during the last few weeks, and seen per
sons of all ages and sizes come down on
the sidewalk as though they were forci-
bly, demonstrating the laws of gravita-
ton, but the next instant would come
up as though they were composed OF
some patent, complicated, duplex, double
elliptic spring.
have seen large boys show unusual
| activity when some careless little urChin
threw SNOWFALL at the sun (son) and it
accidentally (?) hit the aforementioned
boy. The way he would spring after the
offender would make one think that an
idea had struck him in the head,
have heard of another boy who was
so sleepy that he couldn't hear his father
call him to get up in the morning, al
though he had called three different
times; but when he heard his ia her
coming up the front stairs he would
spring out of bed, spring into his pants
and 60 down the back stairs three steps
at spring, and would be at work black
| ing his boots as fast as he could spring
when his father came down saying, 81
thought you were not up yet"
Some animals remind me of this sea-
sen of the year. 1 well remember a
knowing old sheep which my Uncle
John owned on his farm. If ever ven
tured into the barnyard he would look
at me with due respect, then walk around
to convenient starting place, and with
an unlooked-for spring would help me
make the quickest motion | ever made
| in my lite. Sometimes | found myself
flat on the ground, while at other times
| it would seem as though the fence had
struck me in the face. After awhile his
proceedings became rather mOnOtonous,
and thought would have change in
the performances. So one day, while
standing in the yard, l saw the sly old
creature take deliberate aim, and when
he came l lodged just enough to spring
upon his back; and l tell you the way
he carried me around that yard think
| he never forgot, for after that occurrence
he never offered to help me on in my
progress through the world. He evil
| 1 Ie
| and would never run the risk of giving
me another free ride.
Well, isn't it strange how many
thoughts will spring into ones mind
when once they get started. l never
think of that sheep without being re-
minded of another animal which was in
the same yard. After had given up all
hopes OF improving my health by daily
ride on that cushion of wool l turned my
attention to Uncle Johns favorite colt. l
first introduced myself to him by holding
out an ear of corn for him to nibble;
then patting him on the head and back
| In short time he learned to look for
me, and would often whinny when he
saw me coming.
| Gradually the idea expressed by "Mrs.
Darlington" took possession of my mind,
that "to have friends and not use them
was waste capital" Daily became more
convinced that ought to have a ride on
that colt. So, one morning, while at the
breakfast-table l asked uncle if l could
ride Just little way on Dick, for that
was the colts name.
He looked at me in surprise, then
smiled and said:
"Johnny, there has never been man
on that colt yet. You see, want his
back to grow straight, not be saddle
backed, as some horses are which you
see, which are used too young"
Icould say nothing for moment, then,
for the first time, ! was glad that was
not as large as man.
"Uncle, do you think am heavy
| enough to hurt him?" said I.
"No, but / do not think it would be
very safe for you to get on his back, for
tell you he has some No. l. springs in
those hind legs of his"
Springs in colts legs! This was a
new idea to me. l had heard of spring
beds, spring chairs ana springs in various
places, but never in a colts leg. l nc
ticed one of the hired men looking at me
with a comical stare, as though he won
dered if l were green enough to believe
everything that was told me- l said
nothing more, but after breakfast went
out to the yard, and was looking at the
colt when uncle came out.
"Well, Johnny, do you see thu
springss"
| think looked as though / had beer
the object of joke, but commenced
conversation at once by saying:
"What is the work for to-day?"
"Think we will finish binding thos
oats. What shall l give you to carr.
bundles?"
Had he said this almost any other da.
should have gladly accepted the invi
tation, though think should have pre-
ferred riding on the reaper rather thai
) any other work, for, like most boys,
always did have a dislike to walking
Somehow it seemed as though l did no
feel quite as we'll as usual, hardly able t
hire out for the day, but only said;
"What time would you like to hav
me begin to carry bundles?"
ooh! ten o'clock will do"
1 CAL right. I'll be out by that time,
said I.
t In few moments the teams and me
!. had gone to work in the field. But ths
colt. could think of nothing else, an
: the more I thought about it the easie
: it seemed just to 60 into the barn and g
q a halter. knew I could put the halle
: on the colts head, for l had been Above
=. A. that sayorol tiruan and 1ead hlI