The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1877-06-21

Twas TOO laL6-H moment Only
Stood the beauteOus vision there,
Then the little face lay hfeless,
Covered Ger with golden hair.
Revereut they raised my darling,
Brushed away the curls of gold,
Saw the stamp upon the forehead,
Growing now so icy cold.
Not mark the face dis6gured,
Showing where a hOOf had trOd;
But the little life was ended
Papa's letter ." was with God,
LAZY JACK.-Of all the lazy boys in
the world, Jack Bates was the LATEST.
Generally he was too lazy even to play.
The only game ne ever INDUCED in was
marbles, for the reason that it required
less exertiOn than almost any OtEer. 1t
required less exertiOn than one at cricket,
rouDder, touch, or chevy-Chase.
"When the weather is warm" " he used
to say, "the best lark l know is to creep
under a ahaystack and 60 to sleep, or when
it is cold to sit by the kitchen fire,
warming your nose and knees"
Jack was also found lOunging at the
door of his fathers smithy with his back
against the post, one foot over the other,
and his hands in his pockets.
This was q source of great anxiety to
his father, who frequently strOve, though
in vain, to arouse the lad to a sense of
the vast Importance Of acquiring indus
trious habits.
One Summers afternoon, when Jack
was prOpping himself up as usual against
the dooT-post, he cried out:
~ -
Farnshaw's with the truck, and fetch
the things I ordered there this morning
and, hark ye, be quick about it, for
PM waiting to finish a job; so if you
aren't back before six o'clock I'll give
you a good hiding, as sure as my names
Bates"
'sAll right" replied Jack, sulkily, for
he knew better than to tamper with his
father when he spoke roughly, which,
however, was not often.
And going into the shed he dragged
forth the truck, and started on his errand
with an amount of sprightliness he very
seldom displayed.
Before he got half way to the village,
however, Jacks laziness OYercame him,
and he dawdled along in his customary
style, loudly lamenting what he deemed
his unhappy fate.
1t was five O'Clock when he reached
Farnshaw's, but he was too lazy even to
look at the clock, and leisurely loaded
his truck with the goods for which he had
been sent.
And he made no haste on his way
hOme-in fact, even if he had been so
disposed, the truck was a great deal
heavier now than formerly.
The old church clock chimed a quarter
to seven when he was still half a mile
OF more from the smithy.
At this moment, Jack, who had for
some time been moodily contemplating
the road, CHANGED to look up, and, 10 his
horror, saw his father coming toward him
at a rapid pace, and clinching firmly in
his right hand broad strap.
"Pm coming, father-Pm comingp
he called out, "Pm being as quick as 1
can"
"Being as quick as you can, you lazy
rascall l' bawled old Bates. Wen soon
see about that. Now, then-quick
march l-trotl And when we reach
home, PIl give you such a hiding as you
never had before. l shall lose my con-
tract if that job is not in tonight, and
we've all been standing idle for you a
full hour. Take that as an earnest of
what is to come P'
And he gave Jack such taste Of the
strap there and then as made him bel
low like bull, and start forward with
the truck in a manner which showed he
could be very active indeed, if he liked.
Pll warm your jacket for you'll"
shouted old Bates.
And he kept his word.
He gave lazy Jack just what he de-
served-a sound thrashing, and sent him
to bed without supper.
cpl stand this no lOngerp p sobbed
Jack, as he writhed in bed, with his face
to the pillow, for his back was too sore
to lie upon. " l don't like work, and l
won't be beat. Tll run aWay-that's
what Pll dol"
True to his purpose, Jack Bates, who
had been unable to get wink Of sleep,
left his couch full JWO hours before any
one else was stirring, and nOiseiessly
opened his easement.
Just beneath was the shed, on to the
roof of which he lowered himself at
once; sliding down this, he dropped into
a wagon, and from the wagon to the
ground.
Then, never caring whittier his steps
might lead him, he turned his back on
the snug little cottage, and trudged along
the road.
For hours he tramped on, until at
last, overcome with fatigue, he sat down
on the roadside to rest himself
The spot was singularly wild and
lonely one. Young Jack Bates had never
been there before, and So as he sat, he
looked around with some sort of curl
Osity.
On CHANGING to look up, he saw,
astride one of the branches of a mighty
oak a funny, bandy-legged little man,
with a pointed yellow hat and a pointed
red nose.
The eyes of this stranger trembled
with merriment as he regarded cur
youthful adventurer, and his thin lips
were wreathed with a singular smile.
Halo, Jack, my ladp cried he
" And what on earth has brought you to
this part of the country ?'
Jack, of course, was very much sur
prised at finding himself known, but he
was too lazy to ask any questions, and
so briefly replied:
"Pve run away from home"
"That's bad" answered the strange
man. And what for P'
"My father thrashed me-" said Jack,
sulkily.
"And what forf" demanded the
stranger.
Because he says I was q long while
gone upon an errand."
"Ah, Jack, Pm afraid you are very
lazy. You don't like work, do your
a hate it"
" All l thought as much But it is
very foolish, Jack, to hate to work, for
- tl,A y