The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-05-12
LEARNING TO SPELL KATE.

the n-house; "cackle, cackle, cackle,
cut, cut, cut, cutarker, cut, cut, cut
cutarker," 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 landl 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 case-knife, did not start; he
only asked interestedly: "How many do
you suppose they've laid mother?"
con, don't know, perhaps two doz-
en-"
81 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" v -.-..f. .... .. 1900
"But say, mother, if there's two dozen
mayn't l buy a jack knife? All the rest
of the boys have got 'em; Jim Green's is
a beauty, and it didn't cost but quar-
ter" .t'7'"'.
"Why, Mrs Green takes in washing!''
said his mother
James saw his advantage. yes, and
james can't whittle no more'n a"-wom-
an, he was about to say, but, fearing his
mother might take otfense at this impor-
tant time, substituted COW" no more'n
a COW. / bet them hens have laid as
many as three dozen; they're cackling
yet. Say, mother, mayn't l buy jack.
knife?"
Yes, | guess so, if you are good
boy and learn well at school,"
James Henry walked off jauntily, his
hands in his pocket and 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 a 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 a
basket in which reposed twenty.four
eggs.
There, sonny" she said kindly, ego
and buy jack knife, and be sure and
get a strong one" a ,.a
James Henry was the only son of his
mother, and she was a widow. Years
ago she was a rosy-cheeked farmers
girl, belle and a beauty, who for a
while t1irted and kept the beaus' hearts
fiuttering in the way girls are so fond of,
and then to their chagrin married the
least among them, Matthew Arnold, with
a fine chateau d'Espaene, but none in
this country, and great fortune in hopes
and plans as not yet realized. Mary's
father bought them a 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 apt to
pity.
Had Matthew been rich, his friends
would have called him a genius, but, as
1t was, two years had not elapsed before
the neighbors said he was shiftless, +"
N'no calculator" which, now / think of
it, are synonymous with genius
But, whatever the meaning of the
word, the house mot the Spanish CASTLE
began to wear dilapidated appearance,
the fences leaned over in careless
fashion, and the gate swung idly in the
breeze, for Matthew was all the time at
work upon something that was sure to
bring fortune-but which never did
Sometimes it was churns of marvellous
workmanship, which were to churn and
work out the buttermilk at the same
time; then it was a clock with many new
features, and was sure to become a
favorite; again, steam engine, a kind
of perpetual motion 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-
CINE refused to bulge an inch.
Mrs. Arnold was the greatest possible
contrast to her husband But for her
they would have come to want She it
was who not only attended to the house
hold affairs, but cultivated vegetables in
their little garden, sold eggs from their
few hens, butter from their one COW,
and spun and wove for her more fort
innate neighbors. More than all the
rest, she was CHEEKY and pleasant as
N'Sl, anu hdu iAipiiSiI ldltu III uCI HuS-
bands genius.
Sometimes the neighbors condoled
with her, but. Mrs. Arnold would say:
Matthew never made thing l couldn't
use. There is the churn, now; l use it
to put meal in, and it's just the incest
thing you ever saw for that. The old
clock l couldn't get along without. l
keep my blankets in it and the other
woolens. Never mouse gets at 'em.
You have no idea what it is to have a
husband SO handy to make things"
But the time came when Matthew went
the way of all the earth, and Mrs. Arnold
still lived in the little house, and con-
tinued to do so up to the present, which
brings us up to the time when James
Henry bought his jack-knife.
The first few weeks after this new &C.
quisition the only result was great piles
of shavings, and his mother said she
never had so easy time keeping fires.
Ere long, however, his devotion to his
knife precluded employment, and Mrs.
Arnold mentally wished he was not so
handy. He was the veriest Ounce that
ever yexed teacher; but as he gratui-
tously furnished the scholars with tops,
water-wheels and pointers he was in high
favor with them. 1mpervious alike to
Il 4.