The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-11-24
WHAT SIX BOYS DID.

Listen to me minute, boys" ex
claimed Freddie Benton, suddenly. GIVE
AN idea" -'.. '.
=" Hear! hear" shouted Merle Howard,
dropping his ball club; Fred's going to
make a speech"
Bats and balls were at discount. A
general rush was made, and circle
formed around Fred, and, in spite of his
expostulations, he was lifted bodily to
the top of huge stump, Here he
Strengthened up with the gravity of
judge, while boy in front held his hat.
" see around me five youthful scions
of the masculine gender under the tuition
of Miss Bates" Here Fred waved his
hand toward the little school-house
close by. "And syou comprise all the
stable scions under the tuition of the
said Miss Bates, have proposition to
lay before you, which hope will meet
with your approval. None of US go
home to dinner" continued Fred, COM
ing down TO himself, land with the re-
cesses we have considerable play time.
Now there is Mr.. Hill, poor old man,
as you all know, who lives close by, and
has plenty of land, and propose that we
| INV oh ehSiO VI uihlt anu lila u lllIlc
work with our play"
He went on to explain his plan, which
will appear hereafter 1t was listened to
attentively and approved by all, and the
speaker was cheered till everything rang.
But another kind of a ring, that of the
one o'clock bell, ended the conference
speedily.
Notwithstanding every boys head was
full of profound cogitations on the plan
before them, their lessons were as per-
feet as ever, and afternoon recess found
them marching up to Mr.. Hills cottage.
He lived close to the school house, and
the NEST of his land lay idle. The boys
found him in the garden, busy among his
onion beds. He was nearly, if not quite,
sixty-tive years of age, and, having the
chronic rheumatism so as to need
crutch, he found it hard work to provide
for his wife and little grand daughter.
The boys had done him little chores at
odd times, for which he was very thank
full, and he brushed back his gray hair
and welcomed them kindly as they came
up to him. Freddie Benton acted as
spokesman.
"We would like to rent an acre of
your land, Mr.. HILL" said Fred, "to be
planted with whatever crop we shall de-
termine upon, the rent to be paid when
the crop is harvested. There are six of
us, and we intend to take the time from
our play hours for the work"
BLESS my SOUL" exclaimed Mr.. HILL
regarding them with beaming smile;
going to turn young agriculturists, Ell?
Well, well, well! 1t fairly does my old
rheumatism good to see you get up such
"a plan, boys. Yes, yes, I'll rent you the
land, and glad of the chance, for you see
there is more than l can work, and l
don't like to see it lying idle, growing up
to weeds"
The old gentleman gave stool of
parsley mild spurn with his foot, and
Immediately leaned on his hoe to rub the
twinge that had come in his leg. .,-.
The bargain was made without DELAY,
and the boys focked back to the school
house. They had not told Mr. Hill all
their plans; they preferred waiting till
their crop should be harvested. 1t was
now about the first of May. The boys
held a solemn conclave before the week
was out, and decided to plant their acre
to potatoes. The next Saturday they
repaired in a body to neigh boring farmer
and worked hard at his wood pile all
day, while he, in turn, plowed and har-
rowed their ground. They determined
that the remainder of the work should be
accomplished during play hours atschooi.
They succeeded in purchasing seed from
a farmer living a quarter of a mile from
the school-house, working moons in pay
ment, and then, one fine morning, six
shining hoes were brought into school and
stood up in the corner, and, considering
that it was the first time the hoes had
ever attended the school, they behaved
in very cOmmendable manner, indeed
Moons and receSses after. that found
the boys busy. The ground was marked
and the rows planted as straight as lines
Mr.. Hill had hobbled out to where they
were at work two or three times, and had
commended them very highly on their sys-
tematic manner of performing the work
And so the time ran along till the first of
September. There had been vacation
in August, but school days had been re-
sumed again now. The boys had been
as good as their word, for not an hour
had been spent on their acre of ground
since the blowing except that taken at
moons and recesses.
/" But it's really pleasure, boys, said
old MIR. Hill, wiping his spectacles to
better enable him to see them as they
came in upon him one day at the recon-
mencement of school, "it's really
| nlpasurp IN 600 how clean tho roUS orc
how nicely they're hoed and what a
splendid crop therell be. 1t really is
You ought to be proud of 'em, boys,
surely ami"
His wife, kind, MISUNDERSTANDING
Did lady, joined him and praised the
boys success, and little Mile peered