Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-02-14
A Practical Boy.

Tommy" observed a Nelson street
mother to her son, a youth of thirteen
years, "you must cut wood for the
front room stove. Mr.. Crawford
comes tonight"
Mr.. Crawford is q young man who
is excepting company" with Fanny,
Tommy's sister. The time was Wed
nesday evening. Tommy had been
skating since school, and was now
anxiously awaiting his supper. The
announcement came upon him with
disagreeable force.
"Is that old rooster comm around
here tonight" he impetuously in
quired.
"Thomas y cried his mother i'm a
voice of horror.
Thomas having eased his mind
somewhat of the burden, proceeded
to the wood-pilc without further re-
mark.
He was not in very good humor
as he looked around fer the ak, and
articles foreign to the search were
moved with graceless haste.
"This is q reg'lar dogs life," he
moodily calculated. "First it's Sun
day night, and then it is Wednesday
night, an then it's Friday night, an
every little while an extra night
thrown in. | don't see the use Of q
girl about the house. If I've got to
cut wood every time that feller comes
I'll know the reason why. won't be
put on like this. I amt goin' to be
made pack mule of, by George, for
all the Crawfords and Fannys on
earth. It's all nice enough for them
to be conrtin', an acting sickish, but
| notice / have got to do all the work.
It's played out, by Jinks; l ant that
kind Of hairpin. I'd just like to
have somebody tell me-" he added,
looking around for the person in
question, show much Of the candy,
an the oranges, an other stuff that
Fanny gets, get. Not one Whit, by
gracious! not one single Whit! An
here chop wood for her am him
night after night, an if it wasn't fol
me they'd freeze to death. Oh, they
are sweet pair they are."
Closing his remarks with this
gloomy observation on his sister and
her companion, he worked away al
the wood pile until the amount neces.
sary was prepared. About Z o'clock
Mr.. CrawfOrd's knock sounded at the
door. Fanny's mother was to have
let him in, but Tommy volunteered
his service. He escorted the young
gentleman into the front room, and
then backing himselfagainst the door
he pointed to the stove, which was
throwing out most welcome heat
and stcrnly inquired:
els that what you'd call a good
fire?"
eyes, indeed" said MI. Crawford
rubbing his hands gratefully.
"Ah = observed Tommy in a tone
of relief, although his face scarcely
relaxed the severity of its expression
You couldn't very well get along il
here without a fire, could yon 7"
"Hardly."
"I s'pose not. Now who do yol
s'pOse made that fire 7"
"Why I--suppOse--wh
don't know" said Mr.. Crawford
apparently embarrassed by the qucs
ton.
"No? Well can tell you, made
that fire. cut the wood for it.
cut tho wood and make every fire yol
have here. I've been doing it all tn,
while you've come here, and you an
Fan have sat by it, and toasted you
shins, and ate candy and sucked or
anges. You an Fan have had all the
comfort oft, and I've done all thu
work. An not one smell of then
candies an oranges have had-not
living SMELL" The unhappy boy kni
his eyebrows and instlnctively ciench
cd his hands. Scarcely less liisturbe,
seemed FannyS young man. III
glanced uncasily from the fireman t
the stove. But he made no reply
He waited apprehcnsively for wha
was to follow.
"I'll bet you've got pound Of as
sorted candies in your clothes thi
minute for Fam"
j This came SO directly in the forn
AN Interrogation, that Mr.. Craw
ford unhesitatingly nodded.
:. $50 I thought" pursued Fanny
, brother. "Now / want to toll yo
that IL this fire business istO bo car
ried on by me, there's got p be . dil