The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1877-03-02
WANTED wAaH.

"Temmy," observed q Nelson Street
mother to her son, youth of thirteen
years, "you must cat scme wood foy
the front parlor stove. Nh. Crawford
comes tonight"
Mr. Crawford IL a young man who is
"keeping company" with Fanny, Tom
my's sister. The time was a Welnes.
day evening. Tommy had been skat-
ing since school, and was now anxioaslv
awaiting his supper, So this annosnce-
ment came upon HIM with very disa--
greeable force.
sis that old rooster comm areund
here tonight ?' he impetuously in
qulred.
"Thomasr' cried his mother, in q
| voice of horror.
Thomas having eased his mind sone-
what of the burden, proceeded TO- the
wood pile without further remark.
He was not III good humor as he
looked around for the axe, and articles
foreign to the search were moved about
with careless haste.
"This is a reg'lar dogs kte," he
moodily CALCULATED. "First it's Sunday
night, an then IFS Wednesday night,
an then tie Friday night, an every little
while an extra night thrown in. |
don't see what's the use of girl sboat
the house. If I've got to cut wood
every time that fellar comes I'll know
the reason why. / won't be put on
like this. | amt going to be made
pack mule of, by George, for all the
Crawford's and Fannys on earth. It's
all nice enough for them to be in there
toastin' their shins an actin sickish,
but notice that I've got to do all the
work. It's played out, by Jinks! /
amt that kind of hair-pin. I'd just
like somebody to tell me-" he added,
looking around for the person in ques-
tion. 'how much of the candy an oran-
ges an other things that Fanny gets
that get. Not one Whit, by gracious
not one single. solitary Whit. An
here chop wood for her an him night
after night, an ifit wasn't for me they'd
shake all their teeth outer their heads.
Oh, they are sweet-scented pair, they
are"
Closing his remarks with this gloomy
observation on his sister and her COM
pauy he worked away at the wood un-
| til the necessary amount was prepared.
| About seven O'Clock Mr.. Crawford's
knock sounded at the door. Fanny's
mother was to have let him in, but
Tommy volunteered his services. He
escorted the young gentleman into the
front room, and then backing himself
against the door, he pointed to the
stove, which was throwing out most
welcome heat, and then sternly in
quired
''Is that what you call good fire ?'''
eyes, indeed" said Mr.. Crawford,
rubbing his hands gratefully.
"Ah!" observed Tommy, in a tone of
relief, although bis face scarcely relaxed
the severity of its expression. "You
couldn't very well get along in here
without a fire, could you ?''
"Hardly."
"I s'pose not. Now who do you
s'pose made that fire?''
"Why-T-I suppose-why I don't
know" said Mr.. Crawford, apparently
embarrassed by the question.
"No? Well, / can tell you. made
that FIRE. cut the wood for it. cut
the wood and make every fire you have
here. rve been doing it all the while
you've come here, and you and Fanny
have set by it an toasted yourself and
ate candy and sucked oranges. You
and Fan have had all the comfort of it,
and Pve done all the work-every bit
of it, and not one smell OF them candies
and oranges have 1 had, not a living
SMELL"
The unhappy boy knit his eyebrows
\ and n1s,,otnol l.
Scarcely les disturbed was Fanny's
young man. He glanced uneasiIy from
the fire-arm TO the stove. But he made
no reply. He waited apprehensiveIy
tor what was to follow
''l'll bet you've got pound ofassort.
ed candies in your clothes this minute,
for FAM
This came 80 directly in the form of
an interrogation that Mr.. Crawford uu-
hesitatingly nodded.
$50 | thought" pursued Fanny's
brother. "Now l want to tell you that
if this fire business is earned on by me,
there will have to be different arrange
ment of awards. If not, you can come
up here and cut your own wood. Will
you divy on them candies P''
"Why, these are for Fanny
eyes, that | know" said Tommy
grimly. "When l see you come up
here again l shall expect to see you
Juggling an axe over your shoulder"
Mr.. Crawford looked aghast.
"But, Tommy" he expostulated,
''you won't go back on me like that?
I'll pay you good for doing it.
/ "Ohl What will you pay ?''