Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-01-16


ln peace, and Us longings be satisfied"
THE FARM BOY
SOME OF HIS PLEASURES AND SOME OF
HIS PAINFUL DuTIEs--A GRAPHIC
PICTURE or COUNTRY LIFE.
There are so many bright spots in
the life Of farm boy, says Dudley
Warner in his new book, that some
times think should like to live life
over again should almost be willing
to be girl if II were not for the
chores. There is great comfort TO
boy in the amount OF work be can get
rid of doing. 1t is sometimes aston
ishing how slow be can go on an er.
rand, he who leads the school in race
The world is new and interesting to
him, and there is so much to take his
attention of, when he is sent to do
anything. Perhaps he couldn't cx-
plain, himself why, when be is sent to
the neighbors after yeast, he stops to
stone the frogs; be is not exactly cruel
but he wants TO see if he can bit EN-.
No other living thing can go so SOW
as a boy sent on an errand His legs
seem to be lead, unless he happens TO
espy a woodchuck in an adjoining lot,
when he gives chase TO it like deer;
and it is a curious tact about boys, that
two will be great deal slower in do
ing anything than one, and that the
more you have to help on a piece Of
work the less is accomplished. Boys
have a great power Of helping each
other to do nothing; and they are in
nocent about it and unconscious. ~
went as quick as ever | could" says
the boy his father asks him why he
didn't stay all night, when he has been
about three hours on ten minutes
errand. The sarcasm has no effect on
the boy.
Gong after the cows was serious
thing in my day. | had to climb q
bill which was covered with wild straw
berries in the season. Could any boy
pass by those ripe berriesl And then,
in the fragrant hill pasture there were
beds OF wintergreen with red berries,
tufts of columbine. roots of sassafras TO
be dug, and dozen of things good to
eat or to smell, that could not resist
1t sometimes even lay in my way to
climb a tree TO look for u crows nest,
or to swing In the top, and TO try if
could see the steeple of tho village
church. 1t became very important
sometimes, for me to see that steeple;
and, in the midst Of my investigations,
the tin horn would blow a great blast
from the farmhouse, which would send
a cold chill down my back in the hot
test days | knew what II meant. II
had irightiul impatient quiver in it,
not at all like the sweet note that call.
cd us To dinner from the hay field. 1t
said "Why on earth doesn't that boy
come home? 1t is almost dark, and
the cows amt milked r And that was
the time the cows had to start into
hrisk pLoo aud mako up for lost time.
| wonder il any boy ever drove the
cows home late, who did not say that
the cows were at the further end OF
the pasture, and that "Old Brindlc"
was hidden in the woods and he couldn't
find Ler for ever so long The brindlo
COW is the boys scapegoat many time.
No other boy knows how to appre-
ciaie a holiday as the farm-boy does;
and bis best ones are of peculiar kind.
Going fishing is OF fcourse one sort. Tho
excitement OF rigging up the tackle,
digging the bait, and the anticipation
Of great luck these are pure pleasures,
enjoyed because they are rare. Boys
who can 60 a-fshing any timo care lit
tie Tor it. Tramping all day through
bush and brier, fighting flies and mos.
quitoes, and branches that tangle the
line, and snags that break the hook,
and returning home late and hungry,
with wet feet and a string Of spcckled
trout on willow twig, and having tho
family crowd out at the kitchen door
to look at EN-, and say, pretty well
done for you, bub; did you catch that
big one yourself 7'-this is also pure
happiness, the like Of which the boy
viii noror have a,a;n no, ;c ha -
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