The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-06-01

and knit with wonderful rapidity; the
lambs he had not room to raise were
sent to Hartford and sold to the butch
ers, and now and then fat old wether
went to the meat-man's cart in the
shape of juicy quarters. But the glory
of the flock was big black-faced ram,
who terrified maranding boys and in
truding vagabouds, and asked no better
fun than to send somebody heels over
head whenever he had a chance. Jack
and Dan had brought him up from
lambhood, but he was no longer lamb,
and of his painstaking education only
one trait stayed by him, distinct and
angry recollection of the rod that had
not been spared on his early and some
what stupid youth. To the day of
Billy's death little stick, shaken be-
fore anything, would send him, "head
on" at that luckless object; and the
boys often amused them selves byclimb-
ing the pine rail fence and dangling a
small switch full in Billy's sight against
a big post; the result was sudden and
severe to Billy, and he might have seri-
ously injured himself if daddy, as the
boys called Jason, had not found them
at this sport one day and strictly for
| hidden it. Cruelty to animals was one
of the few things that reused his choler
and made him imperative.
One summer Mrs. Carter received a
letter from her brother asking her to
take his boy for few months; his wife
was so feeble that she was going home
to her fathers with the baby and a
young child, and Jenison could not 90
with her for want of room. Mr.. Wires
did not want him in the city with him,
at clearinghouse, but was willing to
pay his board in Noppit; so he came.
Jenison Wires was a sharp, city-bred
boy, with very little faith in anybodv's
goodness. His father was a pushing,
money-making, profane man, and his
mother a meek cipher; he himself, at
the mature age of fourteen, could
smoke, and swear, and talk sailor slang
glibly, for he had run about the wharves
ever since he could run anywhere. Mrs
Carter was troubled and disguised to
find such boy on her hands; Jason
considered that Providence had sent the
lad there for his good, and resolved to
pray for him as for his own boys, to set
him as good an example as he tried to
set Jack and Dan, and to Ideal with
him." as he expressed it, "with view
to his eternal salvation" The bows
thought Jenison was wonderful; he
knew so much; he had seen so many
things; he had such pocket-knife, such
marbles, such a swagger! But when
his first round oath came out Jack and
Dan were startled.
Look-a-herer' said Jack; don't
you let daddy hear no such talk as that;
he Il tune We, eff he does, and no mis-
take
Whe-e-ewr' responded Jenison; 81
amt a baby; | guess I'll swear if 1
want to, for all him; he amt so pious
himself, | bet, but what he rips out
sometimes!'
Z" He don't! he don't never.' the boys
exclaimed in unison.
Him! guess you don't hear him;
the old fellow keeps shady before folks,
but he used to swear like Botany Bay
pirate. I've heerd pa say sou
The boys were shocked into momen-
tary silence, but recovered themselves
soon.
q don't believe itr' said positive
Dan.
And if he ever did he don't now"
added reasonable Jack; "he's awful
good; he's a professor; he prays in
meetin' and to home, too, and ne don't
never scold, nor swear, nor nothin'.
Source ever he licks Teller; he did
give Dan and me one whalin', but he d
oughter hev, that's fact. Dan he
told thunderin' lie and backed him
up. | tell ye! we was sore for one
spell arter he found it OUT
"Well, | know he used to swear
aboard ship. I've heard pa tell more
stories about him. They called him
Still Jase,' to be sure, but when he got
riled, the fur flew! I'll bet my jack
knife can make him swear inside OF
next week.
I'm bet my head you can't" retort-
ed Dan.
81 don't know as want your head
for anything, but I'll bet my knife
against that cake o maple sugar you've
got in the closet that I'll set Uncle Jase
a swearin' before next weeks over"
The boys were so sure that nothing
COulu ludhc uduuy swear, anu 50 I)ledSeu
with their first bet of any Importance,
that they accepted the terms at once,
and Jenison began to cudgel his brains
for means of tripping up Jason Carriers
tongue.
One day he slyly let down the bars
into the field of clover, getting up be-
fore light to do 1t; the two cows, turned
out of the barnyard to nip at the road
side until Dan orJack could drive them
to pasture, accepted the bait, entered
the clover, and rioted in its fragrant
crimson spheres, half killing them
selves with greedy feeding. Jack found
them, half an hour after chores were
done, in the condition that results to
cows from eating green clover, and
Uncle Jason worked over the poor
creatures all day, without word of i'm
patience, though he said more than
once: Il wish l knew who let down
them bars; I'd kinderlik to say word
in season to him."
The pins were taken out of the OK
yoke, and never found; egg shells
strewed the NOV, while the family never
could have any eggs for their own use,
the nests being always emptied; the
great gray cats tail was singed to bare
ness, and her ears shipped, but Uncle
Jase never swore or lost his temper;