The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-09-21
TWO IMPORTANT PAPERS.

g. DON'T know what | shall dew with
that ere boy" said Farmer Long to his
wife, as they sat by the fire, that winter
morning. Hes more harum-skarum
than that States reform-school boy
was"
"Well, father, have patience with
him for the sake of his folks. l think
there's something in Jim that will sur
prise you, one of these days"
81 dunno whether he'll surprise me
emmy moren he has er not. Last spring
he made b'leve he knowed all bout
billing down sap, md surprised me by
burnin' the bottom NV the sap-pan
eout, md settin' the sap-house on fire.
Last summer he broke more tools in
haydn time than all the rest NV us to-
gether. And dear me! You'd orter
seen him dig pertaters last fall! I'll
venter he cut every third one in tew-
struck at 'em ez eff he was splittin'
rock-maple logs. Nd meow he's broke
my best three-tined pitchfork, some
way, a feedin' the cattel. He's Only six
teen y'r old. Eff he duzthis in the green
tree, what in mater II he dew in the dry?"
After these remarks about the boy he
had taken to keep until he was of age,
the farmer started for the barn. He
was bending over the great meal-chest,
just inside the barn door, as tandem
team was turning around the corner of
the barn. This team consisted of a
wild yearling steer and the boy, Jim
Fowler. The "team' was on the
g dead'' run. The youth had hold of
the steers tail with his left hand, and
held aloft a milking-stool in his right.
Mr.. Long was unaware of danger;
and when something struck him, and
Immediately he found himself on his
back in the meal-chest, his first thought
was of an earthquake or tornado or
other dread outbreak of forces. He
emerged from the chest Just in time to
see his lime-backed steer pass on into
the stable, and Jim Fowler arise half
stunned from the floor.
"Yeou young scamp!" he Numbered,
"Yeou'll murder somebody yit-er -er
shall, eff yeou don't stop yer dumbed
work"
The boy did not laugh at the miller
like appearance of the man. His own
face was quite as white as the farmer s
as he said:
I'm awful sorry Mr.. Long"
81 dunno whether yer be or not"
replied the latter. "But I'll tell We
meow md here, Jim Fowler, what S
what, when yer father died yeou haden't
relative LETT
"No, sir, they want none left,n
broke in the youth; and the tears filled
his eyes.
Il promised him little afore he
died, I'd take care on We until yeou
was old enough ter take care NV
ye'self; md dew well by ye-give We a
common school eddication md so on.
md l mean ter dew it eff yer conduct
don't become onbarable. But yeou
must be more stiddy md manlike md
not plague me ter death by yer reck-
lessness. Dye hearp'
"Yis sur'n I'm goin' ter try Mr..
Long"
That's the sorter talk. want We
ter go ter school md git ter be ez smart
ez Jennie is, eff We can. Yeou err tew
years older'n she is md y'aint nowhere
side NV herr
81 know it. amt nowhere side NV
her.
Jennie, the farmers daughter, was a
bright girl; and as pretty as a pink
Jim did not wonder that her mother
and father were proud of her; nor that
they felt there was vast difference be-
tween him and her. He thought there
was himself; and he believed she did,
for one day of the last summer, when
he stumbled on to her flower-bed, she
spoke sharply at him and. if he had not
misunderstood her, called him a beg
gar"
He was careless and stupid, if she
had said as much, he would have
thought it justifiable under the circum-
stances. But for her to speak in that
way-as if his misfortune was his fault
made him almost hate her. He did
not answer back, but the look he gave
her kept her from ever repeating that
taunt; and also from forgetting that
she had once made it.
Yet he continued TO be the same care
less Jim up to this winter morning.
But when Mr.. Long had administered
his reproof and returned to the house
to brush the meal from his clothes, the