Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-05-08
What a Dull Boy Game TO.


smiling and rubbing his hands.
Why. no. said my father, You mis-
le-only 10, which presume you will
think better than Dozen
My father was Inclined to look upon
the dark side of life. but my mother was
an exceedingly practical woman, full OF
life and energy. and excellent butter and
cheese maker, while she could cure the
hams and bacon IN the county. She
was always busy, and consequently had
no time TO be gloomy. Ny father used
to trouble himself about Cne of the old
er BOYS whom he fancied was stupid
lie used to tell his dismal forcbodings to
my mother.
That boy will never make anything
said he. Ask him to fetch pitch
fork or a rake, and he will stare at you
as though he never heard Of a pltchfork
in his life. Tell HIM to go after the COWS,
and you'll find him two hours after sit
ting on the fence staring at vacancy
Then he would shake his head and
say, "Oh yes, Dan, will have to be
provided for all his days
Ny mother exercised the most sense
in this matter. | think, for she made
the best of the Young mans lazincss,
as we all called it. She used to put
Dan, when he was quite young man,
to churning, and she used to put me, q
mere child, to watch HIM. She used to
say, Now, Harriet, you stay around the
dairy, and when Dan, stops you start
him up
Tum. .um, tum, went the paddle Of
the dasher for about 10 minutes, then 1t
would slowly stop and the chuinef
would remind him, but a few minutes
after he would stop again and bring out
from his pockets small Euclid, while
again | would faithfully give him tie
necessary admonitions.
Ny father kept several hundred sheep
and after shearing, the wool was stored
sometimes for months IN the large wool
room, built for that purpose next to the
granary in the brick barn.
Where is that bOy:' asked my faith
er. 1T is not much that care, for the
work, but it distresses me to think OF
his growing pin such indolent habits.
Hat, 90 and ind him, and tell him to
20 to work cutting turnips.
was not long in accomplishing this
errand. Behind the immense pile Of
fleeces | could always find my gentle
brother Dan, not whiting, nor whist
linz. nor wasting time (as we all knew
now. but diligently poring over large
volume, which he had borrowed from
the village schoolmaster. 1t must have
been a book on chemistry, for there
were mysterious words ana characters
in it-gyrsum, silica, alumina. carbon,
etc.
used to look at him, then at the
signs, and think to myself, l don't know
but there is certainly something queer
about the hoy. Why don't he read
some interesting story book, or borrow
Shakespeare, ike my older sisters, and
read that on the SLY as they do. had
learned a sense of honor from the boys,
and never told my father Of the read
ings Gn their various characters), either
Of my sisters or my brothers. ! lhiHG
there was a mistake here; my father
was an intelligent man, aud II he had
taken the trouble to look into the differ
ent dispositions, tastes and habits OF his
children, my brother Dan. probably
might have been encouraged IN his
peculiar propensity to Investigate into
The deep mysteries Of chemistry and
science.
But, to cut the story short, my BROTH
er surprised my father one day by show
ng him letter from Sell-known pro-
lessor in an experimental college offer
INC him salary. which enlarged my
fathers eyes in more senses than one.
Il was Dan. who became the comfort OF
my fathers declining years, and who
was made the administrator Of his eS-
tate. 1t was Dan. who closed my faith
er's eyes, and received the dying charge
to help my mother control the younger
children. and be always tender with his
sisters. A commission must tenderly
fulfilled.