The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-08-28
a RAINY DAY.
by HARRIET E. BAGG

by HARRIET E. BAGG
The morning was gray and raioy.
bat the deacon shouted up the bsck
stairs to his boys that it was time
tbat they were up and at work like
the Jacksons They were bis faso-
ite 'eusamples" = the Jacksons.
They were a family Of mill opera.
ltises, whose working hours com
mencei at balfpasi six in the morn
iag, and il was tbs height Of the dea-
cons ambition to haze his family up
and at york at the same hour, al.
though there was nothing for them
10 co ct thet time Of dag.
He was q iirm believer ia various
adages Of Puritan origin on early
rising, aud also IN the efficacy of q
good example; he sailed forth with
noisy aud vicious pnnctuality every
morning a. daybreak.
Phil said that Josh Billings early
riser, who stirred up the geese and
worried he hogs at two o'clock A.
NJ, must have been the deacon "It's
father ell ever, and the girls are the
geese and VIC are the hogs"
Having aroused the boys, the dea.
con proceeded 70 "stir up tho geese
"Your mother is attempting to get
breakfast without your help" he re-
marked up the stairs "Doyou hear,
girls ?"
Who's that chopping wood down
he cellar ?n returned a voice.
The deacon deemed it beneath bis
dignity TO reply, and stalkei away.
Bully for Moll, F." snickered Dave,
while Poll exclaimed
II yum, / forgot that wood last
night, and fgrher'll never do it, be is
too busy getting US up.n
lie scrambled out OF bed and into
his clothes. and ran down to help cut
the kindlings, and found the deacon
| picking up the wood bis wife had
split. Phil drew back, bat his faith
er had seen him.
"Glad to see you up for once.
Catch up some cbi ps and carry 'em
up. We've got q coed cleaning be-
fore as. Fly around and see if we
can't have breakfast as early as Jack
sons folks do. They are up and or
to work before we have breakfast
half ready
"We'll, s'pcsin' they do" mutter-
ed Phil, as be ran up the stairs with
the chips When the fire was made
ne looked dolefully out Of the win
dow. The raia fell steadily, and the
sky was not lighted by & single streak
Of yellow. "And Saturday, toe.
We've got to stay at home all day
ard clean, | s'pose. | wish father
wasn't so blamed neat. Things don't
look half SO well as they do if you
let 'em alone
"Nor wear half as long, either,'
said Moliie, coming to the window.
Course they DON'T" returned
Phil.
always scrubbing and sweeping,
I wish somebody would steal the
harness and burn down the barn"
"You can be thankful for one
thing; the nail box is smashed
When | was Nell's age, every rainy
dav that came, no matter it it had
raioed for week, father would haul
out the nail box and make us sort
nails The box had compartments.
and i bad to pick out all the shingle
nails and put them in one place, and
all the teupenny nails and the
wrought nails II there is one thing
do hate it's one of those rough old
wrought nails u
Folks that won't Sork shouldn't
eat" said the deacon, coming into
the Kitchen. "Yon needn't stand
around talking all day. Life isn't
given US TO spend ia idle words. Fly
around Do something !"
During breakfast the deacon laid
out enough work to keep bali dczen
men busy for week And the work
was to 30 done "thoEough," and the
FIRST one that whistled should be
"teBded to- Then followed the de
rctional exercises, and the deacon
prayed long and fervently for "graee
to perform the divinely appointed Ia
bors Of the day." aud then after giving
orders to his wife and daughters TO
have plenty of hot water on hand, he
marsballed bis gang ef two small
boys ID the barn.
They lock like part Of he John
Rogers tribe going TO the stake"
said Nellie, locking after them.
In about half an hour the descon
came bustling in for two pals Of hot
water, and Nellie remarked il they
must have hot water a fire was need
ed.
"WelI, keepit up then. What else
have you got to do? Perhaps your
novel reading is If more importance
than nv work"
MolIie didn't care much tor read
ing, and novelG she abominated, so
she was vexed.
Maybe you think we'll split wood
all day. Nell amt big enough, and
mother shan't and | WON'T
"When | was young children didn't
sauce their elders"
Mollie disappeared in the sitting
room, banging the door behind her,
The deacon returned 10 the barn
With bis brimming pals aud told Phil
that he should go and split wood,
and Dave must work for two mean
while Phil departed joyfully, and
told Mollie that Dave looked Just
sick"
"Po.r boy, | know how be fecls, "