The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-08-24
HOW WILLIE PROVED HIS MANLI.
NESS.


HOW WILLIE PROVED HIS MANLI.
NESS.
Willie's great ambition was to have
a donkey. He was better off than a
good many boys, for his father had a
horse, and Willie was allowed to ride
him at times; beside this, q cousin had
given him saddle. But Willie hadn't
a very high opinion of the horse, and, |
must say | can't blame him. The
horses name was Billy, and when tell
you he was soon surnamed "Balky,"
you can guess why Willie did not think
very highly of him.
eff only had Donkey" he would
say. 1T costs so little to keep one, for
there are lots of thistles growing around
here
" You are not old enough yet to own a
donkey" his father said; "when you
show me, by your steadiness and man
illness, that you are fit to be trusted, YOU
shall have one; let me see you learn to
saddle Billy frst.''
Now, Willie's mother thought her
little son very manly, indeed, for his
age. He was only eight years old, and
he could chop kindling-wood ride three
or four miles to the grocers, buy long
list of articles, and, packing them all
IN saddle-bag, come back with the
right change and not parcel missing.
Besides these accomplishments, there
were others of which Willie was not so
proud, but which his mamma thought
very useful ones; he could churn, make
single beds, and set the table for din
ner. He was a great skater, fond of
reading, and, best of all, devoted to his
mother. Mamma, though she thought
he really deserved his donkey, yet kept
watching for'a chance to show how
manly her boy was, quite as anxiously
as Willie himself.
One day Mr.. Brainerd had to leave
home for some time; he felt particularly
sorry to do so, as his wife had had a
very severe cough, and the doctor
feared she might Aaye a hemorrbpge
60.
"Now, Willie, 1 leave you to take
care of your mother. If her cough
grows worse or her side pains her, go at
once to the village and get the doctor.
Be sure you notice, and if she seems
lonely try and get some friend to come
out and stay with her.
Willie drew himself up, and said very
gravely: "Don't worry, father; mother
shall be un-un-wittingly cared for"
He rather gasped at the word-he
wanted big one, and came very near
remembering the right one. Papa
smiled, and his mother explained the
difference between unwittingly and IN
ren,ittingly. If you look up these words
in the dictionary, as Willie did,yo will
be sure never to get them mixed.
Mr.. Brainerd left on Monday, and all
went well till about five o'clock Tues
day afternoon; then Willie, coming in
found his mother on the sofa, while
Bridget was giving his little sister her
early tea. Mamma, you're not well"
he said; "shan't l go to the village?"
80 no, my darling; my side pains a
little more than usual; but come and sit
by me and tell me what you have been
doing. shall be better SOON"
Sure enough, Mrs. Brainerd bright
ened by tea-time and enjoyed playing
the word-game with Willie before he
went to bed. But by ten o'clock she be-
gan to feel very sorry she had not let her
boy go for the doctor; her side panied
her very much and the cough was
worse. She was afraid it would never
do to be left alone with an ignorant
servant and two little children. She
looked out, it was dark night. They
had not lived on the farm more than a
year and were not at all intimate with
their neighbors; still there was a house
not far off; the best thing would be to
get Willie to run over and ask some one
to go to the village. So before eleven
o'clock she walked the boy. 1t was
hard work; you've no idea how a boy
can sleep who has been skating and
coasting all day, unless you've tried to
wake one.
At first you stand by the bed and
speak to him-no answer. You touch
him quite gently, as you don't wish to
startle him-he feels nothing. Then
you shake him, turn him-he suddenly
starts up, and, to your horror, aims a
blow square at your nose, with an in
dignant: Cant you let Teller beP''
Before you can recover your senses his
head is back on the pillow and he is
asleep, or rather his dream is changed
he never walked at all.
But at last Willie was reused, and,
as soon as he understood that his
mother was i'll, he jumped out of bed
and began to put on his clothes. Mrs.
Brainerd was so. proud of her "big
boy'' that she sometimes forgot how
young he really was; but that night, as
she watched him dress, he seemed such
child-almost a baby! How small
the knee-pants were, and what little
jacket to be hurrying on at that time
of night!
She explained to the boy that hi
must go to the next house.
go mother" said Willie, 81 didn't
want to tell you till father came back
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