The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-05-22
THE STORY OF A SATURDAY.

The place where we first met oul
hero is a grass-plat about twenty feet
square, bordered on one side by barn
so weather beaten that it looks black,
on another by the clothes-line, and Oh
the third by a path. The fourth side
was filled up by pile of apple-tree
wood. Upon large limb, gnarled and
twisted, and with dried leaves and the
remains of what had once been pink
tinted apple blossoms, sat General
Scott.
A queer position for the renowned
military individual, did you sayP Well,
this General was little ten-year- old
boy named Scott by his grandfather, an
admirer of the original Winfield. The
rest of the family had, by common con-
sent, dubbed him "The General"
said he was about ten years old,
didn't /? Yes. Well, imagine a boy
of that age, with black eyes, nut-brown
complexion, ruddy cheeks, and with
head closely cropped, after the manner
of the lads of the day-to say nothing
of State Prison convicts. So you have
my hero. His uniform was not much
to speak of. 1t consisted of a blue
checked shirt, pair of b1 Town trousers,
worn to light snuff-color about the
knees, and hat which had little crown
and less brim. The only things war;
like in the surroundings were the little
ak leaning against the chopping- stump,
and the pair of red flannel underdraw-
ers dangling from the clothes-line with
tlag-of-detance air.
As for the General, at the time of
which l speak he was deeply engaged
in the soul-absorbing labor of taking a
chip between his toes and laying it
upon the chopping-block. Several
times he had tried this, but with no sue
cess. At last the grimy toes deposited
the chip upon the block, and the brown
legs crossed themselves complacently.
Their owner then drew from out his
pocket bit of maple sugar. which he
began to MUNICH with great gusto. Just
then voice from the neighboring white
house called out. "ScoH" The maple
sugar, now reduced to a mass of sticki-
ness, was hastily tucked into one side
of his mouth, and, in a voice exceed
ingly liquid, the General replied,
Ma amr'
"Have you split any of the wood
yet?' and the questioner, small,
slight woman, with snowy hair and
gentle, brown eyes, came down the
path and paused by the chopping-block.
"Why are you not working?" contin-
ued the little woman, You've been
out here a quarter of an hour, and not
blow have heard you strike"
The Generals black brows contract
ed. II don't carer' he said, angrily.
81 can aaever get this hateful pile split
itsno use tryingn'
"You might have had it done long
ago had you not played with the boys
so much"
swell, Jack Hazard and Billy Nc
Evoy don't have to split wood-not even
kindlingsr' in injured tones.
"The wood is not hard to chop, and
| think it much better for boy to have
a little employment than to idle away
his time"
Pm sure go to school, grandma
eyes, but surely one hours work on
Saturday will not injure you, and that
is all the work you have to do that
day." said the old lady, kindly. Then,
as the Generals face still looked sullen,
she continued: "My dear, do you think
that you would be perfectly happy if
you had Saturday all to yourself
without doing single chorep''
Rather guess 1 wouldr' emphati-
cally.
"Then | will give younext Saturday,
upon one condition-that, as you are to
do nothing for any one, no one is to do
anything for you. Do you agree?"
"Of course. But can | really do Just
what l want, and 90 where l pleaseP'
Yes. provided you do nothing abso-
lutely rash"
"Goodyr' And the General turned
a somersault and uttered war-whoop
that made his grandma's ears ring.
The next saturday dawned bright and
clear. But Scott didn't rise very early.
He lay long time in his little white
bed, making plans for the days enjoy
ment
Grandma said / might do just as |
please, SO I'm a-going to stay in bed as
long as want to. How jolly, not to
hear Hannah yell out, Scott! get
up!' "
After awhile, however, the gnaw-
ings Of hunger began to be felt, and
he arose and dressed himself.
'We most always have mullins, ham
and eggs on Saturday." he said, as he
went downstairs, smacking his lips in
anticipation. Entering the dining-room,
what was his surprise to find the
breakfast things cleared away, and the
table covered with its customary Turkey
red pread. Going out on the porch, he
found his grandmother sewing.
"Good-morning"! she said, pleasant
ly.
"Good-mornin'. Where's breakfast,
grandmaP"
BREAKFAST o, we had that long
ago." c
'But is it all cleared awayp"
81 presume so. heard Hannah
washing the dishes little while ago, -
quietly.
"But can't l have anything to eatp''
in aggrieved tones.
Eyes"
'"Then I'll have Hannah fix me some
thing on the kitchen table-no, I'll