The Iola register., 1880-11-12
into the haouse, he wouldn't want 50

"Why deacon, how you talk! Me
with my neurology spells an nervous
headaches, and my spine in my back,
SOS It can't bear no noise whatever
most days. N hev to keep the children
in the barn when they amt in school.
Why, I should go ravin' distracted to
hev that boy round. He's a ivin'
storm out O. doors; seems as though L
should give up when he amt no nearer
n the hum-lot; how do ye s'pose l
could bear him in the keepin' -room?"
"Well, well, well. Sophrony, reg late
it as you've q mind to; l s'pOse he is a
bother"
And so he was; but he was ''both-
cred" too. No mortal boy can endure
life without making a noise; lit is their
nature to-" A boy who cannot whistle,
yell, stamp, rattle a stick on the fence
pafings, or between his fingers, is boy
forlorn, but no boy or girl was allowed
to give way to these natural impulses
where Mrs. Hills lived; she nagged
them all the time.
.'Peleg, stop whistlin' this minute!
Your poor mas heads jest ready to
bu'st.''
Peleg, Jr., rushed out doors with .
bang. go Lily, don't ye rock! seems
as though them rockers was a-poundin'
on the spine o. my back every individ-
GOAL moment. I never did see sech
young ones! Josh n Eben! you shet
right up spellin' over them lesson
books, or 90 out to the barn; seems as
though creation was against me to-day.
when I've got the neurology like sixty.
Jack Hardin, you must take off them
boots O. your'n, or keep out O. the
house. I can't STAN it.
"Well, give me q piece O. bread n
butter, Aunt 'Phrony, md I'll 90 to the
barn long of the boys"
81 sha'n't give ye nothin' betwixt
meals; 'ta'n't hullsome, the doctors
books all say so, and you're a-goin' out
o. here anyhow, or I shall have a
and spazzums besidesr'
At which threat Jack fed.
So the summer went on; when the
sun shone Jack did not mind; he found
plenty to do and some things to eat, for
the guinea-hens and the turkeys would
steal their nests, and Jack and Peleg,
both hungry, growing boys, learned to
stalk these inconsiderate fowls and
plunder their private lairs; then they
would build q fire between two rocks
up on the ledge, and roasting the eggs,
enjoy a meal seasoned only with that
best of all condiments, hunger, and a
little salt, bought secretly at the village
store.
But there was many and many a rainy
day when he had to take refuge in the
house. be scolded, fretted at, kept still,
half-fed, and before October he dis
liked Aunt Phrony with all his heart;
he might have been sorry for her, for
he pitied his own gentle, languid
mother sincerely, and was always ready
to walk softly in her darkened room,
but he saw Aunt Phrony whewing about
the old house like fresh breeze, max
ing cheeses, working over butter, lift
ing heavy pals of milk, doing the great
washing on Mondays, and driving
affairs all before her in spite of the
spine in her back and contingent all
ments, and he did not quite believe her
sufferings were great.
"Now I'll just delight all the young
Hills and give Sophrony something to
find fault about" he said on returning
home, shaking his head ominously.
So when the holidays drew near he
asked his father to give him some money
that he might puy presents for the Hills
family.
If Mr.. Harding could have looked in
to Jacks mind q moment, he would
never have granted this request. but
he was pleased to find his boy ready to
show kindness, and gave him liberal
sum to provide for all his gifts.
OF course, father and mother came
first, and Mr.. Harding smiled over an
elaborate cane, thing he never used,
while the tears stood in his wife's eyes
as she laid her head on gay, chintz-
covered cushion Jack had brought her
with dim idea that she might be an
invalid again, though the journey to
Europe had quite restored her health.
But this is forestalling our tale.
The family at Bassett did not expect
Jack to remember them; the money for
his board was safe in Rutland Bank.
and so much almost clear gain, for the
deacon never found out how many eggs
had gone to feed the two boys, who hadno
idea that there was any harm in helping
themselves to the food they needed,
though a stern moralist would have
looked at it with less lenient eyes.
The packages arrived on Christmas
morning by the stage which passed
through the village and the children
were gathered with wide-open eyes to
see what they contained.
The first thing was fiddle for Jehiel;
the great ambition of his life, and his
dull eyes really shone for once at the
sight of this long-wanted possession.
'sHe's real cleverleetle feller," the
tall youth growled, as he eyed the shin
ing instrument, and began to string and
"a ln,< L. oo~1l