The Grant County herald. (Big Stone City, Grant County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1883, 1880-11-27
STORY OF A SATURDAY

Ihe place Wnere we nrSt met our nero
ia gaass plat about twenty feet square,
rdered on one side by barn SO wealth
kbesten that it looks black, on another
the clothes line, and on the third by a
Ith The fourth side was filled up by
pile Of apple-tree wood. Upon large
hb, gnarled and twisted, and with
bed leaves and the remains of what had
zen plnk-tinted apple blossoms, sat
eneral Scott.
A queer position tor that renowned
ilitary individual, did you say2 Well,
" General was little 10-year- old boy
lmed Scott by his grandfather, an adj
irer of the original Winfield. The rest
the family had, by common consent,
hbbed him "Thc General"
SAID he was about 10 years old, didn' t
Yes. Well, imagine a boy Of that
e, with black eyes, nut-brown COM
leyion, ruddy checks, and white head
losely cropped, after the manner of the
lds Of the day-to say nothing of State
rson convlcts. So you have my hero.
bls uniform was not much to speak Of
III consisted Of blue checked shirt, a
|Palr of brown trowsers worn to light
|nuf color about the knees, and hat
Ehich had little crown and less brim
lhe only things warlike in the surround
|lnlgs were the little Ak leaning against
the ehopping-stump, and the pair of red
flannel under-drawers dangling from the
|tothes-line with flag-of-detiance air.
AS tor the General, at the time of
Which speak, he was deeply engaged in
|tne sosl- absorbing labor of taking a chip
between his toes and laying it upon the
fclopplng- block. Several times he had
Ilfled this, but with no success. At last
|the grlmy toes deposited the chip upon
I'ae block, and the brown legs crossed
themselves complacently. Their owner
'len drew from out his pocket bit OF
maple sugar, which he began to MUNICH
WIN great gusto. just then voice
nom the neighboring white house called
sut =, SCOT! The maple sugar, now re-
ouced to mass Of sickness, was hastily
tucked into one side of his mouth, and in
= voice exceedingly liquid, the General
iePiieu, ma am
Have you split any of the wood YETI
ana The questioner, small, slight wo-
man, with snowy hair and gentle brown
eyes came down the path and paused by
.ue ehopplng block. "Why are you not
'N'ofkingf continued the little woman.
lou nave been out tere quarter OF an
nour, and not blow have / heard you
strike.n
:, Inc Generals black brows contracted.
ooh I care!" he said angrily, Its no
ase .s uylng; can never get this hateful
pile split.' :
You might have had it done long ago,
much.s
We'll, Jack Hazard and Billy McEvoy
Won ~: have any wood to split, not even
Alular,lng" ~, he said, in injured tones.
.. me wood is not hard to chop, and l
lalaN MI II much better for boy to have a
time
~. ! m sure 60 to school, grandma"
:. res, but surely one hours work on
d, 'uay :, viii not lnJure you, ana tnat i
81! ~: ,he work you have to do that day,
saa,, sa,u Inc lady, kindly. Then, as the Gen,
uo vla, lace still looked sullen, she contin-
ra1, w. My dear, do you think that you
mpu,u ~ De perfectly happy If you had
'nole nn Saturday to yourselt2'
- rather guess l would" he said, EN-
phalcally.
Then will give you next Saturday
dpoh i one condition that, as you are (
~ nothing for anyone, no one is to dt
~ y'a1hing for you. Do you agree"
i ~ course. But can | really do JUS
'ua, au ! want, and 60 where | pleasc2'
!. les, provided you do nothing abso
utely RASH
= uoody!" And the General turned ,
'npnefsault, ! and uttered a warwhool
nat made his grandmothcr's ears ring.