The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-07-23

Joe darted back. "Gracions.,
said; II wouldn't have it for anyth; ne
l couldn't go to school, I'd Ios saHgg 4;
chance of promotion" '' oil
bitterly. ~ N 1om'
Its too bad, Tom" called r.
keeping well out of breathing disto Ooe'
But | say, old fellow, you can y stn1
all the same, you know. Yon,ro
sturdy chap; it won't hinder Won a
would knock me higher than a kita
can't afford to lose any flesh and bIooa
L m next door to skeleton, now y
Tom remembered that. He was ol.,
then he had hoisted the quaran Siaa
flag. ""''ne
Joe went on shouting: "rn boz.
you posted in the lessons, Tom 50 AveF
won't fall behind. Pll stick to n you you
like bees-wax. Eth, Tom, is that oII
rightP" ''' 'u
"All right" called Tom.
The quarter bell rang Joe and Tom
parted for many a day. Tom went i Ou,
to his grandfather's farm with 5ia
mother, and Joe went to school.
To an indifferent observer it woDu
seem that there was no comparison ho
tween Tom S luck and Joe's. To bevo
a grandfather was good deal. in rLo
first place; Joe hadn't any. He badn,t
even a father. But to have gr,n5
father that owned Il farm! Here was
what you might call downright GOOD
fortune. Tom did enjoy it. HIS WIDOW.
mg-cough was OF light variety, and
didn't disturb him much. But he wa,
all the while thinking of the how.
hghtlnS away ut those exam.
pies, and how much easier i
was to puzzle them out in the class.
room than out there in the havmow
Ihere Is SO mucr to distract fellow
II the boys at school made as much fuss
over doing a sum as the hens did about
laying an e. hey'd drive the teacher
mad. TheD c1e swallows went circlinc
around the top of the barn until i
made a body's head swim, and that
young rascal of a colt gnawed the
manger and kicked and coaxed to 90
aiield with Tom, and if ever there did
happen to be lull in the racket, some.
thing in that hay made a fellow so
sleepy-muSt have been some peoples
drled IN that grass. And, worst of all.
Joe Brown had turned traitor. He had
been as good as his word at first, and
had kept Tom posted right along; but
Tor more than a month he hadn't sent
him Il line. 1t was 50 hard to pod
along almost in the dark. His
father helped him when he came out
on Saturdays, and Tom didn' t give up.
He studied on out of spite; but it was
harder work for boy with heart like
Toms to strive for spite than love.
Tom felt that he might perhaps pass
with the rest of the boys, and keep
abreast with Joe Brown after all, but
there. wasn't much comfort in it.
His father took him back to the city
the last week in June, and on the night
of his arrival Tom went out to tie
wood-shed to have it out with Joe. lie
made up his mind to tell him wnah
thought of him, and never speak toEm
again; but he felt very miserable over
it, very miserable indeed.
Bridget was out there splitting wood
and called to Tom as he began 70 CLIMB
"You needn't rache uptp see the
boy beyant. He'll climb no more;
He's lyin' in bed these three weeks, and
they say he's wastin' away. That nasty
'hoopin' cough whit bad wild the poor
little craythur."
"Whooping-cough cried Tom
"Did Joe get it?''
"Av coorse he did, wild all the rest Of
the gossoons; but it wint wrong wild
poor Joe's windpipe, bad luck to it,
and ruined him intirely."
Tom ran out in the street He felt
so sorry, and so glad--so sorry Joe
was sick, and so glad he was true. His
heart leaped up to tn nix he had found
his friend again, and then sank because
what Bridget said had given him
fear. The very first boy Tom
met told him the doctor said he didn't
think Joe Brown would live to gOtO
school again.
Tom ran in to his father with so pale
a face that it frightened Mr.. Jones; but
he was Toms conlidant as well as his
father, and soothed and comforted him
Come he said. taking Tom by
the hand, "let's 60 around and see
joe"
They found him in bed, and as white
as the wall he was propped against
He held out his wasted hand to Tom
you've come back in time for the ex
animation he said, with little bit.
terness in his smile. you've got a.!
the odds now, Tom; 60 in and win. !
told you this thing would cripple me-
I'll never tackle an example again"
Tom grew almost as pale as Joe, ana
looked imploringly at his father. BIZ
tears rolled out of Mrs. Brown seyes;
"He's all | have in the world /,
whispered the poor widow to Mr.. Jones
"Well, please God, madam; saO
Mr.. Jones, "Joe will be all right YET .
With your permission wei get hlmop
in the country on Toms grandfather
farm. What he wants is country
and rest, and to give up this VICE
struggle for supremacy. There ae~
ter victory. my BOYS. than that WIN
q mathematical problem - to do the Oss
you can, and bid godspeed to the OK
that can honestly do better. There Az
some things far better than class Py
motion. and you'll find them out tng'
on the farm; health, contentment-
"And the iolliest colt you ever saw,
Joe," broke in Tom, "and no emu "
dogs and pigeons" .rm
Joe began to look so much brlguVs,
and better. "Wait till you go oaSs
npI ,,noa tha Tom, III