The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-01-14
The following from the Lansing Republican
may interest the acquaintance in this village

row my potatoes must be hoed; I've put
1t off till the last minute. No; / don
see how l can spare the time, anyhow,
Tim"
'But it will be only one day." said
Tim; "you can easily make that up"
81 could ii there WASH something just
Us pressing the next day, aud every day,
said Robert. 'No; it s no use, Tim,
shall have to give it up, but hope you'll
have first rate time Now give me
lift at these bags, will your
with all my heart; here goes, said
Tim, and the two young men loaded the
wagon with the corn which was soon to
be ground up into meal Then Robert
mounted after it, and seated himself on
the board which answered for u seat.
perhaps you'll change your mind
when you've had time to think it over"
said Tim.
"Not unless my potatoes getthemselves
hoed while I'm gone to mill, said Rob-
ert, laughing.
"Then you won't even say you'll think
of it," said Tim.
Robert shook his head. ''My idea is
that when you ought not to do thing,
the less you think of it the better.
Thank you all the same for wanting me;
there's some comfort i'll that.
We'll, good-by, then
"Good-by, Tim"
Illustrate fellow; it's shame he
should have to work so hard, said Tim
to himself, as Robert drove away.
Robert was only eighteen, and it was
indeed heavy burden his young shout
ders had to carry. His father had died
the year before, leaving large family of
children-how many | will not under
take to say; but it was a current saying
that Mrs. Shillings, the mother, had to
call the roll every night to see if they
were IL present and accounted for. OF
these Robert was the eldest.
81 don't know what's to become OF
us," said Mrs Skillings, the night after
her husbands funeral 'of course we
shall have to give up the farm
mot if L can help it, said Robert.
81 have thought it all over, and with
your consent, l am going to try and car
ny it on"
"But you can't do it child; you don't
know what you are undertaking"
II think ought to know, mother; 1
have worked on it ever since / was
boy, said Robert, chetrfully.
You're nothing but boy now" said
Mrs. Skillings, looking over her spect-
acles at the audacious youth who pre-
sumed to offer counsel to his mother;
his mother who but yesterday, as it
seemed, had trottad him on her knee
and fed him with pap. "And besides"
she added, ''you forget the 0,OrtgogG.
mo, don t forget it, but Mr. Carew
is good man; he'll give us all the time
we want; he was here this morning and
. said SO, said Robert.
''Well, well, so you've got it all AZ
ranged; who'd have thought it 2" said
Mrs. Skillings, and from that time she
began to look up to Robert with that con-
fidence and pride which, perhaps,
woman never SO readily accords to any
himself ut all worthy of it,
| He had been zone of the children"
before, now he was head of the family,
and henceforth to be treated with the
Difference which belonged to his posi-
ton.
The year which had passed had in no
wise diminished her confidence in him,
but rather increased it, SO that now few
| tullSS were uOnt III tue WlInOut
first consulting Robert
After Tim had seen Rob drive off to
the mill, bright thought entered his
! head; one which he Immediately pro
ceeded to carry into execution.
The result was that as Mrs. Skillings
was standing Mt the kitchen sink washing
the dinner dishes, she saw six persons
come into the yard with guns over their
houlders-that is, she at first thought
| they were guns, but on nearer view, they
proved to be hoes.
This was scarcely less alarming, for
why should six men invade the premises
armed with hoes unless they meant
violence and plumber!
They came straight to the door which
she was about to shut In their faces.
when she recognized in the leader Robs
friend, Tim Nolan.
Then Tim explained to her about the
| fishing-party, and Rob's refusal to join
it because the potatoes were not hoed.
$50 if you don't object, said he, I've
propose to get them all hoed before he
comes back.
"Well, I never! that beats all" said
Mrs. Skillings, laughing. "Ohiect? Of
course don't object. Tn only too glad:
it isn't many holidays Rob gets, poor
fellow"
"And Mrs. Skillings, we want You to
keep it a secret; let him puzzle over it
awhile" said Tim.
=" won't say word, not L" said Mrs.
Skillings. And I'm sure, you're all
very good, and l thank you from my
heart.
This was quite true, still, in her heart
she also thought that Robert deserved il
oil, and that it was no wonder people
put themselves out to do kind things for
him.
Mrs. Skillings kept her promise faith
fully not to tell Robert what Ind occurred