The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-04-27
THE SAVING MATCH.
A Hint for BOYS.

They were leaders, these two, each of
his particular clan; and respecting their
popularity, the school was nearly equal
| ly divided. strong rivalry existed be-
tween them, good-natured enough for
the most part, though sometimes verg
ing toward unfriendlness. just now,
Sandy was evidently excited, almost an
| CRY. In foot-race the preceding Sat-
urday, Max had beaten him, gaining a
supremacy which he possibly might
hold. e
Yes, you did whip me, fast enough"
Sandy was saying, while duh red
mounted to his cheek; ''but, all the
same, I'll whip YOU to pay for it, and
any day you've a mind to set.
| 1.-The track was took short cried one
of Sandy's champions That's what's
the matter, By the time Sandy got UNI
der Roadway, he had toturn. The walk
was laid out for little fellows"
Considerable laughter followed this
sally, and the "little fellow Max, joined
| in it heartily. @s@t
aCome, pll match you in any way you
like" continued Sandy. Come, now!
rowing, riding, running. wrestling
which shall it bep Come! / dare you,
Max Guerney!'' EaA @aaa ~ eais
A little murmur of approval ran
around the group and then the boys
waited for Max's reply. Well they knew
he would never refuse dare. ssgsess
II, as the challenged party, have a
right to choose the weapensgp interro-
gated Max, with side-glance from his
laughing black eyes. well, then, Pm
| neither ride, nor row, nor run, norwres-
tie; but I'll saw wood with you, Sandy,
and YOU may beat me if you can!'
What a clamor of high, boyish voices
met him! s2s
''Oh. no fooling nowg' .a.a..
| Whose wood ?'
| "Ha! hal half
''pll tell you.' Max's voice rose clear
| above the tumult. I'm in earnest
| enough. There's old uncle Nathan
Blines and his wife, poorer than double
distilled poverty, and nobody to do
hand's-turn for EN- since 'Siah died. /
saw uncle Nathan out chewing at his
wood-pile. You know they hauled him
some cord-wood last winter, your faith
er. Sandy, and mine, and two or three
others; and made up my mind to go
over and saw for him some Saturday,
any way, poor old fellow There's
pretty near five cords of the wood, /
guess; and we'll have somebody divide
and measure it for us. Then wen saw
to win; and if you whip me in it, Sandy,
/ the next Saturday Illmatch you in split
| ting and housing it for him. What do
| you say?'' IS
Sandy joined in the cheers and laugh
ter with the utmost good-nature.
'.Donen' nodded he. I'm do it"
Up spoke b1ue-eyed, why little fell
low at his elbow:
| You shan't do the whole of it! Say,
Charley Bugbee, IL split for sandy, and
you for Max z-a go ans
Agreed said Charley. 49,
And wen wheel in for you two, Art
Humphrey and In' declared Sandy's
brother Jack Won't we, Art?'
| "Whew! How far my little candle
throws its beamsr' laughed Max. ''rl
tell you, boys: we might have the match
in uncle Nathan's back yard, charge fif-
teen cents or SO admittance, and give
uncle Nathan the money"
t'Hooray!'' shouted Reub Story. MY
| brother Bob works in the Clarendon
Star office, and I'll get him to print our
hand-bilfs. He owes me ten cents, any
| how"
Good for you, Reubr' cried Max.
'sGrand saving matchi Ditto splitting
ditto! Ditto wheeling ditto! Fifteen
cents admittance! Children, full pricei
Gate open from 10 A. NJ. to 5 p. M.
Good enoughr'
/ Next day the prospective saving
match was noised about the town. and a
day or two later. the handbills We're out.
1t made a great deal of talk, both sport
i've and serious, in the little village.
'.It's good idea fust-rate ideer'
That was Capt Winty Coolidge, you
might know. ut farns the boys that
mixin' kindness to other folks with their
fun don't hurt nothin'. It's with a
quarter, and Pm a-going to pay it! I'm
| a-going to pay itr,
There was every indication that the
saving match would be a grand success
financially.
Il don't believe the back yard viii
hold 'em all, laughed Max to the half
dozen boys who, with him, We're taking
their homeward way after school Friday
night. Have you got the tickets,
Renb?''
i Yes; hundred and fifty of 'em.''
/ Good! Now all we want is fair
day.
The day proved to be all that could be
desired.
Hazy clouds yelled the burning face
of the sun, and there was brisk, cool
breeze blowing. The saving was to be-
gin at nine o'clock; and before that
| time the board benches ranged along
| the backward fence were filed with mer
/ nv lookers-on Uncle Nathan sat in his
low, vine-draped doorway, beaming at
everybody over his brass-bowed specta-
Giles. There were Max and Sandy, fresh
and smiling. with their saws; Dick and
Charley with their axes, and Jack and
Arthur with their wheelbarrows. Max's
father stood near, watch in hand.
s.Tor' said he
Instantly both saws cut with a tune
full shrek into the wood, nearly drown
ing the sound of Peleg Toothaere's
cracked fiddle, which had been engaged,
with Peleg, to make music for the occa-
/ sion. @xA
At precisely the same instant the two
logs across the two sawhorses fell in
| twain.
/ How every body cheered. sending little
tingles of excitement thrilling along ey-
cry boyish nerve! And uncle Nathan
waved one of the eyes out of his specta-
Giles; and aunt Nabby, over his shoulder,
iuttered her big calico apron, and bob
bed her gray cockserew curls, to the tune
of Pop goes the Weasel which Peleg' 5
1 cracked fiddle was merrily playing.
The hours wore on. The crowd came
and went, ssurging in and out of the
back yard with jolly chat and laughter.
The SAWS shrieked; the axes flashed in
/ the air, the wheelbarrows trundled from
woospile to woodshed. Peleg fiddled
through aud through his reperfory of