Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-05-11

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Him, but. happily, he was thinking
about the work, and to Uncle Eben thu
outward appearance was nothing.
| The cellar was large, and quite light
and, being foored with brick, was warn
and comfortable. In one corner was al
old-fashioned, wide-mouthed oven
where the weekly baking of the family
was done. Near it was the long, hang
ing-shelf, with a cloth covering it, ane
reaching over the sides, and Tom inn
agined the bumps in the cloth repre-
scented the cakes, buildings and pies I'M
1 derneath.
i'Here's the potatoes" said Uncle
Eben, as they came to part of the eel
lar devoted to vegetables. .'The little
and specked ones put in the basket, and
carry to the feed bin in the barn. The
good-sized and fair ones put in the
barrels"
Then he fell to sorting with great en-
ergy, and Tom, watching his move
ments a few minutes, was able to take
up the work.
All went well until he was returning
from the barn for the third time, when
he heard a derisive shout from the store
on the opposite side of the street.
Looking up, he saw his Cousin Jack
coming as fast as paroxysms of laughter
would allow.
/ This was unexpected, and Tom felt
suddenly ashamed and frightened. His
first thought was to drop the basket,
take to his heels, and find hiding-place
in the barn. But it was too late. Jack
was in the yard, and so overcome with
the ludicrous appearance of his cousin,
that he sat down on the chopping-log in
the wood-pile, and laughed so long and
so loud that it brought Uncle Eben half
way up the cellar-steps to see what was
happening.
go, my eyes!'' exclaimed Jack
"What figure! 1 knew your old vel
low copy-book took root this noon, but
to think you should bloom out in it so
soon is a little too much for metz and
fresh laughter shook him until he rolled
off the block and down the slantino
wood-piIe.
"Charityr' called Uncle Eben to his
wife. ''Get ready a kettle of water,
and have it reasonable hot. Here's a
| boy in fit!s'
Jack picked himself up at this, and
walked on little distance.
Industry need not WISH" he quoted,
"and certainly it need not,'' he con-
tinued, eff it rigs its followers in that
style. Good-day, my sunfloweri' and
with a taunting bow he left the yard.
Tom turned back to the cellar The
work was left, but the pleasure he had
felt in it was all gone. For the first
time he was comprehending what Joke
may be from the victims standpoint
Has he been so long?' inquired the
old man.
"Been? been how?" asked Tom, not
understanding.
'.Why. foolish-like--lack in sense.''
lit was not that" answered Tom, I'M
willing to accept the doubtful comfort
of leaving a false impression about Jack
"He was laughing at my looks. He
is very SMART
GA poor way of showing it then, is
all can say; but L d rather be on your
side of the joke than his.''
But never thought it hurt so to be
on the wrong side,'' said Tom.
''Not the wrong side at all, my boy"
replied Uncle Eben, "and you'll find,
as you go along through life. you'll
have to take many a hurt, and carry
many sore spot, if you hold to the
right Why, I'm way past eighty, and
the other evening I went down to the
meeting of the Common Council, all
those city fellows you know, who are
running the place with their extrava-
gance. l tried to demonstrate with
them as Christian and citizen, and
what do you think they did, but laugh
and hiss, and ask for the pattern of my
hat
eyes" said Tom, 81 read about it
in the paper, and Uncle Dalton said yor.
were right. and the people would see it
some day.
"Well, 1 hope so; and my advice is,
never be ashamed when you know you
are right
''But what if you can't help it?''
asked Tom, who was in just this trying
position, and had experienced shame,
anger and many conflicting emotions,
in which he knew the evil unbalanced
the good.
"bad thoughts will spring up powerful
fast when you're in a ight place, but
don't let them keep you from doing the
square thing. Just hold on, say, and
let the scorner laugh, and after while
the joke turns over of itself, and it
comes your turn to laugh
Under the sting of Jacks ridicule,
Tom had concluded never to be found
in such job again, but he changed his
mind as he talked with Uncle Eben, and
resolved to test the truth of his copy,
though raillery met him at every step
of the way.
This resolution was SO strengthened
when he received payment for his work
that he promised to come every after
noon that week.
When he reached home, the remnant
of wounded pride sank out of sight at
Amy's pleasure over the papers and
dainties half his earnings brought her.
The remaining half was laid away as a
foundation toward the garden tools.
All this was years years ago. Tom is a
wealthy man now. and the owner of q |
far Western ranch. but he dates the be-
ginning of his business life from that |
afternoons work, and attributes his
success to the truth of the copy: "Ira-
datst7y need not a0ish. - Golden Days.