The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1883-02-17
ExAooHRATrNa.

CArisfian HsiyLJor.
"I'm almost dead II is as hot as fire,
and I've been more than dozen miles
after that colt"
Andrew threw himself at full length
on the lounge and wiped the perspira-
ton from his forehead.
"Where did you gol' asked his
father.
al went over to Briggs corner and
back by the bridge"
"That is less than mile and a half.
1t is so very warm, Andy1 1t seems
quite cool here"
ono, not so dreadful, Idon't suppose,
If I'd taken it moderate, but l ran like
lightning and got heated up"
"You started about five O'Clock, my
son, and now it lacks quarter of six"
said his father, consulting his watch.
eyes, sir, just three.qnarters Of an
hour" answered Andrew, innocently.
"Does it take lightning forty-five
minutes to go a mile and half1"
al didn't mean exactly that, father,
but ran all the way, because expect
ed the whole town would be here to-
night to see my new velocipede," ex-
planned Andrew, reluctantly.
"Whom did YOU expect, Andy? |
wasn't aware such crowd was TO Oe
here What will you do with them all p
elm, Eddy and Tim told me they'd
be round after school, and / wouldn't
wonder If Ike came, too that's ALL"
"The population of the town is FIVE
thousand, and you expect three of them;
well, as you are very sick, I'm glad no
more are coming. You couldn't play
with them at all"
"Sick ?" cried Andrew, springing to
his feet "who says I'm sick ?"
"Why, Andrew, you said you were
almost dead doesn't tina, mean very
sick -
"You are so particular, father, about
my talking don't exactly mean what
say, of course. wasn't nearly dead,
to be sure, but did some tall running,
you bet There was more than fifty
dogs after me, and don't go much on
dogs"
"Quite band of them. Where did
they all come from 20
"There was Mr.. Wheeler's sheep dog,
and Rush's store dog, and two or three
more, and they made for me, and so |
ran fast as could"
Give at the most are not fifty, Andy"
"There looked to be fifty, any way"
replied Andrew, somewhat impatiently,
Carier's ten-acre lot was full OF dogs
just making for me, and guess you'd
thought there were fifty if it had been
YOU"
"Ten acres OF dogs would be a great
many thousand ; have you any idea how
many ?"
Andrew did not like to calculate, for
it occurred TO him what a small space
ten or fifteen thousand sheep would &C.
oupy when camping and ten acres Of
dogs would be past calculation.
"Bui," his father continued, Tknow
no better way TO break you of the fool
ish habit Of exaggeration than to tell
the children the trouble y2u r. =
going after the colt. You ras.-4sxs-
lightning, encountered ten acres Of dogs,
which would be hundreds Of thousands,
travelled more than dozen miles to get
one and half miles in a straight line,
expected TO find FIVE thousand people
here to examine your new velocipede,
and when you reached home was nearly
dead"
"Please don't, father, the boys and
girls will all laugh themselves to death,
and | won't exaggerate again if live TO
be as old as Methusaiah -
Laugh themselves TO death at 4
Il n.
that it will rather set them to watching
their own manner of telling stories, so
TO be sure they do not greatly oversiaie
things. Habit. my son, grows with
years, and becomes, in time. so deeply
rooted tina, i, will be impossible for you,
when YOU become man, to relate plain,
unvarnished facts. unless you check the
foolish habit you indulge in every day
OF stretching simple incidents into the
most marvellous tales.