The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-11-24

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courteous old veteran but he was
little mortified when Polly joined then
after tea, with an infnitessimal smudg
: across her nose.
"My darling" and he, ''what is tina
on your face7"
Polly glanced at the glass.
ooh" said she, rubbing it off witt
her pocket handkerchief, "blacks ! ",
been doing the kitchen range. Such ;
jobr'
Vincent cleared his throat with some
embarrassment.
"Can't you give us little music
Polly?" he said.
But Mrs. Morrison shook her head
couldn't, possibly" said she. 81
ran little splinter into my finger thi:
morning scrubbing the kitchen closet
floor, and it has been poulticed evel
since. Besides, since l have been do.
ing Bridget's share of the cooking
never get any time to practice. One
can't do two things at once, you know.
Mr.. Morrison rose quickly.
| "Shall we 60 down to the stables p
he said to his uncle. "The roam horse
has something the matter with his foot.
Perhaps you could advise me about it. u
But, once arrived at the stables, only
one stunted little lad could be found in
charge of the premises.
"Owen !" Mr.. Vincent called, some
what impatiently; "Owen! What can
have become of that lazy fellow7 Where
are you, Owen1"
"Oh," said Commodore Chesson,
carelessly, at is Owen Linn you are
calling. l sent him about his business
this afternoon A great, lazy hulking
fellow that don't earn his bread What
do you need of anybody more than
Billy here?'
Vincent started.
"But who is to groom the horses?"
said he.
"Do it YOURSELF" said the Commo-
dore, briskly. "Why, when l was your
age l could have groomed whole sta
bleful of horses before breakfast every
morning, and not even feel it. An able
bodied man like you has no business
with such an army of retainers A
man is best served when he serves HIM
self. That is my maxim"
Mr.. Morrison WINGED, involuntarily
as if an unexpected verbal showerbath
had descended on his head.
"And about that horses foot" said
Commodore Chesson. "It's the shoe
ing, dare say. Nobody seems, now
adays, to understand how to shoe a
horse"
"Wixon, down by the windmill, has
pretty fair idea of his business" be.
gan Mr.. Morrison.
"Nonsense !" said he. "Do it your,
selfH'
What? Shoe my horse !" exclaimed
Morrison.
"Why not? A man ought to know
everything about MS own stables" sale
the Commodore. Get the iron. SCI
up little forge. Make your shoe, and
you'll be sure it is properly done. Shoe
your horse, and you'll be certain he:
not crippled by clumsy hands,"
"I'm a little afraid that it might be
the other way" said Vincent, rather
rueflilly. 1 don't know anything abou
such things"
"Then you ought to learn" sale
Commodore Chesson, with a Cheerful
air.
81 shall miss Owen dreadfully =
grumbled Mr.. Morrison.
"Don't accustom yourself to be de
pendent upon any one" said the Com
modore. at is never a good plan
Here's this fence falling down. Are
you going to allow your property to &C
to ruin in this sort of way?"
"I'll speak to the carpenter to-mor
row" said Vincent, family.
"Do nothing of the Sort" said the
Commodore. "Buy a plane, a ham
mer and a pound of nails, and do i
yourself"
"My dear uncle, I'm not carper.
ter"
"But you should be-" shouted thu
old gentleman. every man ought t(
understand practically the details of hi
own establishment"
''Mr. Morrison glanced up quickly
but Commodore Chesson preserved i'm
perturbable gravity of manner.
''But don't you see, uncle Chesson,'
said Mr.. Morrison, impatiently, "tha
sort of thing would make a perfec
slave of me? Here l shall be all thi
glorious summer evening rubbing dow
the horses and patching up the gardel
fence"
"There's nothing like being practi
CAL" remarked the Commodore. q
stout young man like you should no
be afraid of work"
''But this time truant twinkle in hi
eye betrayed him.
"Uncle," cried Vincent, ''this is
plot You and Polly are in leagu
together against me-"
''Not in the least" said Comma
dore Chesson. "She simply told m
what your mother said. Now, l thin
it's hard if your uncle can't also hav
finger in the family pie. If she ha
got to be practical in her kitchen, VIII
shouldn't you be practical in your sta
bles and garden7 l don't suppose sh
likes to drudge any better than 20