The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-03-21


first chance l get, if 'tisn't till I'm as
old as Methuselum, nowr'
Tony's two brown fists came. together
with a thump. His eyes flashed, and
his face was like blaze. Mamma
looked up, surprised and grieved at the
outburst, but she didn't say a word
she only waited for what would come
next.
81 Wilt" cried Tony. an have to,
mamma! He's the worst boy that ever
lived! He's-he's-T like to pound
him all black n blue, sou
Whack! came his fists together again,
poor Tony and the fire in his eyes was
all at once put out by tears. Mamma
spoke then.
Tell mother all about, - said she
And Tony sat down on little cricket
at mammals feet and laid his head
against mammals knee, and told, which
was Just what he wanted to do.
Hes kept plaguing NE ever since
first | begun to 90 to school. mamma,
Johnny Pratt has, every way he could
and he's the biggest, too l wouldn't
plague boy littler than | was, would
you, mammal
mo, dear; | don't think | would"
'But he does, and calls names, too
Tony Went Oh, beginning to grow rosy
again. "IIe calls me Tony George
because | always lift my cap to old
Aunty Dinsmore- and that's right
isn't it, mammal" as he thought he
saw sly little twinkle in mammals
eye.
Quite right, Tony" she answered,
quietly.
"'CauSe it pleascs her 50. much, YOU
know. And sometimes | carry her
basket for her ways. And he makes
fun. And this morning" - Tony's
breath came fast and he doubled his
tists-''this morning | was the least bit
late to school, and when | went in they
all commenced to laugh, easy, of course,
so Mr. Blake wouldn't hear, and look
at the blackboard. And looked, too:
and there was picture of a boy lifting
hat bigger he was and bowling real
lOw-an awful-looking boy, mamma,
and Tony George was right under it.
[ knew who made it quick enough, and
my face got hot as fire; and Just then
MIR. Blake saw it, and he said: John,
rub that thing OUT cross as any thing.
He knew who made it, too, YOU see
Mamma, if | was bic enough, Id-Td
thrash him all to pieces! I'd just like
to pay him off so he'd stay paid one
while, mammal
Mamma didn't even smile. She felt
that this was serious matter.
Il don't blame you Bit" she said,
soberly. u think l would want 20 pay
him off if l were you think, dear, /
would kill him.
Tony jumped from his cricket, he was
so astoniShed.
why, Mamma Waltersr he cried
why Mamma-W aIters.'
Mamma smiled then, she couldn' thelp
it. But she was quite in earnest
cit would be Il great deal better than
thrashing him all to pieces, Tony" she
said; and Tony hung his head and
blushed. suppose YOU try itp'
1" don't know how said Tony
Il think you can guess, dear. And
now we won t say another word about
IL for week.
Il s'pose,' said Tony, slowly, with
his face puckercd into dozen wrinkles
over this new idea, Il s'pose, mamma,
you mean the way that Old Quaker man
did that gran pa used to tell about
But can't he kind to Johnny Spratt
mamma. How can 1? Sides, l
wouldn' have any chance"
make one" said mamma. "Now
no more for a week, my son, and
then -
Tony knew what that meant. 1t
meant that at the end of the week he
would be expected to tell mamma just
how much he had done toward killing
Johnny Spratt with kindness.
I'm 'fraid it won't be much" he
thought, with a little disconnected
quicker between his eyes. "It'll. be
pretty hard, s'pose"
And so it was Why. it did seem as
if Johnny Spratt grew worse every
day. Tony had to bite his tongue
hard good many times to keep from
telling tales ont of school about him.
And as for being kind to him--that
seemed quite out of the question.
though Tony honestly did his best ard
didn oct angry more times than he
could help.
At the end of the week his birthday
was coming, and Washington's; and
the night before he rushed home from
school all out of breath with his hurry
and delight.
so mammal he cried, eagerly
were going to have the best time to-
morrow! We're all-all of our class,
you know-going to put in twenty-five
cents apiece and hire Mr. Bakers great
big, b'q cutter, and Mr.. Bake's going
to take us TOTO some kind of lake
that the last of it's 'guntic, and his sis
ter lives right close side of it; and we're
going to skate and fire at a mark with
just arrows, you know, mamma, and
eat dinner at his sisters house And
we've got to meet at the school-house
real early, and--won't it be grand,
mammal"
Mamma smiled and kissed both glow
ing checks; for though Tony was half
past nine, as he would have told you,
he hadn't grown away from his moth
sr's kiSse3 yet