The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-07-25
LAZY PINK.
CHAPTER |.

CHAPTER I.
 As wagon drew near, boy lazily climbed over the fence and opened the gate.
 "Why don't you move faster, you lazy ,rascal2" said the man who drove the fteam.
 Because I'm tired"
 "You are always tired"
 "Yes, am, and wish could get rested"
 "Youll never do it. You are too lazy to get anything. Come on here now and help me take out the horses"
 The man was Clarkson Miller the boy was his son, Pinkney, known throughout the neighborhood as Lazy Pink Unlike other boys he had never been known to engage in any game that required activ- ity, and his m other often decl .red that he positively refused to walk until he grew to be so old that he was ashamed of himself. Pink was not handsome. His head was red and his face was freckled and worse than all else, he was bow legged. He cared nothing for books. At school, if not interrupted, he would sit all day with his eyes halt closed, yet no one could accuse him of being sleepy, for at home he was always the last one to go to bed.
 When the horses had been fed, and when Mir. Miller and his son returned to the house, the old man asked
 What have you been doing to-. day p "Nothin'."
 "What2"
 "Ain't been doin' nothin', fur l was tired"
 "Didn't l tell you to break up that turnip land ?"
 "Yes, sir, believe you did,"
 "Then why didn't you do it ?"
 "Cause was tired"
 "Boy, you are goin' to starve to death, just as sure as you live"
 If l live won; starve to death. If die l might starve to death"
 " Hush up your mouth aud don't give me none of your sass. Mother, wouldn't give him bite of supper"
 "I don't care."' "l don't believe you do. You are too fetchtaked lazy to eat"
 Oh, yes, Clarkson, let the child have something to eat. don't reckon he can help it because he is always tired. You know had a brother that was always that way"
 "Yes, and he never amounted to nothin', either."
 "I know that, Clarkson, but Pink may do better after awhile" "No he won't. He is the trifiin lest boy in the state of ArkansAw. Them Jackson boys air out every m ornin' breakin' colts or doin' some thing but Pink, plaguetake him, won't do nothin' but nope roun' under the trees. He has just about wore me out, let me tell you, and if he don't strike a lick putty soon I'll get afoul of him and wear him out. won't put up with such noaccountness. Pink"
 "Yes, sir"
 "They air goin' to take up another school over at the Forks next week and reckon you'd better go. You ain't got sense enough to ever make farmer and l rekon you'd better be lawyer or some- thing of that sort"
 "Let him be a preacher, Clarkson," interposed Mrs. Miller.
 Preacher the deuce. Wy he'd ruin a congregation. When he'd begin to preach he'd be too lazy to stop. No, bet ter let him talk to the jury, and if he does wear lem out, the country would be better of. What do you say, Pink2"
 "Ain't particular"
 "No, fetch take it, you air never par ticular. lfyou was you'd get along bet. ter. Did you drive the hogs outen the 6eld?"
 "No, sir"
 What?"
 "No, sir, was too tired"
 "Wife, give me that rope hangin' up there. I'll wear him to frazzle."
 "Oh, no, don't whip the child"
 "Well, let him behave himself then. I'll bet anything them hogs have ruined that field. l must punish him. Pink, go to bed"
 The boy arose from box on which he had been sitting, stretched himself and slowly ascended the stairs. "Ah, Lord"