Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-06-29
sy1unths' Column.
PAPA HARRISON's BRIGHT
IDEA.

LII TOOK great many lucas W hi"n
age the Harrison family. For in the
first place there were so many chill
dren, six of them from baby up to
Gertie, aged ten and then the four
year old twins, were so unusually live
ly and mischievOus. o, the straits
Mamma Harrison was in to keep
Addie and Eddie quiet and content
ed. They had playthings enough for
any reasonable child and brother and
sisters to play with, yet those queer
twins tortured mamma constantly
with demands for stories. At all
hours of the day and night, no mat
ter how busy or tired she was, the
wall for "tory" would arise until
Mrs. Harrison declared she had turn
ed her BRAIN inside out and searched
every corner, but could find no more
stories.
Then it was that the bright idea
occurred to Papa Harrison. And in
deed it was time that something else
was tried, for coaXing and Furnishing
had each proved of no avail. Even
the uncles, aunts and grandmas be-
gan to say "what shall we do with
the twinsP'
Mr.. Harrison liked to make queer
combinations of wheels and springs !;
had invented a churn that was wound
up like a clock, and bicycle to use
on the water, so that when he an
nounced that he would provide a
remedy for the story-teasing COM
plant, all the family wondered what
strange thing it would be.
The twins had an awful foreboding
which they confided to no one, that
papa might mean a spanking ma
chine warranted to give so many
slaps for each offense.
Every one was surprised when he
brought home from his workshop a
large doll almost as large as Addie
herself and set it down on the table.
Then he showed that it was q most
remarkable talking doll-a doll that
could tell stories. He did not ex-
plain exactly how it was made, in
ventors never care to do that, but
showed that it was on the principle
of the photograph that Jack, for ii
was trim sailor boy, had his stories
all written down; the favorite fairy
tales, bible stories, household legends
of when 'smamma was little girl, .
and some bran-new stories invented
especially for him. All that was
needed was wind him up and set him
going. "And well call him Jack,
added Papa Harrison complacently
"because he is such q good hand tC
spin yarn"
Then reign began in that once
afflicted family. If from force Of
habit any child began to tease for s
story all Mrs. Harrison did was t.
point to Jack, waiting in his corner
and turn to her work again. To bt
sure the very young children coul(
not understand how to get the exac
story they wanted, and were quite al
likely as not to grind out ''Josepl
and his Brethren" when they wanted
"Jack the Giant-killer" or "Puss il
boots" But they had story any
way if not the story they wanted.
Some months passed away in thi
peaceful manner when a change en-
sued which might have been foreseel
from the beginning the twins nj
longer cared for stories unless the
were new every time; and this wa
too serious draw on Jacks resourc
es, for like all other tars, he love,
to repeat the same yarn over am
over. 1851
And Jack had been kept so bus
in the days when he was wonderful
novelty that he too was GROWN;
tired. Something seemed to b
wrong about Jack. He would NO
always respond when wound up, bu
repenting, hours afterwards, woul
unexpectedly and solemnly begin
"Once upon time"
This freak of Jacks increased wit
his age, and he began to be trouble
also with talking in his sleep. Nigf
after night Mrs. Harrison woul
wake with start, sure she hear
voices, and listening, find it was onl
Jack telling his stories to the dozin
cat and dog. AS by this time JAG
had several story books by heart, {
rather by mouth, there were no mo-
hopes of his stopping soon than an
other great story-teller quitting hal
done; so there was nothing for
but patience.
And it might be hours before Mr.
Harrison could get to sleep und
the spell of "Bluebeard," "Babes
the Wood" and all the soothir
tales Jack would insist on relatin
Then she would wake in the morniI
to hear him, though nearly run dow
still pressing away. After sever
such experiences, Mrs. Harrison b
gan to suspect that Jack was provil
mere of q nuisance than the help s.
had expected. f-tA
At last she made a rule that VIII
the children went to bed Jack mt
be banished to some remote part
the house. So he was condemned
pass the night in the garnet, the C
lar, or hid in out of-the-way close
where he told his budget of stories
-.