Daily Republican., 1885-08-31
A STORY FOR BOYS.

!
dear he NUT have something else.
Weeks before he had been surprised at a
strange light flaming high above al
charring heap of birch wood. He found
that this was caused by the burning oil
gas which came from the birch bark
Why could he Dot get more of the same
light, split his shing les by IL, and sol
save time for the winter schooling Hell
resolved TO try mysteriously told his
brothers and sisters that he was going
to stop the cracks tn q certain old tea
kettle aud disappeared into the wood.
shed.
Lois called after him that II he
didn't" grease his tea kettle we'll II
would stick"
He's going to make a tea kett lie
dumping T. shouted Deborah.
Put Joe, out In the cold wood shed
kept plasteripg dough over the cracks
in the tea kettle. This we'll done, he
began outing into small pieces the
birch bark he had saved, 80 that II
could DO crowded closely into the tea.
kettle. By the time he had filed 1t,
supper was called, and Joe, going In,
set his patched contrivancs close by
the fire,
"Wen, Jos," laughed his mother,
d" what now ?" Are YOU going to turr
blacksmith or baker 2"
"Joe, Joe." piped Moses, " will you
be blacksmith or q blacksmith, mother
says ?"
son, am a shingle-spitter," said
Joe, smiling back. " And I'd like to
be liehtsmith, too, pretty well, If /
could"
After supper was cleared away and
the big kettle was taken OF the crane,
Joe hung on his ea.kettle, bread
dough, birch bark ind all, swung II
over the fire, and sat down to watch
the result OF his operations.
=" What is 1t, anyhow, Joe >" asked
Moses.
1 Why, don't you see ? It's an old
tea kettle"
what you dot in 1t ." pipe, little
Judith.
Birch-bark, sis," responded Joe
lacouicaily
Msple-oark is the best to max,
ink of ; isn't it, mother ?" queriec
Debby.
"Yes, indeed, Joe, and you don't
have TO burn it-only steep 1t, and put
: in little copperas"
lam not try ing TO make ink mother,
Joe answered, though l must make
some before long"
Then turning to his father, he said
You remember how the coal pit Wa
burned last week got 'bewitched don >
/ Iyou Well, ! think 1t must hav
been the green birch-bark, which
don't suppose ever before got piled int
q coal. pit, that CAUSED the light some
how, though l don't know exsctl,
Il how and / am trying TO see II birch
4 bark won't make light here as vel
n as there
u Joe spoke with depreciating tone
= for he knew his fathers violent au
n tipathy toward all NEW. fang.ed nc
r. tions "
p. well, you are q Ounce. TO be sure
8 Don't you suppose that If birch bar
y had been good tor any thing but torcl
d. somebody would have found it OF
1t before thin? Young folks nevada,
n think they know more than the
8. fathers 1t wasR't 30 when | was
re- boy. You'd better just put up th
m teakettle out Of the way and 60
T., work, ,
father, and every voice In the househO
Joined in making fun of him and
a. cracked kettle. joe was irritated,
course, but was 80 full of his new i'd
that he hadn't time to get angry, al
"a he conf orted himself with the beli
= that 1t might be his turn to laugh /
fore long. Yet ne knew he would new
hear tie last of IL If his experimel
failed. He watched it very anxiousl
At last his father imperatively order,
him TO take his kettle away; hut
was so earnest in his pleading for tin
. to give his idea a fair trial that
mother interposed out of pity, al
his father consented TO let him alor
- thinBing he would thus be more oS
h vinced that he was following era;
n notion.
,. 30 Joe, thankful for the respite, ke
inteptly watching the flames reach
n. toward the queer, patched object on
n, crane, baking the dough cement hard
- and concealing 1t with s deposit of 10
n soon trace Of steam issued from ,
spout, and became a new center Of
"a tsrest to him, and q new subject
chatting by the merry circle of siste
b. when the steam passes C Il the {
- will begin 10 come" explained j
=, quietly. Then there was new cal
!, Of alarm. Jane became more and M
. nervous" fdRety," az her mott
a. said-because company was comb
and her brother and his oh teaket
- would be town talk" This nea
stopped his proceedings hut he manat
to save machine litsle long
% James young man" still delay ing
EXPECTED coming and as the clouds
steam began to grow less and less, W
az strange earnestness, that even
NO thoughtless little ones respected, .
lee begged for only ten minutes longer, 6
n, warned Jane and her tongs away fir
interfering, In tone 30 quietly ste
lD Of ~;
.ty him, but sat down Immediately.
The girls went to work on their era
mar lesson. but soon got back to
kettle. Every body's thcughts 8
around that black, Kissing object j
now They talked a good deal abou'
but Joe did not appear to be listeni
The steam had stopped entirely, and
Was carrying lighted shaving W
trembling hands toward the spout
the kettle. A brilliant blaze suide
A1 Lighted up the house.
All "Hurrah :" cried Joe. "Ssll y
box of cand les and buy yourself a 1
gown, mother. Huvrab for schoo!
shingles all winter Hurrah !"
Why, Joe !" cried his mother, 80
thing sparkling in her eyes, "why, .
[ didn't think it would burn 30 bu
does. and l am glad OF it too"
y Little Moses and Judith slipped al
II from ono corner to another, laugh
TO know that something was not
there TO catch them every time I
veutured into the darkness. Joel ca
In just Their. to James great satisfact
though, perhaps, he did not help
correct grammar recitation on Mond
Notwithstanding his presence, she
not seem very seriously ALARMED
Joe's reputation. Joel looked on
- hi xip q tAa kafala In anna arraat