The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-05-21
THAT AwFTi woODPILE.

!
Ned Blake, the boy who was with me.
Your father had better do as my father
does-hire a man to get it in. 1t is too
much for boy, mother says, and it VIII
take the whole of Wednesday afternoon.
You will have no time for play. Now,
VIII, ] would not do that, l tell you.
This was the the substance of Neds talk
as we stood before the woodpile, and the
more he said the bigger it grew. BY the
time he left me began to think myself
poorly used boy indeed.
''There is work for you, Willie" said
mother, as | sidled into the kitchen. "Did
you see that beautiful wood at the gate as
| you came in p
Il should think did, | muttered to
myself, but said nothing aloud, only ask
ing how father was. He was i'll, and had
been for many months, and the family
funds, | knew, Were becoming low.
at is a monstrous pile | at length
said, getting a glimpse of it from the win
dow.
$50 much the better for us. Willie,
said the mother, cheerfully. "A long
winter is before us, you know
Dinner was soon ready, the table spread
in the little Kitchen and father was helped
out from an adjoining room by his two little
daughters, one on each side. Father and
mother sat down to our frugal meal with
thankful hearts, | am sure The girls
chatted as usual, while sat brooding over
that awful woodpile' . am afraid that
my chief dish was dish of pouts- Father
asked me several questions, but took no
part in the pleasant table talk.
sWell my boy, said father, after din
ner, there's that wood to be put in No
school this afternoon, so you will have
time enough. You had better do it the
first thing"
1T will take the whole afternoon l
said coldIy. ''The boys are going nut
ting =
was not sure of this, but anything in
the way Of an objection to the wood My
father said nothing, Dear, dear fatherl
God forgive me for wounding his feelings.
Mother, said. following her into the
pantry, Ned Blake's father hires man
to get his wood in. His mother thinks it
is too much for boy to do. Why docs
not father hire one p
"Ah, said my mother, sadly, 'thc
Blal<es are better off than we. Your poor
father
Tears came into her eyes, she stopped,
Mary ran in where we were, and |, half
ashamed Of myself, escaped out of the
door.
Still Ned BlakeS words ranked in me
and thought it was too bad; nor did the
brisk west winds blow off the fumes of the
foolish grllmbling which made coward OF
me- sat on the wood block, my hands
in my pockets and shufiled my feet among
the chips in sour discomfort.
1T is such monstrous pile!' said to
myself dozen times.
Presently out came mother. jumped
up.
''Wilie, " she said cheerfully, u wonld
90 to work earnestly. You will soon get
it in.
1T is monstrous, mother!'' | said in self
plying tones. 1T will take me forever,
and half kill me in the bargain
Forever is long, long while, she said.
Come, let us look at the pile. 1t is big
but all you have to do is to take stick at
time That will not hurt you, Willie, /
am snre-only one stick at a timci Yet
one stick at time will make the pile van
sh quicker than you think for. Willie.
Try it now.
There was kindness, yet a decision in
mothers tone which was irresistible.
She could put even harder things or what
we thought hard, in very achievabe
light
Only one stick at a time, Icried jump
ing up. and following hel Really the pile
seemed already SO lessen under this new
mode of attack. -'only one stick at
time
That seemed easy enough Only stick
at a time, What was the need of man to
do that? One stick at a tune. If Ned Blake
epllIu i4ot TO ble'i ltc Hftn q pun t''t-
All and poor tool he proved to be.
My mother had got my metal up, and
boldly went to work.
Father said l. boiling into the house
at a later hour in the afternoon, ali in !
glow please tell me what time il is.
Eight minutes after three answered
lie locking at his watch
''Whewr l shouted, "and the pile is
mastered.
Never did feel such strong and Joy
business Of the power Of doing. Finding
mother, put my arm around her neck and
said Mother, ! was naughty boy, but
stick at a time has cured me
did not then know the full value Of the
lesson had learned Years of lahor-suc-
cessful labor--haye since tested and prov
ed its value. When the work looks insnr-
mountablc. aud You seem to have no heart
to take hold Of it, as work many a time
will, rclnem Der it is only a stick at a time
and 20 at it.
Ceilings that haze been smoked by
kerosene lamp should be washed off with
soda water