Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-10-02
Pills Experiment.

OuhN1J N'ShOOl 1llhOos
"Have 1 got to rake up these leaves
every day." asked Phil, with a
whine in his voice.
eyes, every day."
"But what is the use? They keep
on falling, and make just as big litter
as before"
"Your room has to be set in order
every day." said his mother, smiling.
81 wouldn't care much hit wasn't"
said Phil.
"And your shirts have to be wash
ed every week, and the dishes you
eat off of have to be washed three
times day. You keep on eating,
you knowW
Phil could not forbear a smile as he
slowly raked away at the leaves. He
might easily have gathered them in
ten minutes, leaving in good order
the little lawn which his mother
liked to see nicely kept; but he dwad-
led over them for half an hour.
"Seems to me / have to do a great
deal of work for other folks" he
went on, mournfully, 81 have to pile
wood, and cut kindling, and drivethe
COW, and water the flowers
things"
"Do you have more to do for others
than Others do for you ?" asked his
mother.
eyes, mama: l guess so. Any
way, if could stop doing things for
folks, they might stop doing things for
me-"
"Do you really mean that?" e.
eyes, indeed" said Phil, eagerly.
"May I try it, mamma"
eff you like. You may try it for
one day."
Gone day! Oh! l want to try it
for week. And, if it works well,
can 1 keep it up?"
eyes"
Remember, then, mama, nobody
istoask me to doa single thing, and I'll
remember my part. HurrahW Phil
dropped the rake over the small pile
of leaves, and rushed away to look at
his fish-line; for he had made up his
mind to 60 fishing in the afternoon,
and have a pleasant time, now that
none of those troublesome chores were
to be thought of.
Running hastily to the barn, he fell
and tore hole in his trousers.
mamma 7" he cried, picking him
self up and going toward the house.
But he suddenly remembered that
mamma was not to be called upon.
He ran up stairs to change the torn
garment.
"Ah! two buttons off my other
pants, and 1 forgot to tell about it
Never mind. l can sew them on my.
self. 1 often have. It's easy enough
to sew on buttons"
Ithad been, when mamma gave
him the needle and thread. But now
as he took a fine needle and coarse
thread, he wondered why it had
never seemed so hard before. 1t took
him long time to thread the needle
and then every stitch was separate
trial. He tugged away, got hot and
flurried, and pricked his finger time
and again.
AT last he felt sure the button was
sewed on tight. But, as he sprans
up to put on the trousers, he foun(
that they were sewed to the skirt O
the coat he had on. With tears half
way to his eyes, he took out his knift
and cut the stitches. No one wa
waiting to see if his necktie was neat
lytied or to hand him his books
The school-bell was ringing, and hi
rushed away with the torn trouser
on.
But he was late, to his great regret
for he had begun school with re
solve not to have one tardy mark dur
ing the year.
The tear in the trousers kept catch
ing in things and tearing larger, un
til he was very much ashamed of it
and glad, at length, to hurry home
AS he again sewed on the button, h
could not help wondering if mend
ing ones clothes were not a littl
harder than cutting kindling.
'Never mind" he said to himself
"Nobody will ask me to do anything
after dinner and 1 can do just wha
[ please all day, when 1 get out G
school,"
He went to the dinner table with
boys appetite.
Where's my plate ?" he said, see
ING no place ready for him.