The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-08-07
A TROUBLESOME BOY.
An Honest Farmer Comes to His
Rescue.


was famous ut cricket and football, rode
his bicycle up and down the stecpcst
gradients, was fearless swimmer, and |
indeed the athletic paragon of his
schoolmates. But he began to tire of
his lessons, and to utter dark conf
denccs to his sisters that "Latin would |
be no use to n fellow when he grew up;"
that she felt like loafer as he went
along the lanes to the grammar-school;"
that "Sam Jackson and Harry Wilde
were going to business at Easter; and
that if papa did not find him something
to do, he should perhaps run away to
| sea-" This last confidence. which was
given on a windy night, when the rain
plashod most dismally against the win
dows of the chldrcn's room, quite
| alarmed Toms sisters, who were ro-
mantle and tcnder-hearted girls of sew
enteen and eighteen. They began to
cry and to beg the indignant lad not to
do any thing SO dreadful. But the
more they petitioned. the more stub
born Tom grew. Tears and entrcaties
only hardened him into firmcr deter
minaiion to doif his mortar-board cap
for ever. How could he stay at school,
when his chums, Sam Jackson and
Harry Wilde, had gone to business'
What did girls know of n fellows ycXa.
ton at being left with u lot of young
boys, not one of whom could hold Il bat
or keep a goal! 10 sea he would go, un-
less papa got him some sort of a berth
by Easter.
The poor girls were crying very bit
terly, ard the rain throbbcd in sympathy
aga nst the panes, and Tom stamped up
and down the floor, when his mamma
came in. She was much surprised ut
the scene; for the children were always
on the best of terms. She was still more
surprised, and a little dismayed, when
she learned the cause of the scene. Be-
ing prudent and self-restraining
woman, however, she did not say much;
and with few general remarks, that
of course all boys must 20 to busines,
in due time. she terminated the painful
discussion. After supper, when her
husband and self were alone, she startled
the good easy man by relating what had
taken place. Tom father was the
; principal doctor of the neighborhood,
which was so salubrious and so poor
that he must have left it long before
had he not possessed u little inde-
pendcncy. which kept the household
atloat. He was of an indolcnt turn,
getting gray and fat, like his old cob.
Want of work, magnificent health, and a
managing wife, who took all the worries
of life off his shoulders, made him obliv-
ious of the young world growing round
his hearth. He could not imagine that
. his boy and girls were weaving antici-
patory tissues of their lives that these
young birds were getting tledged for
. flights far away from the home-nest.
So, the announcement of Toms re.
bollion against school, and his thoughts
3 of evasion, came on the doctor as the
| greatest event he had known for years.
/, "Now you mention it, Maria,' sale
he, when he began to quiet down ;
0 bit-"now you mention it, Tom is real
ly growing big fellow. He'll be 81,
= feet high, if he's an inch, by his TWEEN
3 tieth year. And what a square, still
back he's got! He takes after my moth
ers family; they were all strapping fel
d lows. Yes, Toms too big for school
4 He's like salmon among minnows
among the grammar-school boys, Dear
h dear, how lads do grown'
q "Yes, yes" broke in Toms mother
little tartly-she had Il temper of he
own, as all managing women have
g TON is big, and will be bigger; tha
i, goes without the saying. But what i
. to be done for the poor boy? What Gu
reer do you propose for himP"
Upon my life, haven't the ghost o
l. an idea, Maria. Now you have brough
this matter on the carpet, it recalls
r good deal have heard of late. Whel
| Ii y, ttr. In,, NJ
l. tending his wife of her seventh boy
Bimpson sad to me, over glass Q
y wine: doctor, he is Il fine child, al
n nit; but how he'll get bread and cheese
if he lives. can't guess at all" An
l. the poor fellow broke out into quite
n jeremiad over the redundancy of boy
"a careers, and the deuce an opening ca
he find! Then there is Clumpit, tn
whcelwright know Clumpit, Ma
20 riap Well, I've been attending him fo
hypochondria. Hc can find nothin
suitable for his eldest son; and it prey
20 on his mind, because the mother won
let him go away ftom home to try hi
luck in some of the big towns. And ol
quite pit.fully asked me if l could at
NlSc Illul WIlitO W wv WIN
l was really sorry for the poor old mar
OF course, 1 could not help him."
Toms mother looked more anXiou
,r as the doctor went on ramblingly; an
- at last she said: "All this leads to moth
I'd ing. Tom must have cereer arrange
r2 for him by us, or he will take the ma
rs ter in his own hands. can read h
., mind; know him better than you, m
- dear. What must we do with himp"
ne II tell you, again, Maria, have NJ
d. a ghost of an idea. Yet, do know on
thIng-he shall not be medical man!
no "Here the doctor relghted his ciga
" and smoked in frowning thoughtfulnes
until Tors mother said decisivel,
swell. if you do not know what is
be done with the dear child we mu
~, ask the opinion of our friends. l. ft
- my part, can not allow this subject ,
w drop. 1t must be taken up and carrie
q" out to the necdful end. l know tC
we'll your casy-gong way. To-mo
ns row, you will forget all about poo
IL Tom. ! say. and with emphasis, "
must find career for our boy, AS yo
''s have no ideas, shall write to such
our friends as have experience OF IL
world; and ask them either to advise II
by coming over here to sort OF fami
council, or else to tell us by lette
Your connections and mine have anon
them great deal of experience; Tho
k? know what DrOspects there are for ii