The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-02-20
FOR OUR YOUNG FOLKS.
SNAKES AND BUTTERFLIES.
How Uncle Ezra Helped George to Break
Himself of "a Bad Habit.

| bCOlSO CbulltN dllU w cS SlllluO COIIl-
| fortably by the parlor fire, and he had
| just come to the most interesting part
of a new book, when his mother en-
| tered.
" George" said she, 81 want you
to put on your cap and run over to
Mrs Crosby's for me, and ask her if
she is through with my sleeve-pat-
tern"
"Oh, dear!'' said George, dolefully,
" It's awful cold"
Nonsense, a stout little boy like
you, telling about the cold! Put on
your cap and mittens and run along"
" I'm kind of afraid of Jack"
Jack is chained, he won't hurt
You bit; come, get your cap"
He wasn't chained yesterday. l
saw him running around the yard, my
self"
g Mr.. Crosby was with him. Run
along, and don't talk any more about
it,
Pm real lame, where 1 tumbled
down, yesterday"
&C Lame, a boy who was out playing
football an hour ago! Don't think up
any more excuses. Get ready and run
right over there. l must go down.
stairs and see to my cake, now"
George sat still after his mother had
gone. He looked injured. Uncle
Ezra Sturtevant, who was Georges
grand-uncle and an old man, looked
sharply at him over his newspaper.
"Three snakes" he remarked, in a
meditatiye tone.
They amt snakes" returned
George quickly, his round face turning
red.
"Oh! well, thought they were"
George sat little while longer; then
he rose slowly and left the room.
Pretty soon his fur cap bobbed past the
window. Uncle Ezra laughed.
There he goes" said lady who
was sewing on the other side of the
room. You started him pretty quick.
How very clever children are in con-
juring up bug-bears.
George always runs when 1 say
snakes replied Uncle Ezra. 1--WE
have little bargain about it. l told
him snake story the other day, and
he has done good deal better since
| then
"What was itP"
Uncle Ezra laughed and hesitated.
"Well, I'll tell you. 1t n'tvery much
of story. Years ago there was a boy
whom | knew who had this same habit
which George has. Every one of his
tasks and duties seemed to be guarded
for him by vigilant scarecrow of some
kind. He had brother who was just
the reverse. No Drawer, more willing
and cheerful boy ever lived than this
brother. whom we will call Willie. The
other was Tom.
Zone summer, when Tom was about
fourteen and Willie twelve, friend of
their fathers came to pay them a little
visit. He came on Friday and re-
manned over Sunday. Monday he was
to leave for New York, and Tuesday he
was to take the steamer for Europe
He was very wealthy man, and had
| planned quite an. extensive pleasure
trip.
"On Saturday, the day after his ar
rival, the mother of these boys asked
them to take some pals and 90 up in
the pasture andpick some blueberries.
Willie started readily enough, but Tom
had thousand objections. He was
| tired, his head ached, the sun was too
| hot, there was vicious COW in one of
| the fields he had to cross. However,
he went, finally, but he Jagged behind
| Willie, and scolded all the way.
1.-The visitor, whose name was Ames,
| Mr.. Oliver AmeS, was present when
| the boys were sent for berries, and
| listened attentively to all that passed
| He was present, too, when Tom re-
| turned in about half an hour, with the
bottom of his pail scarcely covered with
| berries.
''When his mother asked him what
he was home so soon for, he said he
| had seen an awful black snake under
| the bush where he was picking, and
he didn't dare to stay there another
| minute. His mother asked him why
| Willie didn't come, too, and he hardly
knew what to reply; but he mumbled
| something to the effect that if Willie
wanted to stay and pick berries in a
| pasture full of snakes he could.
tom thought there was something
| queer about his mothers manner, and
| the first of the week he found out the
reason. Willie, who had come home
on Saturday with his pail heaped with
the most beautiful blueberriess went to
New York with Mr.. Ames, and the
next day sailed with him for Europe.
He had no family of his own, and had
| kindly offered to take one of his
friends sons to Europe with him on
his first arrival, and the question which
it should be had been hard one to de-
| eide.
FINALLY Mr.. Ames, who was a
shrewd man, had hit upon this plan.
Give the boys some work to do, he
said, and I'll take the one who does it
according to my mind
$50 the plan was tried, and Willie
went to Europe. Mr. Ames, who was
a quizzical, though kindly, man, gave
Tom little lecture before starting.
why, there would be no sense in TAX
ing you, my boy said he. If we
wanted to 90 to England and see West
minister Abbey we couldn't, because
you might see a snake. And if we
wanted to go to Switzerland and see
| the Alps, don't see how we could, for
you would be very likely to come