The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-06-26
CYRUS AND LESLIE.

A Nice Enough Boy "When There Amt
Pumpkins to Plant and the Barn Don't
Ketch Fire"
81 wish, ;" said Grandma Peaseley to
her husband one evening, ''that there
wasn't such a difference between
Esther's Cyrus and Susan's Leslie
Yes" said grandpa, rubbing his
stubby chin, Leslie is better lookin'
than Cyrus"
Il feel sort O. guilty" went on
grandma, because I've always been
kind O. PARTIAL didn't mean to show
ito Leslie. 'Twouldn' t make much
difference if Cyrus wasn't hurt by it.
But to-day, says he, Uncle Roberts
given Leslie new skates. That's NICE
says L. 'Ye-es, says he; I'm glad
he's got en- Then he kept still a
minute, m then he burst out, sad
enough; why is it, gra ndma, that
Leslie has every thin, N l don't?
Does God love him better'n He does
me?' That scared me. Mercy, no,
says l, n | kissed his peaked, little.
saller face. Folks have different gifts
says l. May be when you get to be a
man, Leslie won't have any better
times than you do. God gives us the
chance to make our happiness some
way or other. If we don't get it, it's
our own fault, believe He seemed
to understand that right off I'm in
hopes it was the right word for him.
I'm glad, " said grandpa, heartily,
"Leslie steps off so prompt aud an
swers so keen, that he takes But |
got an insight into Leslie last punkin'-
plantin' time. | told the boys that I'd
give each Of 'em a Tinted fish-pole il
they'd seed out the punkins. Then l
told EN- how to 90 to work. They
mustn't put more'n four seeds to a hill,
and they must go down Just such rows
After while sort O. sa inferred down
to see how they were gettin' on.
'Leslie's all through, long ago Cyrus
says. Smart, amt hep says |. Yes,
sir, says Cyrus, never lettin' on but
what he really thought so. What hills
did he seed?' says l. Cyrus told, and
began to investigate. There the seeds
We're at the beginnin' thicker'n puddin'
in every hill. and then they petered out
to none at all. That was one time
Cyrus got somethin' Leslie didnt--for
l didn't give Leslie any fish-pole.'
g remember that" said grandma,
''and it was only boy-like, after all. "
''Ye-es," responded grandpa; "only
I'd a little rather Leslie hadn't done
it."
The Peckhams' farm lay beside that
of Mr.. Weatherly, Leslie father. Mrs.
Susan Weatherly was Mrs. Peckham's
sister, and their houses lay less than an
eighth of mile apart. Mr.. Weatherly
and MIR. Peckham had built their barns
just about halfway between their two
houses, and close against each other
just alike, and warmer and better in
many respects for being built side by
side, though they were a long distance
from the house, the boys used to think
in winter.
1t was the day after Grandpa and
Grandma Peaselcy had held this con-
versation that Cyrus and Leslie, who
were thirteen and fourteen years old,
respectively, were out in the barns
doing the evening 'chores." Leslie
had finished first, as he usually did,
and had come in to gossip little with
Cyrus. 1t was about five o'clock, and
very dim in the barn, so Cyrus had
lighted the lantern and set it on the
corn-sheller near by.
'Why, there's Bounce!' exclaimed
Leslie, as great black dog came jump
ing in. "WeH, old fellow, how are
youp'' He began to froiic wildly with
the huge dog.
(I-ruSi hack +,,r,.oI ...I
not see Bounce spring up to the top of
the corn-sheller. He did not see the
lantern sway and totter but he did
hear the crash of glass and then
scream of horror from Leslie, as
Bounce dashed past them and out
doors. Then Cyrus understood that
the lantern had tipped over and
broken. There was a pile of hay close
by. The barn was on fire.
The color left Cyrus "little. peaked,
saller" face, but his ewes shone like
glow-worms on summer night
Somehow, u verse came into his mind
about ''instant in business. He must
be instant now.
Like flash he remembered that he
had heard animals would run into fire.
''Then, he thought, 1--WE can not save
the stock unless they are taken out be-
fore they see the blaze"
II think | can put this out" he
cried, hoarsely "Get out the horses,
though, Les, for fear l shouldn't.
Hurry"
He rushed for pail and water, of
which there was fortunately large
cistern near, and when he returned
Leslie had vanished.
''The horses will be saved, thank
goodnessW he said to himself.