The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-04-17
YOUTHS DEPARTMENT.
A ONE DAYS TRIAL.
The Agreement Phil Made With His
Mother, and How 1t Worked.


Mother, and How 1t Worked.
"Haye l got 20 rake up these leaves
every dayP" asked Phil, with whine
in his voice.
YES, every day."
''But what is the useP 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.
~ wouldn't care much if it wasn't"
said Phil.
"And your shirts have to be washed
every week. And the dishes you eat off
of have to be washed three times day.
You keep on eating, you know!'
Phil could not forbear 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 usually dawdled
over them for half an hour.
"Seems to me | have to do great
deal of work for other folks, " he went
on, mournfully. 81 have to pile wood,
and cut kindling, and drive the COW,
and water the tlowers-and things
do you have more to do for others
than others do for you?" asked his
mother.
"Yes, ma'am; 1 guess so. Any
way, if could stop doing things for
folks, they might stop doing things for
me-"
"Do you really mean that ?'
eyes, indeed" said Phil, eagerly,
May try it, mamma ?''
'Ifyou like. You may try it for one
day"
lone dayl Oh! want to try if for
a week And if it works well, can 1
keep it upP"
Eyes. "
Remember, then, mamma, nobo-
dy's to ask me to do a single thing, and
I'll remember my part Hurrahn'
Phil dropped the rake over the small
pile of leaves, and rushed away to look
at his tish-line; for he had made up his
mind to 90 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.
Mammal he cried, picking himself
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 garments.
"Ah! two buttons off my other pants,
and l forgot to tell about it. Never
mind; | can sew them on myself. l
often have. It's easy enough to sew on
buttons"
1t had 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. II took him a long
4 time to thread the needle, and then
every stitch was a separate trial. he
tugged away, got hot and Hurried and
pricked his finger time and again.
At last, he felt sure the button was
sewed on tight. Bat as he sprang up
to put on the trousers, he found that
they were sewed to the skirt of the coat
he had on. With tears halfway to his
eyes, he took out his knife and cut the
stitches. No one was waiting to see il
LIS necktie was neatly tied, or to hand
! him his books The school-bell was
ringing, and he rushed away with the
torn trousers on
But he was late, TO his great regret;
for he had begun school with a resolve
not to have one tardy mark during the
year
The tear in the trousers kept catch
ing In things and tearing larger until
ne was very much ashamed of it, and
glad, at length, to hurry home. As he
again sewed on the button, he could
not help wondering if mending ones
own clothes were not little harder
than cutting kindling.
Never mind, " he said to himself.
Nobody will ask me to do any thing
after dinner, and | can do just what
please all day when l get ont OF
school"
He went to the dinner-table with 8
boys appetite.
" Where S my plate?' he asked, see
Mg no place ready for him.
Have you forgotten our agree
meDt?" asked his mother.
why, no, mamma. l said nobody
need do any thing for me. | am going
to wash my own dishes when In
done"
"But do you expect any one 10 cool
for youP"
Phil stared at her for a moment, thel
gave a rather blank look at the roas
beef and the sweet potatoes, But HI
was not ready to give up.
II did forget, that's fact, " he said
with laugh, as he turned and wen
out.
But there was little spirit in tn
laugh, and mamma looked after hin
with a sober face.
Il can't see him miss his dinner,
, she said.
But his father said: Let him lear
his little lesson well. 1t will not hun
him."
Phil went out to the orchard and al
apples, not troubling himself to thin
whether anybody had raised them te
him, and rejoicing in the reflection ths