The Arizona sentinel., 1888-03-17
HOW THe TAX WAS PAID.
And Why johnnie BrOIn's Mother Thinks
 Her Boy Will Make Man.


 The Brow fl's were rather poor. Thay lived in their own small house. but you will guess that it was not much of place when 1 tell you that the lax on it was jIst two dollars. Widow Brown lived Dy washing for her richer neigh bors, and supported her two children. Johnnie and Daisy.
 Last year Johnnie. being past ten years old. and strong boy. under took 10 pay the tax himself The bill came in November. and was due about the middle of Dec mber. Johnnie had been saving every penny lie could earn, aril had already eighty-seven cents put away In tiny old pewter pitcher on fiIe high shelf of the tupb3afl. l. He had. moreover, a job on hand that was likely to last long enough. to make up the whole sum. Deacon DeWitt's old storehouse had been pulled down, and was to be rebuilt on the opposite siIe of inc road. and there was a great pile of bricks to be iiiOYed over, and John nie was moving them in his own little wooden cart. Back and forth. back and forth he went in the mornings be- fore school hours, and after school was out at night, his wooden wheels creak, creaking under tleir load. the pile of bricks steadily growing smaller on one side of Inc Toad and larger on the other. and the pile of riHlsels and pen ifies as steadily increasing.
 There were two mornings m each week that Jolranie could not work; the days that his nother Was away at her washing le nuststay tt home and take caIa of little pI's,. S) he had but four working days in each week.
 The mornings grew shorter and colder. December csn1e in, and the air was frosty to Johnnie's n5se when he put it out the door before the st;d was up, and the bricks were frosty 10 lis fingers, and they wore out his nit tens SO fast that there was nearly al- ways hole in them, and JGhnnie's afdor began 10 cool, and he cuddlod down under the blankets for "cne more little snocze'' so many mornings that it began 10 b. dol btful about the tax money being ready in time. Every night he worked as lH.g as his wOther would allow him t) stay out, and Temt in resolving to De up and at it early next morning; and the next morning his ardor wasas cool as the 4tea her, and he couldn't seem to get it rekInS dled until the sun was we'll up.
 What shall Ido to nidkc myself get np tie minute 1 wake? Ma, wish you would make me-" he often said.
 And the wise little mother as often replied: You Il never be g man unless you make yourself do the right things, my Johnnie! I'm not going to pull tott out of bed mornings. and you past ten, and the only niar about the house!"
 And then Johnnie would beat his knees with his fists and say: q WiH! TWILL get upr'
 And perhaps the next morning he would, but after that fell back into the old way again. And the days went by steadily, and the money wasn't ac- cumulating fast enough.
 Il guess you won't manage to get it all, Johnnie. said his mother one evening. T shall have to save quarter or so to make it up."
 And Johnnie felt rather than heard in the words shale of disrespect for .rhe only man about the hous'."
 How many days are there left before tax-day?' he aske I.
 Only six that you can work. re- piled his mother.
 Only sixr' repeated Johnnie. "Only SIX! 1 didn't think it was quite 50 near Why won't you let me stay out longer nights, ma?"
 You do stay out about as long as you can see. 1 don't think it is best for you to be out after dark. You may get up in the morning as early as you choose. but evenings you mus, be in the house.
 Johnnie went to bed that night in rather low spirits. He feared his best efforts would not now make up Tor those lost morning hours. H; walked very early next morning, and jumped out of bed without minutes delay. He was half-dpessed before he disc-v- cred that it was 10t daylight that sA0ne