Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1888-06-29

| tic TOOK up ms brush and went
TRANQUILITY TO work. Ben Rogers
hove in sight presently---thc very
boy OF all boys, whose ridieulc he
had been drcadiug. Ben's gait wa,
the hop-skip. and -jump-proo
enough that his heart was light
and his antieipations high. lie was
eating an apple and giving long
melodious whoop, at intervals, fol.
lowed by deep toned ding.dong
dong, for he was persenating q
steamboat. AS he drew near. he
s'ackcned speed, took the middle OF
the street, leaned far over the star.
board and rounded to, ponderousl, I,
aud with laborious pomp and cir.
cumstance-for he was personal.
ing the Big Missouri, and considered
himself TO be drawing nine feet of
water. He was boat, captain and
engine bells combined, so Inc had to
imagine himself standing on his
own hurricane deck giving the
orders and executing them:
"S,op her, Sir. Ting ling ling. "
The Roadway ran almost out, and
he drew up slowly toward the
sidewalk.
"Ship up to back Ting. ling
ling" His arms straightencd and
stifi'encd down his sides.
"Set her back on the staboardl
Ting -a.ling ling. Chow, eh.ehow.
chow.wow! chow" His right
hand, meantime, describing stately
circles-for il was representing a
forty foot wheel.
''Lct her go back on the labbord!
Ting.a-ling ling. Chow-ch chow.
chow" The left hand began to
describe the circles.
Stop the stabbordl Ting ling
ling. Stop the labbord, come ahead
on the stabbordl Stop her. Let
your outside turn over slow. Ting.
a-ling.ling. Chow-ow-ow. Get
out that head Incl lively now.
Come--out with your spring line
what'rc YOU about there. Take n
turn around that stump with the
blight of IT, Stand by that stage
now let her go. Done with the
engines, sir! Ting-a.ling.ling Shit
shit SHIT" Crying the gauge cocks).
Tom went on whItcwashing-
paid no attention TO the steamboat.
Ben stared a moment and then said:
"Hi-yi, you're a stump, amt you"
No answer Tom surveyed his
last touch with the eye Of an artist;
then he gave his brush another
gentle sweep and surveyed the re-
suit as before. Ben ranged up
alongside of him. Toms mouth
wa,ered for the apple, but he stuck
TO his work. Ben said:
Hello, old chap, you, got to
work, heyi"
Tom wheeled suddenly and said.
why, it's you, Ben. | warn't
noticing"
"Say--Im going in a-swimming,
am. Don't you wish you couldY
But OF course you'd druther work
wouldn't your Course you would
Tom contemplated the boy bit,
and said:
"What do YOU call work."
"Why amt that workN
Tom resumed his white washing,
and answered oarelessly:
"Well, maybe il is, and maybe il
amt. All / know is, it suits Tom
Sawyer"
"Oh, come now, you don't mean
TO let on that YOU like IT,"
The brush continued 10 move.
Like III Well, | don't sec why
! oughtn't TO like IT, Does boy
get chance 10 whi.ewash a fence
every dayl"
That put the thing in n new light.
Ben stopped nibbling bis apple.
Tom swept the brush daintily back
and forih--stepped back 20 note
the ehect-added touch here and
criticised the effect again
Ben watching every move, and get.
ting more and more interested, more
and more absorbed. Presently be
said.
Say, Tom, let me whitewash
little"
Tom considered, was about to
consent but be altered his mind
"No-no--I reckon "a wouldn't
hardly do, Ben. You see, Aunt
Polly's awful particular about this
fence--right here on the street, you
know; but IL IL was the back fence
wouldn't mind, and she wouldn't.
Yes, she's awfui particular about
this fence; it's got 10 be done very
careful; reckon there amt one
boy in thousand. maybe two thou
sand, that can do il the way is got
I % be done"
"No--i. that soi oh, come, now
--lcmme just tfy. Only just a little
Id let you. u you was me, Tom.
Ben, I'd like TO. honest iniun
but Aunt Polly well, Jim wanted
TO do IL, but she wouldn't let him.
Sid wanted TO do "a. and she
wouldn't let Sid. Now don't you
see how I'm fxcd' IL YOU was to
tackle this fence and anything was
to happen 10 it,"
ooh, shueks, Tll be jus, as care.
fuL Now lemme try Say TIL give
you the core Of nay apple.
"Wcll. hcre-No. Ben, now don't
/ I'm afcared