Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-05-05
A Story for Boys.

right in to breakfast" She listened,
but no answering call came back to
her.
The family breakfast was waiting on
the table in the neat kitchen of a com.
Portable farmhouse, and as she had
| left the cornbread in the oven when
she went to the gate, she could not
wait long, so fastened back, and as
the rest of the family sat down to tho
table she pat on plate of steaming
cornbread Drowned to a turn" It
smelled so good and looked so nice
one of the BOYS exclaimed:
Il declare, Janet, nobody can make
such cornbread as you do. l don't
know what will become of us when
Mr.. Smith carries you of.
Janet was pleased with the boys
praise, but her cheeks got red, never
theless.
what makes you blush so, Janet 2"
! called out another brother. 81 know
one thing certain, Mr.. Smith will al
ways have awful good cornbread, and
L mean to tell him so next time he
comes"
And so the good-natured converse
ton went on, and Janet forgot about
Walter till the meal was nearly over.
When all were finished, she cleared off
the table, then went to the best
room," as the parlor was called in the
good old days of the past, and began
setting small table with fresh cloth,
best china, etc.
"oanet, what in the world are you
do.ng?" called out her mother.
"Wait few moments, mother, and
you will see. I'm going to play joke
on Walter that L think will make him
more punctual to his meals"
SO she finished setting the table,
then returned to the kitchen, and with
great care prepared an extra-nice
breakfast.
At last she heard Walter go into
the shed where the boys washed and
brushed up before going to their meals.
She hurried the break asst on to the
table in the "best ROOM" and was back
in the kitchen when Walter came in.
He looked around and saw the break
fast table all cleared away, and was
very much surprised and said:
Janet, can't have some breakfast?
1 didn't mean to be so late"
He followed her. too much surprised
to ask any questions. and when he saw
the neat little table and dainty break
fast waiting for him he felt so ashamed
he could only sit down and eat in 81
lence. Janet passed him the different
dishes and served him most arefully.
All she said was: when farm man
has to work SO hard he can't stop to eat
when the regular meal time comes,
when he does stop he needs an extra
nice breakfast in cool room this warm
weather, and is too tired to serve him
self" Simple words in themselves,
but her tone and manner made them
cut deep into the little boys heart
He knew he had been so busy playing
down to the creek, trying to make
water-wheel, that he had not needed
her call. She had often reproved him
when late, but never had he received
such lesson as this; to eat all alone
in the best room, and his tall, womanly
sister waiting on him, was rather too
much, but he was too proud not to eat,
and, although he was hungry enough
when he came in, he had to force down
the nice food before him, and when he
couldn't possibly make another mouth
full go down he meekly asked: Shall
go now, Janet?"
"Oh, yes, certainly; very busy
man must never be detained in the
house. I'll fill the wood-box"
SO out Walter went, but somehow
his water-wheel had lost it's fascination,
and the water in the creek didn't
seem to sparkle half so much,
and the stones in the bottom didn't
look as pretty as they had when play
ing before breakfast. At last he said
to HIMSELF
Il declare. wouldn't go through
that again for all the play in
the world. Catch me being late
again very soon. 1 can't do anything
more with this water-wheel. 1 wish /
hadn't begun it till after breakfast.
Then with a long-drawn sigh he ran
back to the house, opened the kitchen
door, and called out:
"Say, Janet. please let me fill the
wood-bo 1 don't want to play any
more, and I'm sorry 1 made you so
much trouble. won't be late again
if you will be good to me now"
wasn't good to you? And didn't
l give you a nice breakfast" asked
Janet.
"Oh, yes, you were too good, and
gave me too nice breakfast; it made
a Teller feel awful mean"
We'll, you can fill the wood-box and
do your other morning duties, if you
have time" said Janet-she couldn't
resist parting shot, as he eagerly ran
out for wood.
Never was big box filled quicker
and yet with more care. He felt as if
II load had been lifted from his shout
ders. and ran here and there, merrily
whistling as he went. His sisters way
of giving him lesson had worked like
a charm, though it was hard on fell
ler." And after that long-remembered
morning he was the first one to obey
the call to meals.
One day Walter was going down the
road to school, when he met one of his
playmates crying most bitterly.
why, Tom, what is the matter?'
called Walter.
Tom replied with much sobbing, "My
my-bro-brother is-is-dead
"Oh, Pm so sorry" said Walter, "but
don't cry any more now"
"Oh," said Tom, "fa-father -cri-
cried and mo-mother-cried, and
and-we all cri->ried, but-I-I-
I've cried-mor -more'n -any-body?
as that so? What makes you cry
more than the otherS?" asked Walter.
I