The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1888-05-31
WHAT ROB DID.
And An Because Of His Attentive
Hearing.

| plenty. Rob sOberlv admitted
When his father said TO his mother
Hush. here's our little pitcher, he ha
big ears. you know" Rob thought {,
himself: 1T must he my ears. I'll q
and look" So he gazed at them, turn
ing this way and that. and finally
measured them with his mothers tape
measure. ito know for sure" ne sait
to himself That night he set mp in bel
when bis mother came 10 tuck him up
''Mamms. said Rob. Il measured
lots Of the fellows ears after schools
Willie STATIONS. Fred Warren's. +,
Persons and lots Of others. aud they n
all rs big a. mine and bigger except
John Willis. His are awful SINAI
and he's real stingy. Now why did
papa call mine pitchers? asked the
teacher but she laughed and said she
couldn't tell me-"
His mother had hard work to keeT
nom laughing at the characteristic
question. but the earnest face re-
strained her; and. covering Rob with
warm blankets. she explained the mean
ing Of the proverb and added: MY lit
tie boy must use what he hears to help
others, and never repeat any thing
except to papa or me. To hear quickly
and correctly will be great help when
you are q man. but now You must 20 to
sleep aud be ready for play in the
morning"
Rob had partly guessed it this time.
Il tGas his ears which made him queer.
There never were sharper ones 10 hear
all the speeches older people made
careless. wise. thoughtful and joking
all were caught BY his sharp ears and
laid away in the active mind TO be
brought out at some unexpected
mo ment Such an alive little fellow as
he wasl From the time he could talk
his lively tongue was the terror of his
older sister and brother. whose dearest
secrets he often made known to the
cold world At length his father said
his little boy must stop talking II he
could not help hearing. and Danish
ment from the family sitting-room fol-
lowed. This. together with some low
ing. reproving talks from his mother.
taught Rob TO be silent.
But every one loved Rob. Even
Dash, the dog. who was getting old
and cross. would wag his tail when Rob
came BY. Such willing feet and hands
he had. and such generous. tender
heart.
But / must tell yOu what Rob did
and how he put one piece IT knowledge
10 its hest use. Mr.. Gray. Rob's father.
lived on the main street at the end Of
Of a country village. Near the house
stretched large meadow crossed by q
brisk little river with shelving. sandy
banks. One summer. Rob's two little
cousins. Bessie and AMY. were brought
there while their frail mother was taken
TO the mountains. Rob was delighted
At the prospect Of constant playfellows.
Although he could whistle and halloO
~ loud a. any bny, climb and Jump,
tear of his buttons. burst his shoes
and dismay his mother with break
neck pranks. vet he WAS full Of kind
ness aud chivalric instincts towards
those younger and weaker than him
self Bessie was about eight and
almost as tall rs Roll. while Amy vas
= tiny blue-eyed child couple Of years
younger Both were ciiy-bred and shy,
timorous creatures, given to quiet
plays. Rob was greatly attracted by
their gentle ways and their brave
efforts 10 smile when their father and
mother went away. leaving them alone
for the first time in their lives. Rob's
bright eye saw just how it was. and then
he heard his uncle say to his mother:
Don't let any harm happen To our lit
tie girl'. for the dortnr said a sudden
shock would kill Alice" From that
moment he gave himself up to caring
for his cousins all the long summer.
Sister Grace dressed them and curled
their hair each dav and prepared n
pleasant room next To hers for them,
while Rob's mother fell them generous
bowls of bread and milk. cookies.
gingerbread and berries. and ooaxed
them with tooihsone broihs aud eggs
She privately said to Rob's father that
Il was pitiful to see how much Of them
was merely clothes and how little was
body.
But It was Rob who took chre Of
them all the day. taking them to the
barn TO hunt for eggs or watched the
cows MIXED: giving the part Of his
garden patch aud helping them weed
and water the miguOnette. petunias
and struggling sweet peas they
planted; teaching them to ride his |
Veloeipede. aud even Initiating them
into the mysteries Of PLAYING marbles
and ball lie swung them till his |
manly arms ached. He took them
fishing with him. although their chat
ter drove the perch away and he was
obliged 10 come away with only three
on his twig. Rob was a natural fisher
man and this was indeed a trial. for
his efforts were never before so poorly
rewarded. Every game he knew he
taught Bessie and Amy. and showed
them every favOFite hiding place.
They in their turn thought him the
'lOveliest boy in the world" and each
little scrRwl Of letter to their mother
was chiefly made up Of Rob did this"
1r Rob showed rs how" or Rob let
rs take that.
The days passed by swiftly and hap
pily for these young people and
August wss drawing towards its end.
The DAYS were oppressively hot and
he children. tired Of books aud quiet
James. one day went down the country
'oad. shaded BY naples and elns set
ct out By Rob's grandfather. 20"
aid Roh. ''let's 90 and sit under that
'ig maple by the riverl / can see the
caves move, and guess there'll be
'resth Of air there and lots Of stones
md sticks 10 peg into the water"
Rob led the way. crawling through q
onvenisnt hole in the rail fence. Skip
rent tie stoaes and splash went he