Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-03-12
TWO FORCED HOLIDAYS.

II amt goin' ter stand this any
.oitger. They's jes workin' me to
.leIth, an there amt no use err bein' a
white slave furever. I'm old enough,
[ guess, to hev somethin' ter say bout
what ! shall do. Yes, I'm comin'!"
aising his voice to a shout. 'Thet's
he way tbs. Eff / aint a-workin' an
trainin' an workin' every minute, an
int jes' where they want me, there's
calm an a fussin' bout my laziness
IS ef Inever worked at all. 1t jes' amt
.ightf"
With slow, awkward steps, the
Speaker, an over grown lad of Is years,
moved from the bank Of the brook,
where lie had been resting, to a large
cIearing in the forest where his ak
and coat were thrown down by the
side Of a cord of wood
The sdiloquy was merely the nat
aral expression IT the thoughts that
.iad been coursilg through the boys
inind, as he bay dreaming ON the
,.rassy sods before the sound Of his
,ather's voice had disturbed him.
The sudden interruption of his day
cream irritated him, and the probable
thought that he would be reproved for
lis actions made his lot seem harder
han il was.
"Aint you got them logs piled up
-eti" was what he heard, as he sham
led across the open clearing TO where
isfather stood. Here / came up from
other clearin', 'specting you be ready
% help me with this ere team, an you
int half through yet. It's too pro-
1okin' fur anything, Jim, the way
hat you put me outP'
Mr.. Poulder looked very much an
noyed, and he remcved AS lat for an
instant and mopped the perspiration
from his brow with o quick, jerky
movement. Then he jammed 1t on
his bead again, and looked toward
the half fnished work of his son Jim,
meanwhile, calmly leaned against the
trunk of a large tree, debating within
his mind whether or not il was not
the proper time to inform his father
Just what he had been thinking Of.
There was an elementof romance in
this lonely farmers boy, and as he
looked at his father, he Aattered him
self that he was a hero. He had al
ready confessed to himself that he was
a white slave-a phrase he had culled
memorized from q dime novel that
had been lent to him by one Of his boy
ish playmates.
1T was true that, like all farmer
boys, he had been brought up TO work,
and although his father was some
times q little strict with him, compell-
ing him TO do his allotted task when he
had attempted to shirki II, Jim Powders
lot was not harder than that Of hum
dreds Of other boys in the country.
There seems to be O time in all boys
lives when they become dissatisfied
With their surroundings, and long for
some sensation, or change in the daily
routine of duty. This time had ar
rived for Jim Poulder, and, as an ex-
cuse for his indefinite longing for some
thing, he complained that too mucl
work had always been given bin
since he was able to handle a hoe or AK.
Jim was nota disobedient son, but
loved his father and mother, and con-
sidered il punishable crime to cross
either Of them by word or deed. Yet
sometimes he felt lonely and restless
ON the mountain side, and he often
thought had his work would not be
half 50 hard If he had a companion.
About his only recreation was found
in the woods, cunning, or idly fishing
in the small brook that flowed across
MS fathers farm.
He had left hiswork for a few min
utes TO Indulge in this pleasure, when
MS father came upon the scene, and it
a partly a guilty conscience reprov-
ing him that made the boy 30 irritable
md cross, and put him into such a de-
liant position toward every one.
"Fatbcr. I'm tired Of work." he
finally broke out, after his father had
been staring at the felled trees for
some tine.
Mr.. Poulder turned his head quickly
toward his SON and surveyed him
wonderingly for "A few seconds with
out speaking. Jim's eyes dropped be-
fore those Of his fathers, and a slight
blush stole into his tanned cheeks.
Tired Of work, you say, JimI"
The question was slowly asked, as IL
the speaker was rejecting, or had not
yet quite understood the full import Of
the lad's remark.
"Yes. father" continued the boy,
gaining courage by the silence that
followed. Il amt never grumbled
aforc, an I've allus done les what ye
told me 10, but II want because /
didn't feels ef l had more'n / ouQhter
10. There amt many fcllers thet has
20 do the work thet / hev, am there
aint rlapy thet would do II without
maxim a kick. IA I amt right ON
hand jes whcn ye want me there's 4
treat stewm' an fussin, ies as Of 10
committed solne crime. Two jes' been
readiu' whnfs a young Teller left homo
fur good fur jes' such treatment, an
how hc made his way up into the
world ia another s.atc. Ho com.
- IL - Ia ls.t IA.