The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-08-16

| oeeH1s as VI every JnluB goes WrouB
this morning somehow
$50 it does" said Uncle Ezekiel
giving a backward glance as he walk
ed off, and then turning fairly around
"Mary," said he, "Pve made dis
covery. Toms pretty handy boy TO
have around mornin's."
II guess you'd thought so if you'd
seen me picking up wet chips for kind
din wood sighed Aunt Mary.
"There! did forget it, after all"
said Uncle Ezekiel, regretfuliy. TON
told me the very last thing to be sure
an not forget Amt Mary's kindlin'
wood. That boy must step round
pretty lively mo.nin's TO get through
before school, an l never thought he
did any thing eitherl Don't seem to,
somehow
AT last they gathered around the
breakfast table, an hour late. 1t was
lent, like the supper of the night
before, and other silent meals succeed
ed it,
81 don't know what in the world I'm
goo' to do about the pieces said
Aunt Mary, complainingy. Tom had
been gone six days. "There's pieces
of pie we've left settin all down one
of the pantry shelves, and there's that
| jar of cookiesl Its full yet, and it
don't last any time when Toms home.
He's worth sight to eat up the pieces,
anyway. Beats all how that boy enjoys
| eatin."
"Seems as though we don't eat any
| thing" she said again that evening as
she looked around the supper table
discontentedly.
The professor had already folded his
napkin, aud was looking through his
glasses straight before him with a
| serious air.
"Isn't there any thing more that you
would like?" she asked, turning to
him.
"Thank you, no." he replied. Il
was inst thinking" he added, rather
primiy, las | looked at the empty
place, that nature abhors vacuum,
and it would be rather pleasant TO have
Toms merry face opposite me-
"'Twould be great thing for the
cookies and pies, anyway" remarked
Uncle I-kiel. They're just spilin'
for him, to say nothing of the evenin'
chores, and he walked out heavily to
stable the horse, lock up the barn and
split the kindling.
About eight o'clock that evening they
all gathered in the old-fashioned sit
ting room. around the cheerful open
fire, for the evening was cool. The
professor sat at his own little table,
writing a very learn' d article on "The
Higher Education;" Aunt Mary was
knitting on warm aud cozy looking
rei mitten-not very large one-and
Uncle Ezekiel was busy trying to find
out from the columns of the village pa
per which party was going to save the
country in the coming elections.
1t was perfectly 'quiet" and they
were enjoying "peaoe." Not sound
broke the silence until cricket. think
ing itself alone, came out on the hearth
and chrped little.
"rhere," said Aunt Mary, "Im
thankful to hear something. Seems as
If we're having funeral here now
adays."
| Uncle Ezekiel looked over the top OF
the paper and caught her furtively
wiping away tear.
"Now, now, Mary, that'll never do,
said he, soothingly. "Whats gone
wrong today"
"Oh, | don't know what is the mat
ter, she replied. "Perhaps I'm rerv'
ous. But it's dreadful lonesome.
| Uncle Ezekiel arose, and laying aside
the paper, walked up and down the
room with his hands clasped behind
him, as he was in the habit OF doing
when meditating any serious project
such as going into town or runnin2
down to the beach for day or two.
"Mary," said he, after few turns
"1'm going into b 'ston tomorrow Oh
some business, an guess Id better
run down to Sandwich an bring tha
boy home with me next day"
| Aunt Mary's face went through {
Kaleidoscope change, and came ou
beaming like full moon.
Chats the very b.st thing you cal
do, 'Zekiel," said she. Bring hin
right home to morr afternoon, anC
Iii have Just the best supper for him
Seems as if I'd been living for the las
week IN kind of deaf and duml
asylum"
The professor looked up from hi
, learned theme with gratitied air.
"Yea," said he, with his character
stic primness of expression, sit woulC
indeed be exceedingly agreeable to Sc
Master Toms beaming countenanc
once more at our evening repast."
But Toni What delightful time b
was having at Sandwich! Nobody sal
''Don't" to him from morning unit
night He had often thought that ha
he been the author of that famous littl
, volume 'tDont, and founded it on hi
, own experience, 1t would have been a
large as the Unabridged Dictionary
He took such deep, full breaths Q
, freedom with no one TO criticlse ever
p movement.
a Mr.. Saunders, whose son Tom wa
, visiting, was a glass blowing phlo'
opher, perfectly devoted to his calling
, department which gave him frequeI
!, opportunities for that meditation whic
all philosophers love. He believed ths
? children had altogether too much prul
/ ing and nagglng, and used to say
Aleck, his eldest boy; 'Look her
=, Aleck, you do what you think is abor
a right today, and if you make any mi
takes, come to me and we will 81
l. what we can do about it,"
i The plan seemed to have worke
y well SO far, but then Aleck Saunde
l. was a remarkably good boy naturall
aud needed little pruning
, Ga the Fiday of Uncle Eekiers u
= expected advent, the two boys had bee
, all over the glass works. 1t was oil
=, of Mr.. Saunders leisure days, and i
7 stead of "philosophz'ng," he we
over the works with them, explainir
70 every process, aud Tom had been {
a lowed to blow something that came o
h, looking like the "missing link" betwe
W. a COW and sn elephant