The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-08-21
JOHNNIE'S LETTER.

He Communicates Some Very Startling In
formation to His Absent Brother.
Johnnie was sick one day-not very
sick, but SO that he had to stay in
the house. After awhile he grew tired
of all his books and playthings, and
didn't know what to do. His mother
suggested that he might write letter
to his brother Harry, who was away
at college. So he did, and this is what
he wrote:
DEAR HARRY: Ihave got sore throat, and
I don't know what else to do, so ! am going to
write to you and tell you all the news Our
house has been RACED. Papa got some men to
do it, and he says he is satisfied now He is
thinking of ceding his land soon, and he has
promised to let me have q few roes to take care
of.
Maria died this morning and had some fun
watching her, for my throat is so bad | can't go
outdoors.
Aunt Kate was here last week. Just before
she went away she gave mamma rap.
must stop now, for smell the stake cook
ing, and suppose dinner will soon be ready.
Your affectionate brother,
JOHNNIE CURTIS.
He copied it neatly and felt quite
proud of his letter as he gave it to his
father to mail. But he was surprised
and puzzled when, two days later, he
received this reply to it,
MY DEAR JOHNNIE: am greatly shocked by
the contents of your letter, which have just
received. 1t is so strange that mother did not
say any thing in her last letter about this
trouble having come upon father. suppose
she thought it would worry me, and indeed 1t
does for insanity is terrible thing. Poor
fathers mind must be considerably affected, II
he has had the house torn down, and wants to
give up the land he worked so hard to get.
Tell mother that know about it, and, II she
should need me at any time, to send q tele-
gram, and l will hold myself in readiness to
start Immediately. 1 think I shall come, any
way, before long, for want to see how you are
situated.
always thought Aunt Kate perfect lady,
and can not imagine how she could SO far for
get herself as to strike her sister,
Now, Johnnie, you must be good, and not
give mother the least trouble, for she has
enough of that now. II were in your place
wouldn't say word about those animals
father promised to give you and perhaps he
will forget about them. 1t would be much
better II he would, for I am sure he car not
afford to get them if he has coded his land
away.
So Maria is dead Well, am sorry; she was
a very faithful servant. And you ought to be
ashamed Of yourself, Johnnie, for thinking II
fun to see her die. / wouldn't have believed
my little brother could be so heartless.
don't understand the last sentence Of your
letter. / never heard before of cooking q
stake and do not see how any thing digesti
Bile could be prepared from one.
Hope your throat is well by this time.
Your loving brother, HARRY
well, what does Harry have to
say9" asked Mr.. Curtis, after johnnie
had read the letter through.
why, l don't know. l can't see
what he means at all" said Johnnie,
with a bewildered look, giving the let
ter to his father.
Mr.. Curtis read it, then looked up
with frown and asked:
What nonsense have been writing
to your brother?"
Johnnie disclaimed having written
any nonsense. and brought his slate
with the first draft of his letter still
upon it for proof.
After a comparison of the two letters
Mr.. Curtis began to laugh, and John
ME, somewhat nettled, said he wouldn't
write any more letters if every body
was going to make fun of them. Then
his father showed him that he had
written RACED instead of raised, and
they looked for both. words in the die
tionary.
So Johnnie learned that rdze means
to destroy, and raise to lift up. He
found, too, with his fathers help, that
he had used ceding for seeding, roes for
rovs, died for dyed, rap for wrap, and
stake for steak, and so had really writ.
ten something very different from what
he had intended.
He sent Harry another letter before
long to explain things, and he was
careful to look in the dictionary for
every word he was not sure he could
spell right.
After that he was very attentive to
his spelling lessons, for he saw tina,
mistakes in spelling might sometimes
make great deal of trouble. Y.
Advocate.