Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-08-30
CHECKERS.

''Playing checkersr exclaimed grandfather
Weatherby with a look of great surprise.
''Wen, what's the harm of checkers, grand
fatherF' asked Dick in a rather fretgul tone.
''You play checkers yourself. 1t was yoa
that taught me to play"
''Yes, checkers are very well in the even
ing when all the works DONE" said grar,d-
father Il believe in having fun at the rig ht
time; all work and no play makes Jack a
duh boy. But checkers in the day timet
You never saw me doing such thing as
that, did youg'
''Daytime's good enough" grumbled Dick
''Yes, plenty good enough for a boy that
never means to amount TO anything said
the old farmer.
'SIve done my chores and all that father
set me to do, said Dick.
''That's Just the sort of talk you hear from
that sort Of a boy persisted his GRANDPA
Their. "he does first what he's set TO do, and
then he sits down in the shade on a summer
day and plays checkers WY, when l was
your age / could have covered every one Of
my twelve squares with a silver piece of my
own earning. Perhaps it was because
didn't have such an easy going father as
you've got But that oughtn't to make the
difference. A boy ought to have it in him
self and then it's sure 70 come out some
whe7an
Dick swept his hand across the board with
an impatience due partly TO the keen criti-
cisIn of himself, partly TO his inward convfc
ton that he deserved all that was said. But
il was impossible to get angry at the half
sober, half joking words of the genial old
urz;I
81 guess you're about right, grandfather.
l guess it was in you and It isn't in me-"
''Moref the pity said his grandfather,
now wholly serious. ''Seems to me this isn't
the kind of a world for boy TO sit back in
and just do what he's told TO do and nothing
further Why, everything about him seems
20 be saying: Look about you, you young
lubber, and see how everything's working
with you if you'll only take hand in it Look
ct the earth and the sun and the rainfall
ready to be your servants, You never see
them idiing around"
Grandpa Weatherby, having said his say,
set out with sturdy strides toward his own
farm, a mile distant. Dick was stung more
deeply by his words than the old gentleman
imagined.
Come, let's go on" urged Sam Jones, a
lounger of the neighborhood. THAT was a
nptop game you spoiled"
But Dick turned away from him in i'll hui
NOR with himself and every one else. There
was more truth in what had been said than
he liked to acknowledge. He, boy of IA,
had never raised his hand to do a thing that
was not required Of him, and the require
ments mad been very moderate He had at
tended school through the school season,
doing light work the while and in the sum-
mer had engaged in the farm work in the
easy going style his grandfather had allud-
ed so.
81 guess II Is just as he says" unused Dick
as he carried the checker board into the
house. There isn't many a boy about here
that doesn't begin to look out for earning a
bit by the time he Is as old Us | am There.
old checker board, I'm getting too awfully
fond of you You may 60 into that corner,
and stick there, for all of me- until have
shown grandfather I'm good for something
if | can"
Dick strcned thoughtfully out into the
fields, wondering in what direction he had
better turn his energies There was plenty
of work all about him and be knew well that
his father would hire him and, except in the
matter Of the hight duties which he always
'exacted from his sons, would pay him fair
price for his work
Whats all that going on over in Deacon
BlaiSdell's fallowF' He had WALKED unri be
had reached the boundaries OF his fathers
farm. when his attention was attracted by a
wonderful amount Of vThooping and halloo-
ing little way beyond
Its drove Of cattle-aRd a big drove.
too. Bad business If they set into the fal- /
low"
lie made his way out 70 the road, which +
was now flled with the cattle pressing on .
through the dust. Deacon Blaisdeil's fallow I
was not fenced, and the drovers were max /
ing their best efforts to keep the restless herd
from strsying among the logs and bushes
1t would be unlike a farmers boy not 20
offer bis mite Of help in such an emergency.
Dick took his stand In the rh.nly manned
line, and by dins Of persistent shouting and /
orandishing Of branches gave valuable aid
In the course Of time the drove had passed .
by, with the exception Of one lively steer
which had made It's way far into the fallow.
III give you fifty cents if You'll get that
critter out for me, said the drover 10 Dick
be- thatA co for nv nest egg said Dick
70 himself. 'IH do Il, mister" he added,
aloud
Picking his way auzsng briers and bushes
until be got the steer between himself and
the road. by Irris clever maneuvering and
a good deal Of activity, ho before lone s,,c-
cee,ded IN sanding the animal trottinr after
the rest OF the herd, now some distance dow,
the road And then Dick came. ont Of
breath, up to wagon driven by one Of the
drovers TO receive his well earned par.
Poor thing" be said, looking at a calf
which lay in the wagon. gesping as If In
great suffering. AIS 1t sicki"
Not SO much that as overdriven," said the
man. ave had only few such young ones
fact is, don't hold TO taking such. but it
is such likely one thought ii might worry
through. But guess it amt got much chancs
In this hot sun, and can't wait for il TO get
shade Sas-n ne addAd-naassan-ziah HAA-h.lf L