The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-07-18
A HARD-WORkED BOY.

ing.
NOW. Jacky, Ill tell you what
chores you have to do this morning."
oh, DEAR" walled Jack. Il want to
go fishing. right off,"
You can 60 fishing. All you have
to do won't take you more than half an
hour. il you hurry"
i hate to do chores" said Jack.
..Of course you do. Every body
knows that. But chores have to DO
done. and II is good thing for small
boys to have something to do
Yes. yes.n said Jack. Every body
thinks small boys ought to work all the
time"
..You are to carry this pail OF cream
over to Mrs. Lees
Its ever so far"
1T is scarcely half mile. And cut
basket of kindling. and dig enough
potatoes for dinner"
Il hate to dig. II always makes my
back ache. And ! hate TO split kim
dlings; / most cut myself the other
day."
Here's the cream
Its such splendid morning for
fishing"
Jack whined dolefully as he took
the small pail and went through the
back yard.
Chores, chores!" he grumbled.
II do believe they think boys were
made for nothing else but to do chores.
/ shall be all tired out before | 60
fishing. If mother d ever been a boy
and had to do chores she'd know
Hannah, the girl tina. helped in the
kitchen. was in the yard. and Jacks
remarks had been half to her and half
to himself.
"Do you think your mother has no
chores to do. then?" asked Hannah.
OF course she hasn't" said Jack.
Ibid you ever see her piling wood, or
running errands. or driving the cows.
or cutting kindling?"
Did you ever see her making bread
or pies or cakes for little boys to eat?"
asked Hannah. Ibid you ever see her
making butter and cheese and soft
soap. Did you ever see her sweeping
and busting and making boys beds?
Did you ever see her making pants
and coats and mending stockings and
sewing on buttons?"
Here, Watch. Watch. Watchr'
called Jack, rs he turned into the lane.
Il believe I'll hitch Watch to the
little cart and make him draw me-
said Jack. Hes lazy fellow, and
ought to be good for something"
Jack set his pail down and hunted in
the barn for some straps and strings.
BY the time he had found enough,
Watch was gone, and had to be hunted
up again. 1t took some time TO har-
ness him in, and then he showed. as
he had often shown before. that he did
not enjoy being turned into q horse.
Get up. Watch! Behave yourself, l
say Jack seated himself in the cart.
ana ordered Watch to go on. Then
Watch came to a dead stand still until
Jack got out and led him, when he
would start off on brisk run. and
Jack would jump into the cart. But
the moment he felt the small boys
weight Watch again came to a halt.
After this had taken place about a
dozen times. the cream, strange to say,
arrived safely at Mrs. Lees.
Jack worked his way home as he had
come, and turned his dismal face to-
ward the woodward.
Il never did like to chop kindling. l
don't see why Hannah uses up such an
awful lot OF it. don't see why she
can't cut it herself. Stop nowhere
arc some good pieces lying here.
That'll be SO much less to cut"
He bounced on some small bits OF
wood, and then began looking for
more.
Perhaps can find enough without
cutting mite"
Up and down the yard went Jack,
carefully picking up chips and small
bits of wood. He found a long stick,
and, with much labor. broke it into
short pieces with his hands. He turned
over some heavy sticks Of wood to find
a few bits which lay under them. He
spent a good deal OF time breaking
splinters from the hard wood, getting
many silver into his fingers.
Il do declare. I've most got my
basket FULL" he at length said: "rll
finish with some OF these dry bushes
over on that heap in the corner
The bushes were thorny and hard to
get ut, but in the course of time Jack
had the satisfaction Of seeing his basket
filed.
Nov for tho potatoes. think Joe
ought to dig the potatoes. It's dread.
fully hard work to dig. ! believe I'll
get my bait first. and then shall be al
ready to 60 fishing"
Bait was rather scarce, and It tool
Jack full half-hour to get enough.
This duty done. Jack looked. with !;
groan. into the potato patch.
It'll take three hills, anyhow.
wonder what folks want to eat so man,
potatoes for. All! there's one most OF
top Of the ground. wonder why the,
plant potatoes SO deep under tn,
ground, anyway. Perhaps l can fint
some more on top Of the hills. Yes
there's one over in that row."
For an hour the small boy walked III
and down between the rows, pouncinl
upon any potato which might chanc
to be peeping out of the ground, oftel
roofing deeply with hands for other
which lay concealed near them.
We'll, I've got my potatoes at last!
he said, standing up to wipe his fore
head. land didn't have to dig bit
But It's awfully hot, and my back ache
like sixty. Of course, it's hard to &c
potatoes, evcn il you don't have to dig
What's that? It's the dinner-horn
But 1t can't BIO dinner-time. But wha
would they be blowing the horn for