The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-08-16
THAT BoTHERs0ME BOY.
HIS ABSENCE CAUSED MORE TROUBLE
THAN Ills PRESENCE.

There ~ a certain age oil JnaJ pay
ful mischevous animal, the boy, when
a home is thought to be made pleasant
er for his absence.
Deacon Ezokei Croft and his wife,
"Aunt Mary" as everybody called her,
were about 10 eljoy the felicity of q
house, minus shat boy for Tom
their noisy nephew, had gone to spend
whole fortnight at Sandwich among
the glass blowers and sardpipers.
"Whst rest 1t will b." sighed
Aunt Mary, remembering Toms hob.
nailed shoes and dreadful appetite
and the young professor, who was
boarding with them, "thanked his
stars Y their Latin names-that at
last he could "have a little peace"
1t was Just supper time, and the
three sat down to a bountlful country
table. Aunt Mary, by force of habit,
had placed four chairs, but one was
vacant, and the pause which followed
the blessing was Somewhat awkward.
As a general thing Aunt Mary look
cd over at Tom Immediately and said :
"Tom, take your elbow off the table, y
or tom, where is your napkin? do
wish that could ever teach you man.
ners at the tAbler
"Uncle 'Zckiel," was apt to ask as
soon as there was pause: "Tom, did
you come right home from school and
do the chores?" And if-as sometimes
happened-Tom could answer in his
off hand way: eyes, sir, all done, then
Uncle Ezekiel would ponder darkly for
few minutes, finally coming out with:
"Tom, how many boys did you take
down to the cider-mill week ago
last Saturday, or something similar.
Then while Uncle Ezekiel was sum-
monirg up the evil deeds of departed
Saturdays, the professor found his op-
portunity.
Hadn't ought, as / have often
told you, Master Tom, is entirely con-
trary to the genius OF the English Ian
guage. "Ought no,' is the correct ex-
preston" he would add, with school
masters didactic air.
By this time, in spite of his various
sins, Tom, going on with undimiuished
appetite, had worked his way to about
the sixth biscuit
II neve,!'' Aunt Mary would say as
he took it. "You'll certainly have the
dyspepsy, Tom
"No, Aunt MARY Tom would an.
swer, his good humor as irrepre sible
as his appetite. ''I'm sate up to ten
tens my imit-never 60 over"
So, at this first supper, it is not
strange that there was sudden sill
ence, since the unfaling subjec-and
object-of conversation was absent.
Finally Uncle Ezekiel spoke, looking
over at the vacant place again.
"Seems kinder lop-sided an lonesome
without Tom, after all.
Now, guess it will be happy
lonesome for the next two weeks" re
piled Aunt Mary. 81 should like to
have chance to 'hear myself think
onca in awhile
Aunt Mary had an opportunity t.
shear herself think all that evening
There was no one to upset her nerves
by sudden haud springs, popping corn
| cracking nuts or munching apples
while ne pretended to study. But
somehow, her quiet thinking seemed {
fatigung operation, for, weary and a
little di-pirited in appearance, ut half
past eight she rolled up her knitting
work ard retired for the night.
Neither thoughts nor dreams dis
turbed her until in the early twilight n
the next morning voice penetrated
the mis-, of slumber land, calling
"Tom! TOO N! Come Tom!' AnC
looking out she saw her husband stand
ng at the foot of the back stairs, call
ing with all his might: Sect up, Tom
Time to make the kitchen fire, Tom
Come! Come! To m! Don't be {
sluggard!
|. early to bed and early to rise,
Makes a boy healthy, wealthy and wise.
"Whv, Ezekiel Croft" called ou
Aunt Mary, in astonishment, "be yol
clean gone off your mind this morn
ing? Don't you remember that tha
boys gone to Sand wich?"
"Well, declare said Uncle 'Ze
kiel, sinking down into splint bot
toned kitchen chair, and laughing IN
ill his fat sides shook. II neve,
thought word about i'll I'm so uset
to gettin' that boy up in the morniu
that | don't know how TO begin tn
| day without il. I'll make the fir
right awav.'
"No, u 'kiel,' said Aunt Mary. "I'I
make the fire aud you go out to tn
barn and do Toms chores"
She dressed herself rather hastll
and not quite so neatly as was he
hsbit, and hurried ont into the kltcheI
There WAS no kindlng wool ready a
was usual-no one had tn ught of tha
and, taking basket, she went on
to the great wood pile and gathered
| few chips, 50 damp from the mornin
dew that il was sometime before tn
| feeble fire could be coaxed INTO blaz
hot enough for cooking the mornin
meal.
| But breakfast had been ready agoo
| half hour, and after blowing the hor
vigorously twice, she was Just on th
point of going down to the barn to sc
what had happened, when Deaco
Croft appeared in most woful pIigh
Little rivulets Of milk were runnin
down his ha r, off the end OF his nos
aud meandering slowly along h
sleeves and trousers; he was drippin
wet from head TO foot, and the pa
was empty.
Ezekiel Croft" cried Aunt Mar
with uplifted hands, "what hev yc
! donef"
"Well, MARY said he, looking
her with a moist aud milky smile,
han't done very much, but the co
she's done oonsid'able,' and he laug
> ed heartily.
. aye see, Mary, she amt used to m
t and she kinder objected to my milki
0 her, an | he'd to smooth her down co
sid'able before she'd let me begin, A
I then | took Toms milkin' stool, au'
amt quite 80 slim as | was once.
II felt it kinder teeterin' under /
two or three times, but thought
set ruther light IN it an get throug
hut .aat M | ysuS mini ~ moUa 4