Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-03
DICKS SPECULATION.
It Surprised Him No Less Than
His Grandfather.

10y OhOOAOIoS OAC11luIO0
Grandfather Weatherby, with a look
of great surprise.
''Well, what's the harm of check
ers, grandfather" asked Dick. in a
rather fretful tone. you play check
ers yourself. 1t was you that taught
me to play"
''Yes, checkers are very we'll in
the evening when all the works DONE"
said grandfather. believe in having
fun at the right time; all work and no
play makes Jack a dull boy. But
checkers in the day time! You never
saw me do such thing as that, did
youP"
Daytime is good enough" grumbled
Dick.
-'Yes. plenty good enough for boy
that never means to amount to any
thing" said the old farmer.
I've 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 boy" persisted
his grandfather. HE does first what
he sees to do and then he sits down
in the shade on a summer day and
plays checkers. Why, when I was
your age l could have covered every
one of my twelve squares with silver
piece of my own earning. Perhaps it
was because I 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 himself and
then it's sure to come out somewhere.
Dick swept his hand across the board
with an Impotence due partly to the
keen criticism of himself. partly to his
inward conviction that he deserved all
that was said. But it was impossible
to get angry at the half-sober. half
joking manner of the genial old man.
Il guess you're about right. grand
father. l guess it was in you and it.
isn't in me-"
''More's the pity" said his grand
father, 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. every thing about him seems to
be saying: Look about you, you young
lubber. and see how every things
working with you if you'll only take a
hand in it. Look at the earth and the
sun and the rainfall ready to be
your servants. You never see them
idling around"
Grandpa Weatherby, having said
his say, set out with sturdy strides
towards his own farm, a mile distant.
Dick was stung more deeply by his
words than the old gentleman mag
ined.
Come, let's go on" urged Sam
Jones. a lounger of the neighborhood.
THAT was a tip-top game you
spoiled"
But Dick turned away from him in
Ill humor with himself and every one
else. There was more truth in what
had been said than he liked to &C.
knowledge. He, boy of fourteen, had
never raised his hand to do a thing
that was not required him. and the
requirements had been very moder-
ate. He had attended school through
the school season, doing light work
the while, and in the summer had
engaged in the farm work in the easy
going style his grandfather had al
luded to.
Il guess it Is just as he saws"
unused Dick as he carried the checker
board into the house. There isn't
many a boy about here that doesn's
begin to look out for earning bit bv
the time he is as old as am. There.
old checkerboard. I am getting too
awfully fond of you. You may go into
that corner, and stick there. for all of
me. until l have shown grandfather
I'm good for something if can"
Dick strolled thoughtfully out into
the fields. wondering in what direction
he had better turn his energies There
was plenty of work all about him and
he we'll knew that his father would
hire him and, except in the matter of
the light duties which he always ex-
acted from his sons. would pay him a
fair price for his work.
whats all that going on ever In
Deacon Blaisdell's fallow?" He had
walked until he reached the boundaries
of his fathers farm. when his atten-
ton was attracted by a wonderful
amount of whooping and haliooing a
little way beyond.
..It's a drove of cattle--and big
drove, too. Bad business if they get
into the fallow."