The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-08-06
A Hard Lesson.

Johnnie Waite-the boys called him
Couldn't Waite" he used those
words so often-went home from school
one night and gave his weekly report
to his father. The family were at sup
per. Mr.. Waite took the report after
he had finished his biscuit and looked
at it, There were five black marks on
it. He turned to Johnnie:
"What was this mark for Mondays"
g ran by Phil Blake going out in the
line"
"What was that for?"
I" i couldn't wait for him to go along"
said Johnnie, "and-"
"That will do" said his father" and
Wednesdays mark?"
81 upset some ink on my writing
book"
And the two on Thursday"
81 wanted to tell Phil something,
and / whispered to him."
"Couldn't wait till recess, | suppose"
said Mr. Waite, stroking his mustache
to hide smile.
"And | took out my sling-shot -
Johnnie's cheeks were growing redder
than usual.
"And to-day?"
:" ate an APPLE" and Johnnie's
head dropped.
Another couldn't watt" said his
father; "and you went to school this
morning without sweeping the steps,
and this afternoon without giving Ponto
his dinner; you didn't take the note
your mother asked you to carry to Mrs.
Bracket, you tipped the baby over in
stead of going round him, and you left
the front door open and somebody came
in and took my silk umbrella, and all
because you couldn't wait. Well, you'll
have to have lesson, young man, that
will break up this habit of yours"
Mr.. Waite ate cookie, played few
minutes with the baby, and then went
down town.
Johnnie ate four cookies and then
went into the parlor. Great-aunt Mary
Sherwn sat in the bay window knitting
Did you ever hear of your Great
great. uncle Titus Foss?" she asked
peering through her glasses at Johnnie.
Johnnie said "No'm," and wondered
how old great-great-uncle could be.
He couldn't wait" continued Great
aunt Mary. "I'll take you over to
Lyme some day, and show you the nick
in the door of the old house where he
threw the stove.hook at the cat, be-
cause he couldn't wait for her to step
along. That marks been there fifty
years"
One night Uncle Titus was driving
home from Camden, and he came to
bar with lantern hanging from it =,
right across the road. Twas lust be-
fore he got to the toll-bridge. Uncle
Titus couldn't wait. He leaped his
horse over the bar. The tollman said
he ran out TO tell him part of the bridge
was up for repairs, but Uncle Titus
couldn't wait. The river was high,
and he and the horse were washed
down stream and drowned"
Great-aunt Mary ratified her knitting
needles swiftly, and Johnnie, seeing
that the story was done, ran away to
play.
When he came into the dining-room
the next morning he found breakfast
cleared away and mamma feeding the
canaries. She said they thought they
couldn't wait for him, and Johnnie
went into the kitchen and begged some
bread and milk from Mary. He went
back to ask if his father left the quar-
ter of dollar he promised the day be-
fore, that Johnnie might pay for share
in the new football club some of the
boys in his class were getting up, but
Mrs. Waite said, "Papa went to the
office early, and he told me to tell you
he couldn't wait"
The boys thought they couldn't wait
for Johnnie to see his father, and as
Lew Dunton, boy whom Johnnie es-
pecially disliked, had twenty-five cents
ready, they took him into the club and
left Johnnie out. He felt sure of SYM
patty when he began to tell his father
about his trouble at noon, but, greatly
to his surprise, he was cut short by
curt, "That'll do, can't wait"
Sc can't wait for you, john" said
the teacher, when he hesitated for the
right word in his geography lesson that
afternoon, and Johnnie was marked
down, though he had studied hard and
knew his lesson.
lie met Mary on MS way nome. one
told him the rest of the family had
gone to Uncle Byron's and he would
find his supper on the kitchen table,
4" for Id not be waitin' for wan lone
boy to ate," said Mary, as she walked
heavily away.
This was the greatest disappointment
of all. Johnnie had counted on the
ride to Uncle Byron's for weeks. He
ate little supper, and lay down on the
sofa in the parlor. The tears trickled
down his face in the dark. - guess
Pm getting that lesson papa meant"
he said, with little sob, and then he
must have dropped asleep, for when he
opened his eyes the lamp was lighted,
and he looked up into his mammals
face. She sat down on the edge of the
sofa by him.
"Well, Johnnie, do you like couldn't
| snss