Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1890-03-07

l could learn. l will do my very best,
sir, if you will take me-"
We'll, well, we'll see about it in the
morning. In the meantime you had
better go down to the creek, and take
a bath. Is'pose we'n have to keep
you over night anyway, and them
feet and hands of yours amt just the
things to put between clean white
sheets. Arthur may go with you and
show you the swimming hole but
don't stay in the water long, and be
sure to put up the bars, so that the
cows won't get into the meadow
shouted the farmer after them as they
started for Oaks Creek, stream flow
ing through Mr.. Green's farm.
AS soon as the boys had disappear
ed, the farmer turned 70 his wife and
said:
Well, Polly, what do you think?
Had we better keep this young tramp,
or not? l really need a boy to help do
the chores; Arthur isn't at all strong,
as you remind me twenty times a day.
If | thought the lad would be OF any
earthly use to me, I'd try him for
MONTH
He seems an honest, bright lad, "
said Mrs. Green, and, besides, he's
just Arthur's age. Let's give him
trial"
The fact of his being Just Arthurs
age seemed to be his strongest rec
ommendation in the eyes Of the low
ing mother. Arthur was a sickly
though merry lad, and the chores
that naturally fall to the lot of boys
of his age on all farms had, in great
part, been done by his father; the
doing which kept the latter from his
other duties to such an extent that he
was continually behind with his
work
In the course of half an hour,
Arthur and Mark returned from the
creek, the latter looking very clean
and rosy, and the former very blue.
I'VE have concluded, Mark" said
the farmer, slowly, Ito give you a
months trial.
"Hurrah, hurrah, shouted Arthur,
throwing his cap in the air. Amt
that jolly. Now | shall have some
one to play with"
Il shall expect YOU" continued the
farmer when Athur's enthusiasm had
somewhat abated, ito help milk, feed
| the pigs and hens, water the horses,
bring in the wood and water and do
such other light work as | may call
upon you to do. II at the end Of the
month we are mutually satisfied with
each other we will make a bargain
for longer period"
That night, for the first time in his
| life, Mark Bloomer slept on feather
bed, between snow white sheets. The
next morning he was up at daybreak'
and had the fire made, and the tea
kettle singing right merrily, before
Mrs. Green made her appearance. In
short time the farmer came into the
kitchen with two large tin milk-pans,
one Of which he handed Mark with
the remark.
Now, my lad, come out to the Larn
with me, and / will give you your
first lesson in milking" Mark was
rather awkward at first, but soon
learned to milk as well as the farmer
himself In fact, he did SO well, and
so endeared himself to the whole
Green household, especially Arthur,
that, at the end Of the trial month,
they were not only willing, but anx-
ious to have him stay, through the
fall and winter, and do chores for his
board and schooling.
'All work and no play makes Jack
a dull boy" Farmer Green, being
sensible man, recognized the truth OF
his old saying, and gave Mark one
day each week, ''all to himself" In
stead, however, OF its being all to
himself, it was all for Arthur; for he
gave up the entire day TO the amuse-
ment of the latter, making for him
kites, balls, bows and arrows, traps,
etc. In fact he worked harder on his
play day than at any other time.
4 ht,r ta Mt Sin
praises he could out-run, out-swim
out-skate any boy round. AT school
he fairly astonished the teacher by
the rapid progress he made. AT
Farmer Green's everything about the
barn and sheds was in order; every
tool had place OF its own, and was
kept in its pace the cows were sleek
the horses shone like glass bottles !;
the woodshed was piled full OF wood,
and ;the wood-box and water pals
were never empty.
Il don't know what ! should do
without him. said the well-satisfied
! farmer.
Hes worth his weight in gold"
Things went along thus pleasantly
until the holiday vacation. The day
the one before Christmas, Mr.. Green
handed a sealed envelope to Mark,
saying: Il want you to take this to
Mr.. Perry. He lives over on the
Cherry Valley road, you know. Id
let you have one Of the horses, but
I've got to 90 to the village for that
load of feed. You'd better put the
letter in your inside coat pocket, for
there's money III it. It's the pay for
that yearling bought. l didn't
agree to pay for it till the first Of
March, but Perry's just heard that
his daughter in Ohio is very sick, and
9 l.