The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-10-10
HOME FROM SCHOOL.

What an appetite he hast How hun
CRY he Is alwaysl How the cookies
vanish and the gingerbread disappears
before his determined onslaught He
Is all noise. and impulse. and warts.
and freckicsi His hands are dirty
his finger-nails trimmed with black; he
has stuck .'eud OF gum TO the shelf
In the pantry to clear the way for the
edibles, and his trousers are torn at the
knees, and he smells Of iish-bait and
peppermint candy; but he is your boy,
and yon love him.
The house Is turned upside down inn
mediately. He wants string for his
kite. He wants some lead. He wants
bigger iish-hook. He wants his ball
mended. lie wants money for Jim. TO
pay him the boot on the iaek-knife he
has snapped. He wants TO go fishing
with Tom aud Jack.
He Grams his mouth full Of bread
aud butter. and with the jelly running
out of the corners. he makes his wants
known.
MA. can't have a bicycle? want
one. Where's pap Who's been here
with carriage? Where's my box OF
worms? / wish had a pistol. or
shotgun Jim's got one. Say, ma.
| teacher says I've been late twice. and
| it's only just once. Jim's been late
dozen times. and never got marked.
| did ten examples to-day. | wish |
| had a new slate. Oh. ma, the circus is
coming next month"; Can't go every
day? | wish / was circus. or 3 me-
nageriei Wouldn't / have jolly old
/ times! Going TO school Is awful slowi
Toms dog bit Mike Lane. They think
he's got the hydrophobia. II was in
the leg. and he had two white ears and
a white tail. and he'd sit up like-like
well, like anything. | should like to
| have dog. Say, ma, amt there any
custard? Tom has mince pie all the
j year round at his housei OBJ, say. ma
| cant | have three kittens? Mikes
mothers cat has got five. aud they'll
give me three! Mike said sol Ain'i
they real good? Hello. there come
the boys. They've all got their poles
!. Where's my line? Don't let Minnie eai
up all the cake, ! shall want some
when l get backi You won't let her
will you. map
And with whoop and a hurrah
. he dashes out of the house. and Leaves
, n track OF mud behind him. and a gen
, orally disordered room for you to eleal
4 up
n
about II maybe with sigh. but yoi
are not unhappy in doing IL. You ar
only tired. He j. no doubt pest a
9 least. he would be to anyone else-bu
not to You. He is your boy-the brave
n generous. wide-awake boy who 10 We
a you. aud who is to be the prop and sta.
: of your old age.
e You look after him as he scampeT
n / of along with the other boys. Tame
4 and torn. noisy and boisterons. his ca
on askew, his shoes untied-but sti
!, your boy.
!. How glad you are that he is your
How you pity those women who hay
9 no boys like himi How you recall b
good qualities and allow his faults
and Heaven knows they are many
: to retire into the background Ii
}; true he pulls the cats tail to hear hs
le growl, and he likes to set the hens a
+ to cackling, and it Is fun for him to I
:. tin cans to the stray dogs: but you e,
/. cuse him bv saving that he is not cru
n lit is only his fun, and you miss m
: when he is gone. and you long for hi
!. to come back; and when he sneaks
I. :. about dark. with his feet soaking we
Ut and his face bitten by mosquitoes. ar
IN his hands scratched with briars. al
r. two frogs and smail-sized mud turi
I'D by way of trophies. you listen to t
In doleful story of how Tom pushed hl
to into the brook. and Jim caught all Z
ly fish that he scared up-and you Gle
he him. and comfort him. and love hi
Il for is he not your boy ?-kafs Thor
= IN N. " Weekly