Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1890-06-14
How Dicks Idleness was
Cured

Grandfather Weatherby, with a o
of great surprise upon his face.
"Well, what's the harm of checkers,
grandfather p asked Dick, in rather a
fretful tone. "It was you that taught
me to play. And you play checkers
yourself"
eyes, checkers are very well in the
evening when the work is DONE" said
grandfather. 81 believe in having fun
at the right time; all work and no
play makes Jack n dull boy. But
checkers in the daytime! You never
saw me doing such a thing as that, did
you 2"
"Day-time's good enough" grum-
bled Dick.
Eyes, plenty good enough for a boy
that never means to amount to any
thing" said the energetic old farmer.
Give 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's
set to do and then he sits down in the
shade on a Summer day and plays
checkers Why, when / was your age
| could have covered every single one
of my twelve squares with a silver
piece of my own earning. Perhaps ii
was because I didn't have such an
easy7going 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"
81 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 a
boy to sit back and just do what he's
told to do and nothing further. Why,
everything about him seems to be say
ing, Look about you, you young lub-
Der, and see how everything's working
with you if you'll only take a hand in
it. Look at the earth and the sun and
rainfall ready to be your servants.
You never see them idling around"
Grandfather Weatherby having said
his say, set out with sturdy strides to-
ward his farm a mile distant. Dick
was stung more deeply by his words
than the old gentleman imagined.
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 II
else. There was more TRUTH in Whit
had been said than he liked to
acknowledge. He a boy of fourteen,
had never raised his hand to do q thing
that was not required of him, and the
requirements had been very moderate.
He had attended school through the
season, doing light work the while, and
in Summer had engaged in the farm
work in the easy-going style his grand
father had alluded to.
81 guess it is just as he says" unused
Dick, as he carried the checker-board
into the house. "There isn't many q
boy about here that doesn't begin to
look out for earning a bit by the time
he is as old as | am. There, old
checker-board, I'm getting too awfully
fond of you. You may go into that
corner, and stick there, for all of me,
until l have shown grandfather Pm
good for something-if l 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 knew well hat 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 that going on in Deacon
Blaisdells fallow ?"
He had walked until he reached the
boundaries of his fathers farm, when
his attention was attracted by a won-
derful amount of whooping and halloo-
ing a little way beyond.
"ItsSa drove of cattle, and a big
drove too. Bad business if they get
into the fallow."
He made his way out to the road
which was now filled with the cattle
pressing on through the dust. Deacon
BIaisdelrs fallow was not fenced, and
the drovers were making their best eff
forts to keep the restless herd from
straying among the boys and bushes.
1t would be unlike a farmers boy
not to offer his mite of help in such an
emergency. Dick took his stand in the
thinly manned line, and by persistent
shouting and brandishing Of branches
gave valuable aid. In the course of
time the drove passed by, with the ex-
ception of one lively steer which had
made its way far into the fallow.
"Ill give you fifty cents if you'll get
that critter out for me-" said the
drover.
"Ho! that'll do for my n~est-egg,"
said Dick to himself. "I'll do it," he
shouted.
Picking his way among the briars
and bushes until he got the steer be-
tween himself and the road, by a little
maneuvering and a great deal of acti-
witty, he succeed in sending the animal
trotting after the rest of the herd, now
some distance down the road. And
then Dick came, quite out of breath,
up to a wagon driven by one of the
Jrox-arc fo raoaiva hic nav
"Poor thing" he said, looking at a
calf which lay in the wagon, gasping
as if in great suffering. as it sick ?"
"Not so much hat as overdriven."
said the man. "We had only a few
, such young ones-fact is, l don't hold
to taking such, but it is such a likely
one | thought it might worry through.
But | guess it amt got much chance
in this hot sun, and | cant wait for it
to get shade. Say" he added, pausing
with the half dollar in his hand, Sup