The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-07-08
BOB.O'.LlNk'S LESSON.

Little Men and Women.
BoB.o'-LINK's LESSON.
Having Everything Handy Spoiled Small
Boys Expected Celebration.
Link, or Lincoln, Libby was such a
merry boy that he went by the name Of
"Bob-o-L Link" at home.
He was not only merry, but careless;
he wanted everything "handy," as he
expressed it, which made a great deal
of work for somebody; for his cap and
mittens were nearly always dropped on
the table or in a chair ito have 'em
handy-it was such bother to hang
'em up" his muddy rubber boots were
kicked off under the table, for he
would want 'em again pretty soon;"
his books and slate were flung on the
lounge to be ready when Aunt Kitty
got time to assist him in his lessons; his
rubber ball scudded about on the sit
ting-room carpet, kites and snow-shoes
dangled from the hall hat-rack, his bat
stick stood in the umbrella-stand so he
might "catch 'em on the fly" when he
rushed out to meet a boy.
Whenever he went out or in he left
the door open, only minute, he was
going right in or out again, and "'twas
such bother to always shut door,
never thinking that in the minute" of
a winters day more cold air would rush
into the house than could be warmed
in half an hour. Grandma, tolduhim h0
ought to live in saw-mill.
If he peeled an apple-which he
didn't very often, twas such both.
er"-the skins were left in the pretty
apple dish or thrown out of the window
on the grass-''Tam the goat would eat
'em"-to Aunt Kitty's disgust.
That same Tam would wriggle be.
tween the barnyard bars at night, and
come beneath the window in Bob-o'-
Links chamber over the kitchen for all
kind of eatibles, which for him includ-
ed everything, from apple cores and
banana skins to tattered hats and the
soles Of Links old shoes.
But he got handsomely come up
with" grandma said. last summer fol-
this last slovenly habit, as you will see
There was a wonderful Fourth O July
celebration in the little town, last year
and Bob-o'-Link was very anxious t.
begin the day early But he never
could wake in the morning without {
shaking. He did not want to disturb
any one in the house, so he hired Billy
Dole-"a real night-hawk"-for spot
ted marble and spread partridge tail
to wake him, by pulling a string tiet
around his great toe, As he had heard o
other boys doing. .at aa.
The string was stout hemp cord
and in the end, tossed out Of the opel
window, Bob-o'-Link made large slip
loop. "'Twould be handy for Billy t.
put his hand in to pull" He tied tn
: other end to his toe in bowknot, h
7 thought, but in the dark the end slippe'
through and made hard one. 1,.
, Along in the night there came such
vicious twitch on the line that
l brought Bob-o'Link out OF bed in
twinkling.
: "Or-om-om-m-w!" Stop that, Bill,
Dole, or I'll-Ughi ugh! Ooo-oo! You'll
s saw my toe Off" And Link hoppe
h heavily on one foot toward the window
He could not unite the knot, and h
/! had lost his jack-knife the day before
!. laid it down somewhere to be handy
His toe was ''most choked to death,
&, and felt as though 'twould burst, Will
the line kept saving it pitilessly.
| 'I'll lick you tomorrow, Billy DOLE
t # it's Fourth O. Julyv' he groanet
"You're Just as mean as a-Noo-oo,
:, ugh!" Help! help, somebody! Tn
tugs came faster and flercer. and sell
h ing the claw foot of the old chest-o
|. drawers, Link rolled on the floor an
r shouted with all his might, which 500
brought the whole house to tho seen
a of trouble.
:: Not Billy Dole, but naughty Tam we
i. found at the other end of the line. I
7 Toward. midnight he had felt cra'
ing to inspect his masters rubbish hea
q and wriggled through the fence.
nosing over the pile he had run one ,
o his long horns through the slip-loop an
n got caught. - "a ''ii''' 'af
Bob-o'-Link could not celebrate tn;
:, Fourth O. July, for his toe was so bad
swelled and lace rated that he could NJ
get his shoe on, and had to hobb
N about in grandma's big worsted slippe
But he learned lesson which he HI
l. not forgotten yet.-Youth's Companion
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