The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-04


The chaps were in the backyard cook
ing dinner on a little brick furnace the
had built. Some were toting water an
.ls.sz=zr-..ss,ss;Ss;Gs Yead. and they ha
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potatoes and rice and eggs and 6uttet
and pepper and everything they could
beg from the cook. The waterspout was
running all over everything. I stopped
that part of it and surrendered to the
rest, and retired to my accustomed seat
at my desk.
"Who has been here projecting with
my pens and letter pads, and turned
over my inkstand and messed up my
papers?"
"Oh, I don't reckon they have hurt
anything. Rosa wanted to show me
how she was learning to write. There
was very little ink in the stand. I
wiped off all she split"
I got up and walked in the garden as
King Ahasuerus did to let my cholar
down, and found where they had been
picking peas and broke the twine that
held the vine uI-Ialways stick my peas
with twine--ard so 1 came out of the gar
den to let my cholar down somewhere
else. Hooked all round for the children
to give them blessing, but they had be-
come alarmed, for Mrs. Arp had told
them to run and hide. "I'll wear them
out" said I. "I'll wear them all out,
big and little, Old and young, Pm awful
mad. Pm as mad as mad bull. Broke
down my pea vines" and I mocked a
bull and paved dirt. The chaps he1
run up the ladder and got on the she'd
roof of the house anc as I praneed and
beloved around they smothered their
laughter until I was out of sight and
then they turned loose in full chorus.
I found the buggy pulled out of the
shed and the whip gone and the calf
was tied up in the back lot with
saddle on, SOL took my seat in the
front piazza and put my feet on the
railing and runlinated. My thoughts
carried me away back to my childhood
when I took delightin such things and
the whole picture came before me like
the turning of q kaleidoscope. What
pity that folks can't always be as
happy as when they are children.
About this time Mrs. Arp came out
with bundle Of stuff and remarked
that she brought home some pinks and
chrysanthemunls that mnst be planted
out. "Are you doing anything?" said
she. II am ruminating," said I, solemn
ly. "Well, you had better ruminate
around for the gardin hoe, and I'll
help you put them out-your back
needs exercise"
I was picking peas the other morning,
and they were of the low kind, had
to bend over snlartly, and by and by
when I tried tostraighten up, couldn't
straighten. There was hitch and
pain in my veins, the same old trouble
I had cree before when I worked in
the water half day damming up the
branch to make a wash hole for the
children-so hurried from the garden
to the house half bent and made my
usual fuss, for help and sympathy. I
was down for two days, and took medi-
cine and chicken soup, and they put
plaster Oh my back as big as
a letter pad, and tits there yet, and Pm
not we'll by long shot, but my folks
seem to think I am. If I get up and
creep to to town they put me to work
as soon as I get back. I used to have
boys of all sorts and sizes to wait upon
me and do my bedding, but they have
all grown up and left ME but one, and
he is at school, and when be isn't he is
off some where ut baseball or tennis, or
around. I am the boy now
the waiting boy.
was ruminating,, but found the
hoe and dug around according to orders.
Last night at the supper table Mrs.
Arp remarked as she was making the
coffee that to-day was another anniver-
sary. I thought she meant birthday,
for they seem to come about once
week in the family, and she always
wants to make little present of some
sort-a spoon or napkin ring or sleeve
buttons, or something. I tell you what
is fact-where there are ten or dozen
children in family to start on and
they grow up and get married and
and replenish, and the poster
ty keeps On getting "more thicker,
more denser," as Cabe says, and the
maternal ancestor is large-hearted
woman, these birthday gifts and
wedding presents will keep the old
mans surplus down as efectually as
he Republican party keeps it down in |
he United States treasury. 1t is the
easiest thing in the world. I never saw |
. mother with numerous flock of
ovely offspring but what she wanted
, big house and bushel of money. My
wife is always scratching around hunt
ng up something for the children. She
eminds me of ar old hen with brood
# young chickens, always a-cluckingl
nd scratching--and she says tbet
S