Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-07-31
BoB-O'-LlNK'S LESSON.

Having Everything Handy Spoiled Small
Boys Expected Celebration.
Link or Lincoln, Libby was such
merry boy that he went by the name of
"Bob-o'-Linl" at home.
He was not only merry, but careless;
he wanted everything 'handy," as he
expressed it, which made great deal
of work for somebody; for his cap and
mittens wereRearly always dropped on
the table or in chair "to 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-stapd so lie
might "catch em on the fly" when he
rushed out to meet boy.
Whenever he went ont or in he left
the door open, only a. minute, he was
going right in or out again, and "'twas
such bother to always shut a 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 toldahim he
ought to live in a saw-mill.
If he peeled an apple--which he
didn't very often, twas such n 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 eatiblcs, which for him includ-
ed everything, from apple cores and
banana skins to tattered hats and the
soles of Links old shoes. ,F.A'fr
But he got handsomely come up
with" grandma said, last Summer for
this last slovenly habit, as You will see.
There was wonderful Fourth o. July
elebration in the little town, Last year,
and Bob-o'-Linls was Wery'anxious to
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-hawlk' spot
ted marble and a spread partridge tail,
to wake him, by pulling a string tied
around his great toe, as he had heard of
other boys doing t8
The string was a stout hemp cord,
and in the end, tossed out of the open
window, Bob-o-Linll made large slip
loop. "Twould be handy for Billy to
put his hand in to pull" He tied the
other end to his toe in a bow-knot he
thought, but in the dark the end slipped
through and made hard one.
Along in the night there came such
vicious twitch on the line that it
brought Bob-o'-Link out of bed in
twinl1ling. '.H
Oto-ou-ooc-w-ul" Stop that Billy
Dole, or I'll UgM ugdi Ooo-6Oi You'll
saw my toe Off" And Link hoped
heavily on one foot toward the window.
He could not unite the knot, and he
had lost his jacll-knife the day before
laid it down somewhere to be handy.
His toe was ''most chol1ed to death, "
and felt as though 'twould burst while
the line kept saving it pitilessly.
''I'll lick you tomorrow, Billy Dole,
# tits Fourth O. Julyr' he groaned.
you're just as mean as a-Noo-0Oo-
ughi" Help! help, somebody! The
tugs came faster and flercer and seiz-
ing the claw foot of the old chest-of-
drawers, Link rolled on the floor and
shouted with all his might, which soon
brought the whole house TO tho scene
of trouble.
Not Billy Dole, but naughty Tam was
found at the other end of the line.
Toward midnight he had felt a crav-
ing to inspect his masters rubbish heap
and wriggled through the fence. In
nosing over the pile he had run one Of
his long horns through the slip-loop and
got caught
Bob-o'-Linl could not celebrate that
Fourth o July, for his toe was so badly
swelled and lacerated that he could not
get his shoe on, and had to hobble
about in grandma's big worsted slipper.
But he learned lesson which he has
not forgotten yet.-Youth's Companion.