Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-08-17
"i DON'T CARE. "
A STORY FOR BOYS.

alwavs represented himself as the most
defiant of mortals.
Now defiance, like everything else,
Is very good in its proper place, but
when brought into every little affair oi
daily life it is apt to become lnconven-
lent, if not injurious. Besides, the it,
ness Of things made defiance rather
foolish in Sammie's case. There was
nothing heroic about his appearance,
for a turn-up nose and decidedly red
hair have a tendency to prodnce a
smile rather thnn awe. Nor does u
well-darned jacket and a pair OF re-
markably short trousers necessarily
prepare us for acts of courage and en-
durance.
Then, again, the surroundings Of the
Braddock family we're much against
the character SammIe assumed.
They lived in little cottage, which
in some wonderful way had been
squeezed in behind a street of large
houses, and could only be got at
through a narrow passage. 1t seemed
impossible that Sammie with his strut,
his look of resolution, and his loud 81
don't carel" could ever come out OF SO
small a dwelling. But he did.
Perhaps the cause of Sans defiance
Law in a constant dread lest other boys
should think him coward or milk
sop. In trying to escape this dreadful
imputation he gave the clearest posi-
ble proofs of real cowardIce.
This, for example, is what happened
one day.
Sammie, in reaching some books
from a shelf at school before the
master S arrival in the morning knocked
down large ink pot.
"My eyel won't you get itl' SAID
Dickie Sharp, whose tongues was tue
most mischievous part Of him.
"Won't hel" chimed in other schol-
ars, whose appetite for vengeance
towards Sammie had been whetted 10y
many acts of defiance.
ri don't carel" cried the culprlt.
"Oh, no; | suppose nOtP rejoined
Dickie Sharp: mot when he fetches
out his cane. Oh, mol I'd make a
clean breast of it if l we're yOu.'
II dare say yOn would" retorl ed
Sammie, "but 1 shan't. Let him
whack me if he likes; | don't care
And the consequence was, that when
Mr.. Hanson did arrive, and Sammie
was pointed out as the culprit, he pre-
served a sulky silence. As nothing
could be wruug from him as to the
manner in which the accident came
about, Mr.. Hanson concluded that il
was the result of some wrong doing,
and caned Sammie with his accustomed
skill
Sammie's conduct at home was ot
the same pattern.
SAM his brother would call out
when everybody else in the house had
long been up and stirring, 'if you
aren't down soon you won't get any
breakfast"
II don't care" would be the reply
Then, in order to show how little he
really did care for such foolish comfort:
ss breakfast, he would lie IN bed until
within ten minutes of school-time, anI
30 have to rush off fasting.
1t was in vain that his mother pro
nounced him "the wilfuliest boy a:
ever was" aud equally in vain tina
his father inflicted occasional punish
ment with the end of stout strap
81 don't care" still remained Sammie'
motto
At last an event came which clearly
proved to him the foolishness of his
favorite saying.
several other schoOl-fellows he set out
one summers afternoon for lonl
walk. Returning home they passeC
little stream, we known to all b,
name, but with which they had littl
other acquaintance.
who's up for a bathr' crie'
Dickie.
They all stopped and looked at tn,
it ran swiftly along, perhaps in conse
quence of the heavy storm On the prev
ious day.
81 am" SAID Sammie, with his usua
readiness.
"And IT, "And Il' cried others.
"But perhaps it's too deep to bottom
in, suggested little Tom Flank, tn
smallest of the party.
al dare say it is for you" returne'
Dickie.
"And you, too, said Tom. "Tv
heard my father say it's deep an
nasty stream. / shan't bsthe.
This intelligence was heard wit
come alarm.
al don't think L shall get III, - sal
Joe Wilkins. "I feel too hot for it.
''Nor II" said another 'It's danger
GUS after walking"
"Poohr' said Dickie Sharp; II be
l1eve you are all afraid
"Im not" cried Sammie. 81 don
care If it is deep"
With this he began rapidly to III
dress, and was soon ready for til
water.
''HallOol aren't you coming
Dickie2"
"No," said the other, who was sti
dressed; 81 fancy I'm not ,coC
enough"
Little Tom Flank used the opportU
nifty offered by this delay to whisper i
Sammie's ear
"DoD't you get in, Sam. It's awful
ly deep for its size, and hardly shallo'
anywhere. Never mind what the
say"
"Oh, botherl" said Sammie, VIII
stood in greater dread of being calle
coward than of riskipg his life. 81
don't care if 1t is deep. Here goesI'
What hustle there was along th
bank in few minutesl Some ran u
and down shouting and wringing thei
hands, others tried to JON hands an
reach poor struggling Sammie froI
the bank.
Little Tom Flank kept the coole
head and acted most wisely.
The field in which they were ha
been entered by small gate. To tn
he ran at once, unhinged it, and wit
the help of another lad set it ahoi
Just within Sammies reach.
He had strength enough left to gras
the gate, and, after resting awhil
upon it, pushed for the bank.
Once safely landed, dried by th
pocket-handkerchiefs of the enhr
company, and dressed, he began t
feel himself again. But for Sammi'
he was wonderfully quiet all the day
and for nearly week afterwards.
Then the old spirit tried hard
break out again, and he would get 6
Jar as "I don't -" before remen
bering how nearly that saying ha
brought h m to death. But in tim
he was enabled always to check til
&o IaG h. I,