The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-05-24
THE NEIGHBoR's soYs.

! uOyO, 4 totu u uu,Dauu l4cTc Was On
thing which evidently would prove an
insufferable annoyance. The streets wert
I full of boys-horrid boys.
fsncied never did like boys, and
having none Of my own, it seemed shame
ful to have 10 put up with such tribe o
other peoples as there were about US.
Mr.. Wilburn said, soothingly, with I
kind Of twinkle in his eye-I suppos'
the man remembered that he was once
"horrid boy y"himself-"Oh, well, woulC
not worry perhaps the little chaps wont
trouble you as much as you anticipate.
But just at that moment with a whooI
and bound came half dozen of then
round our alley we were at supper, anC
as l turned to see what was the matter
1 was only just in time to see half dOz
en- heels flying over the back fence.
"Well, did you everI' gasped.
"Oh, yes" said Mr.. Wilburn, "Pvt
'shiaed it over the neighbor's fences
more than hundred times my turn to
take il now. That's all.
Well it looked like terrible trial. OI
course, like every other woman. want
ed to be as popular with my neighbors q:
possible. so resolved not to make any
more fuss about it than could help. but
I had guilty suspicion that poor Horace
would bear fussing enough.
"Well, they claitered and raced and
whistled; they footed and sang and
climbed, and were veritable boys, can
assure you; yet, at the end Of three days
had not seen or heard anything absO-
lutely Objectionable, only the general
racket and running fire of sport eontiR-
ually kept up.
On the afternoon Of the fourth day,
which happened to be Saturday, per
plexity occurred. had just received a
note saying some friends we're coming to
tea, and, as my girl had not yet arrived,
there was no one to send on some neces-
sary errands.
went to the door and looked anxious
ly fourth to see how far off a store might
De, and If / could take four-year-old Ad-
die with me. One neighbor's boy was
perched on the railing separating our
piazza from the next one. Another was
sitting on the fence. Two or three lurk-
ed in the alley,
As my anxious face looked forth, the
monkey on the fence actually took OFF
his cap as he inquired respectfully:
~Haye you lost anything, Mrs- VIII
burn ?"
"Oh, no" said pleasantly, Il was
only thinking Of going an errand, and
didn't know just how to-"
why, send Us" said the merry boy,
with a bound of the fence and nod
toward the others.
-Will you really go?'' / inquired as rail-
ing, fence and alley delivered up their
phaianx.
why, bless you, yes, ma'am," said a
boy with dimples-that 'horrid boy act
ually had dimples-~why that's what
we're for. We hang around Just to do
errands and be useful. Mamma says
that's what boys were made for"
laughed a relieved laugh as pro-
duced basket and told of my wants,
and in less than fifteen minutes those
mimic locomotives came choo chooing
around the yard with everything l sent
for, and the change all right.
Twas proceeding to give cent or two
allaround, when with a whistle off they
bounded, one little chap lingering to say
with mock dignity:
"We young gentlemen never take pay
till we do something"
Two or three days after just as Horace
was starting out 70 business, we missed
little Addie. She had skipped off while
We we're eating breakfast, and wethought
she was with the girl who came the day
before. The child was no where to be
found. With pale faces Horace and
rushed to the door.
"oh, boys cried, "my little girl has
run away; what shall do -
"Dol Why, find her Of course ~ was
the uninterrupted chorus. ''Sle hasn't
run away from US, you better believe"
said one eonsoling little fellow there
isn't a corner in the city where sissy
could hide and We not poke our noses in
less time than you can say Jack Robin
son."
"Oh, bless the dear boysl7 exclaim-
ed, "Aow they DO cheer me"
Horace looked at me, but said never a
word.
put on my bonnet to join the search
but before l reached the end of the long
block two boys came around a distant
corner carrying Addie arm chair" on
their clasped hands. A shrill whistle
recalled the other scouts.
Horace produced a handful Of small
change, but low bow from the boy with
dimples was accompanied with the re-
markable speech:
ave coyes don't take charge until
folks know US, and then they never offer
it,"
But the time came when l broke down
and cried, cried hard.
Horace came home from the city one
day when we had been in our new home
about a fortnight, very i'll.
l was terrified at his appearance, he
looked and seemed so sick.
When As got to the door, he declared
afterwards, he could not manage his
night-key, he was so faint. But a ubi-
quitous boy unlocked the door for him.
Then. two others helped him into the
house, as deity as ifthey had been men.
/ met them in the hall and understood
matters al glance. A third boy had
started with my message to the doctor
in trice A fourth softly asked permis-
sion TO take Addie up and down the side
walk "for a little change" ane | blessed
the boys thoaghtfulness in the midst of
my care and anxiety.
The two who helped Horace in and
staid with me, moving silently about as
sisting in little ways until Horace was in
bed and the doctor came and reassured
me. Then all at once there wasn't boy