The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-05-03


I.m- big, hearty boy o
seventeen, whom h,
could still see through the narrow
window trudglng of toward the barn
The lively whistle that sounded
through the closed windows seemed &c
aggrayate the mans i'll temper. II,
walked over to the fireplace. and
kicked the smoldering logs with his
heavy boot.
'lf there's any one thing that rifles
me all over he exclaimed, angrily,
its having that boy always setting
himself up to be in the right, and
everybody else in the wrongw
We'll, he most generally is in the
right. answered Caleb's wife. clear.
ing the table Its remarkable what
memory Jerry has, specially for
dates. At the quilting here last week
the women folks were trying To settle
when twas old Mis- Lockett died. and
Jerry knew to the day He said twas
t9" days after Deacon Stones cows
were killed by lightning, and that
happened on the thirteenth of Sep
tember, Just hundred years to the
very day after Wolfe captured Que.
bee. You cant trip Jerry up in his.
tory"
We'll, answered her husband, i'm
patiently, che needn't be so sassy
about It, We had n dispute over them
same COWS. was telling the new
minister about the storm, and | hap
pened To say they was standing under
pine-tree. He chippe, in, why,
no, il wasn't, uncle it was an oak. ;
1t was pine says |. NO. it wasn't (;
II was an OAK, says he.
just then Hiram Stone came by,
and Jerry yelled to know which twas.
Hiram said, Oak Then Jerry grinned
rs malicious, and said, Il told you SO !
l knew | was right = III he hadn't
been my dsNd sisters only child and
the munster looking on" Caleb
stopped i'll anger.
Mrs. Speed made no comment. She
was iond of her husbands nephew.
He had grown to be almost like son
III the five years he had lived with
them. They were not old not many
years older than Jerry; for Caleb 4
sister had been older than he.
Mrs. Speed only laughed Mt the
patronizing manners which he some.
times assumed, TO the great annoy
ancc OF his young uncle. But Caleb
speed was too dogmatlc himself to
tolerate such II spirit III any one else
He shan't sit up and contradict me
at my own table. - Caleb declared
"l'll thrash him first He's got to
show me proper respect, He needn't
think because I've given him al.
vantages that ! couldn't have myself,
hat he knows IT all, and don't know
anything -
"\ow, Caleb. what's the use? It's
only Jcrrys way, said Mrs, Speed,
soothlngly.
Dear met she sighed, rs Caleb
went to his work. ITS pity they
can't get along AS they used to.
CslebS so touchy he can't stand any
thing. | must tell Jerry to be more
careful
But when Jerry came in to supper
aud began his lively Joking, she tor.
got the little lecture she had planned.
The Spcurers are going to move
West next eeh, remarked Mr.. Speed.
LANDS cheap, and | guess they need
more clbow-room for such big
family. Greeuyllle Is n mighty thriv-
ing place, they say,
You mean Graudville, don't you,
uncle suggested Jerry,
~ generally cay what | mean,
young man - was the curt reply.
well, it's Grandville, anyway, per.
sisted Jerry, feeling in his pockets.
Jack Spencer is out there now.
got letter from him yesterday beg
ging me 10 go ol,t there To him. Oh,
here IT II Look at the postmark. Ii
is Grandyille! knew was right
about IT,
Nettled hy the tone and his own
mistake. Mr., Speed took his supper in
moody silence. The boy had no idea
how his habit had grown, or how
sensit,v" his uncle had become in re-
gard to 1t, why, Aunt Lucy" he
insisted, when she remunstrated with
him, Il never contradict people unless
| know positively that they are
wrong
Maybe" she answered. "But
what real difference does it make
whether the weasels killed five chickens
or six, or that il was the black pig
and not the spotted one that rooted
up the garden? Those are such little
things to bicker about, Just for the
satisfaction OF saying, Il told you
sol