The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-09

kLes Sd4As
! was shirk by birthright. Ny father
and mother knew no more about work
than the crickets. Heartily they carried
out in their lives one gospel teaching:
Take no thought for the morrow" From
far back their ancestors had lived so, be-
queathing to each succeeding generation a
larger family. and a smaller inheritance
until il came about that my mother had
little more than enough to clothe her, and
my father, a just sufficient income TO
house and clothe and feed with yearly de-
creasing lavishness-but never decreasing
cheerful content-the almost yearly in
creasing brood Of boys and girls that frol-
licked around his warm hearthstone, and
over his few grassy, sunbright meadows.
We learned to read and write in desul-
tory fashion, as the whim seized US.
Schools were far away. but the house was
fun of books. Every one Of US could dash
of an accompaniment on the patient
piano to the songs we picked up from
chance corners and the ballads We learned
from Martha, who. with her old fash
Toned young daughter, Patty, served and
ruled in the ease-loving household, or
from Thomas, Martha's man." who cared
for garden. meadow and wood house and
the fat stocky little mare and the thought
ful-eyed COW, as his wife did for the house
and it's effervescing occupants.
Occasionally my brothers would take a
fancy to 20 with Thomas on his wood
sled. and assist at the wood cutting, and
often they worked in his neatly ordered
H. 1.
was cunning workman in wood and
iron, and our small estate was in great
measure independent Of all outside assis-
lance, sometimes also they dug ana
planted in the garden under his direction.
The girls, too, amused themselves 10y help
ing Martha in the great, pleasant Kitchen
with its deep windows. where the climb
ing roses swayed in with the breeze. Here
they and the old-fashioned young Patty
gathered much useful knowledge under
the supervising eye and hand of Martha,
and the sunny room rang with song and
laughter.
But for me work had no charm; down
by the stream on the root seat under the
old oak 1 sat for hours fishing, or lay on
the grass in the shade of the trees beside
the house watching the birds building,
the squirrels springing about, or, when
the day was at its hottest and the birds
silent in the heat, the soft white filmy
clouds drifting over the blue.
Once / remember, a thought of our fu-
ture seemed to come to my father as
cloud shadow passes over a sunny land
scape. We were in the wide porch that
warm, bright autumn afternoon-a square
table stood there on which were coffee
and cakes and fruit My mother sat beside
1t, my father near her. half reclining on
bench that ran along the side. his cup
of coffee on the corner of the table. and
his magazine in his hand.
Suddenly said our father, looking around
on US, What is TO become of these chill
drenn'
We're all right" answered one of the
boys; I'm going all over Europe. l shall
travel as the German workmen do. and
work in every town l come to.
Work! what do you know about work?'
Thomas is teaching me. 1 have learn
ed to shoe horse already"
I m going too" said the twin. Tomas
Is teaching me TO make boxes and shelves
and can saw wood now"
m going with them" said the third.
Il shall be a gardner, Thomas is teaching
me to make plants groV-I can make gar
den beds now"
shall make cake and bread and can
dies" laughed one of the girls; Martha
Is teaching me. made this cake
shall sit on the door stone and sing.
and fairy prince will come by on a beau
N---- "~--NF AApAoCf anu he VIII ran IN love
win my song and carry me away to his
palace and make me a princess" And
the golden-voiced child looked dreantIv
out over the meadows.
Our father and mother looked from
one 10 another with half sad smile. Then
they looked at each other. ITO think. !"
said my mother, that ali they know
they are learning from Thomas and Mar
thai We have taught them nothing"
I'VE know nothing to teach them - re-
plled my father, Il never learned any
thing"
Nor - she said thoughtfully. but. {"
said my father, rousing himself, here is
one who has said nothing" and he turned
TO me, what will you do?''
Nothing" 1 answered; IT shall live
Just as you do, and fish and read and lie
on the grass, and ride on the pony-
Thomas viii do the work for me- I do not
wish 70 work; do not care to travel I
shan just stay here at home"
Very grave were the faces of the parents.
There may come a time when there will
be no home here" said one as if uncon-
sciously. What will you do them"
could not grasp this; puzzled, 1 looked
from one to the other, and then as nv
gaze wandered over the broad stones be-
fore the door where, in the warm sun
shine of the autumn day crickets sat
chirping, an inspiration came: Il will do
as the crickets dosing in the sunshine
and creep into warm corners when the
winter comes"
"A born idler," sighed my mother, land
the world shows no kindness to idIers un.
less they have money"
1T is his birthright," said my father
slowly; Il cannot blame him"
Nor t. said my mother quickly. You
have no more cause for seIf-censure
than J." and she laid her hand tenderly
in his. There was silence for a moment
and through the sunshine came the chirr
Of the crickets.
Thomas says / am a shirk," I said.
My mother started, but my fathers un.
wonted mood of grave thought was al
ready passing; the humorous side of tn,
subject presented itself now, and hi
laughed merrily.
DO not looked so shocked" he said ia
her, you called him an idler. Thomas
uses more vigorous English, that is all
the difference. Come. you will have wrink.
les If you take things so seriously. We car
only live a day at time, and we are vast
ing this one. 1t is just the day TO gather
nuts. Run, boys, get Thomas and the
pony; find Patty and the baskets. girls d
and whistling merrily, he caught my tai
slender, graceful mother from her chair
and the two went Waiting across the
a.mA-