Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-02-15

been and cut down all the naples and
saved the basswoods in that wood lot
in my absence, and l found the oxen
| mismated. and everything was all
wrong. 2 boy that don't know enough
to tell the difference between soft ana
hard wood won't ever amount 10 much.
in my opinion. I was SO provoked that
] told him he could go to bed without
his supper. Perhaps it Will teach MIN
lesson"
Old Squire Uolton was emphatic in
his criticism of the ignorance Or the
thoughtlessness that characterized the
daily doings of his farm help. To him
there was nothing excusabie in such
conduct. He had taken pains to tell
the boy just what trees he wanted
felled, and it was an essential matter
to him whether the NAPLES We're cut
down or left standing in that fine new
lot he had recently bought OF Maj.
Jackman.
II half believe the boy did it on pur-
pose to bother me-" he concluded, as he
sat down to his supper of hot porridge
and milk and fried doughnuts which
his wife had just placed on the table.
''Oh, no. father. John wouldn't do
"John means to do right, but his mind
isn't on his work"
NO, that it isn't, I'll be bound NUT
tered the squire, between his mouth
fuls of warm porridge.
.sHe hasn't had a mind for anything
ever since that day Gen. Washington
and his officers rode by, month ago
1t was only the other morning, when 1
supposed he was busy watering the
stock at the barn, and happened to
open the door for something, and there
he was, marching up and down the
floor, a turkeys tail feather stuck in
his cap band and a pitchfork at his
shoulder, and he a-giving Off orders as
though he was a corporal. l almost
wish the continental army was sunk."
''Why, father" exclaimed his wife;
land then we should lose our liberties,
and the battles of Lexington and Bun
ker Hill and Trenton would have to be
fought over again"
well, it would be better, anyway,
for John if they We're farther off than
Valley Forge" answered the squire,
testify, attacking huge doughnut that
was as crisp as frost.
And, overhead, in the large, open
garnet where bundles of thoroughwort
and pennyroyal hung down from the
long, slanting rafters, and which was
warmed only by the heat ascending
through ventilator from the kitchen
below, the subject of the squire's wrath
lay listening to every word.
He was tall, fair lad, strong and
active, with steady, gray blue eyes and
q shock of brown wavy hair that had a
knack of always falling into his eyes.
John Russell was sixteen years old,
and was an orphan. Mrs Holton was
his fathers sister, and the squire, being
without children of his own, had cheer
fully consented, when it was first sug
gested. that the fatherless boy should
come and live with them. He had lived
there now for three years, but he did
not take kindly to life on farm.
The boy had an imaginative temper
ament, inherited from his mother. and
to drive the slow oxen day after day,
do the milking and all the drudgery in
cident to large farm, We're not the
most congenial employments. He hon
estly strove to do his duty, though, and
the squire, if rough, was kind in his
way.
a shade of deep thought overspread
his face as he heard mis- uncle's words,
and two or three tears rolled down his
freckled face, which We're bravely
dashed away.
..He did tell me to cut the naples"
he said to himself; II know he did,
and, as for playing soldier. what hurt
did il do? had turned out the cows
and done just as l do every day.
wish l was q soldier in Washington's
army. and will be when i am older,
unless we whip the British before.
But do hope shall be able to do some
thing for my country. If l only could
If only could.'
He lay for long time. his mind full
of conflicting thoughts, but at last he
sanl, to sleep, and forgot alike his
trials and his ambitions in the sweet
refreshing slumber of boyhood.
In the morning when he went down.
stairs into the kitchen the squire spoke
70 him as though nothing had hap
pened, and he went cut and fed the
cattle as usual At the breakfast table
his uncle said:
"You may ride over to Googin's mill
to-day, John, and get a load of corn
ground Mother says we are out OF
meal, and I've no mind to give up my
iohnny-cake in the morning. You may
take the gray mare, and while the
aorDa being ground You can call on