The Van Buren press., 1894-02-17

do anything right And now here he's
been and cut down all the naples and
saved the passwords in that wood lot
in my absence, and found the oxen
mismated. and everything was all
wrong A boy that don't know enough
to tell the difference between soft and
hard wood won't ever amount to much,
in my opinion. was so provoked that
told him he could go to bed without
his supper. Perhaps 1t will teach him
lesson"
Old Squire Holton 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 excusable 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 were 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
duu lullk uuu lTlcu
his wife had just placed on the table,
ooh, no. fatherI John wouldn't do
that" said kind, motherly Mrs. Holton.
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
l. hod mind fn,s onut HIM
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 ut the barn, and happened to
open the door for something, and there
he was, marching up and down the
floor, d turkeys tail feather stuck In
his cap band and q pitchfork at his
shoulder, and he a-giving of orders rs
though he was a corporal. l almost
wish the continental army was sunk"
"Why, fathsr!' 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 II they were farther off than
Valley Forge" answered the squire.
testify, attacking huge doughnut that
was as crisp as frost
And, overhead, In the large, open
garrett where bundles Of thoroughwort
and penpyroyal hung down from the
long, slanting rafters, and which was
warmed only by the heat ascending
through O 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
a shock of brown wavy hair that had q
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 II 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, were not the
most congenial employments. He hon.
estly strove to do his duty, though, and
the squire, If rough, WIS 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 were 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 it dop l had turned out the cows
and done just as l do every day. !
wish was soldier in Washington's
army. and will be when ! am older,
unless we whip the British before
But do hope shall be able to do some
thing for my country. If only could
If only could"
He lay for long time, his mind full
of conflicting thoughts, but at last he