Daily camera., 1898-01-07
GIVING HIN A SHOW.
BY FRANK h. SWEET.

~ slowly across his big onion field.
lie was on his hands and knees, and his
head was bent low so that his near
sighted eyes could distinguish the weeds
among the tiny, upright onion points.
Now and then he raised himself YEARLY
His back was too cd and rheumatic for
such work. and he wished that one OF
his boys had chosen to be a farmer in
stead of a business or professional man
When at home they had taken all such
work as this from him, but now the last
cne of them was packing his trunk fol
the city, and hereafter he must do his
own chores and onion wedding. Well
he would not complain; the boys had
bcttered themselves, and that was what
he most desired.
When he reached the end Of the row
he Strengthened his shoulders with a
sigh Of relief. Then look of surprised
Inquiry came into his face He thought
he knew every boy in the neighborhood;
but there. from the topmost rail of his
ZigZag fence, a ragged, unknown boy Of
IL or Is was regarding him earnestly
AS he looked up the boy grinned concil
iatinsly.
What is them things you're so care.
Tul bout tcndin', mister?" he asked.
Farmer Erownlee's face darkened
The idea that anyone could be so ig
norant as not to recognize growing on
ions never entered his head.
None CT your sass, boy" he said
angrily; AN just suppose you git dowr
off that fence. Fust you know thereI
be a rail broke, or suthin'''
The boy sprang nimbly to the ground
but it was on the inside of the fence ant
not on the outside, as the old man hao
intimated.
I'D like awfully well to know what
they be, mister" he said, as he BEN
down to examine the green, needle-liks
points. "I've been watchin' you a long
time. an 'spose likely they're some ex
ira fine posies, you're so careful of 'em
But say, if you don't mind. I'd like tc
do it,
The look Of anger on Farmer Brown
lees face became one of astonishment
A boy anxious to weed onions! and moi
know what they were. Two phenone
ma that made him almost speeches.
His boys had always been willing to dc
the work for him. but he could not re
member that either of them had ever
seemed anxious for the job.
'Not-know-onion Well, thai
beats mel" Then quizzical look came
into his face. I d'know's I mind yor
moin' across and back. I'll sit undel
this tree an sort O. keep an oversight
You must be careful an not pull III
any onions. An say" as the boy
dropped on his knees astride one o1
the rows, you haven't told me you1
name yet, nor where you come from
boy Cooper; an I'm one of the
fresh-air boys over at that farmhouse
t'other side the hill"
"Um! yes: l b'lieve I did hear So
Perkins speak Of takin' some street
boys for week. Crazy idee, l thought
it,
For some minutes he watched the boy
dubiousiy: then the uncertainty,le Ell
his face and he leaned back comfortably
against the tree.
mighty spry with his fingers, an
careful as one of my own boys" he
thought, approvingly. "Do the work
twice as fast as l can, if he is greeny
U'm! maxim of another good farmer
lost in him, s'pose." Here his eyes
closed, and they had not opened wher
the boy came back on his second row
A sharp scrutiny, and then Bob turned
to the third row and again wended hi:
way slowly across the field. As he rose
FROM the sixth row he heard the SHARP
clang of bell. Going to the old. man
he touched him lightly on the shoulder
81 guess likely that's your dinner
bell, mister" he said.
Dinner bell? Sho! sho! Tain
nine o'clock yet. l only jest shet my
eJ-es a minute" He glanced up at the
sun, then down at the. newly-weedee
onions and his face heightened into in
credulous astonishment. you dom
mean you've weeded six rows! Why
that's much as my obstinate old back1
let me do in a whole day" Again tht
dinner bell sounded. Eyes, that's fol
me, sure enough. Won't you come il
an eat with me?"
"No; Mis- Perkins'll wonder where
I've gone. But if you don't mind III
come back soon's I've eat. I'd like tt
try them onions again"
''Mind! l should think not, I'm al
ways glad to run across such Help ~
1t was nearly half mile to Solomon
Perkins, but when the old man re
turned to his onion field he found Bol
already there and well down in his sew
enth row.
They worked until dark; then tSe ole
man took out his pocketbook. Bot
shook his head and grinned. Il dom
want no money. mister; but if you'll
let me come again tomorrow I'll b'
much obliged"
"Come all you want to. There!
plenty of work, an we can settle wher
we're through. But it seems sort O.