Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1899-06-08
SANS STRIKE.
BY H. A. KEMBLE.

HOC 4oA 4IOAA4 A44"NAS ''''N'
er, Mr.. Watson, was a very intelli-
gent man, and often told Sam to read
the daily papers, so that he could un-
derstand what was going on in the
country.
Sam did so, and for boy Of eleven
years was pretty well up in the hap
penings of the outside world. If there
was one thing the boy hated, it was
being pulled out of his comfortable
bed early in the morning to help feed
and water the cattle, draw water for
his mother and perform various other
of the little odd Jobs which, according
to boyish ideas, go to make boys
life miserable.
About this time the papers were
full Of news about strikes and strikers,
and Sam followed these up with great
care. In fact, his mind now ran a.
most entirely in this direction. Even
when he went fishing down by the
old black hole, where he always caught
loads of suckers and catties, he could
MT scare up bite, "for," he growled'
"them fish have struck, too.
In school several times Sam thought
of going on a strike when parsing
came around. He hated parsing, but
upon looking at the heavy ruler on
the teachers desk he thought he
wouldn't; for that same ruler might
90 on strike, and he knew how he
would feel if there was no arbitration
committee between him and the ruler.
He'd been there before.
One afternoon Sam came back dis
gusted from one of his fishing trips,
for he had only caught one poor little
sunny, and had lost his hook trying
to pull in an old tomato can, under
the impression that it was "slappin
big sucker" "
He was disgusted with living, and
after supper sat down on the back
porch, with his face in his hands and
elbows on his knees, "thinkin'." By
and by he jumped up, exclaiming:
Il amt going to get up tomorrow
morning; I'm going to strike. Don't
the papers say us children requires
more sleep than grown-ur folks, hey /?
Didn't pop tell me to always read the
papers? What's the good of reading
if you don't believe?"
Accordingly, he went off to bed de-
termined to strike the next morning
About FIVE o'clock the following
morning his father came to the foot Of
the stairs, calling: Sam Sam -
Receiving no reply, he climbed up
stairs and shook his son, saying, good
humoredly:
Come, my son, time to get up"
To his utter amazement, Sam re-
piled:
al amt going to get up mornings
early any more. I've struck for long
er time in bed"
Mr.. Watson turned his head away
to hide a smile, while he said "All
right, my son, and went downstairs,
while Sam role over in bed and
hugged himself b joy at the sue
cess of his scheme.
Meanwhile, his father was seated
in the dimng-room below, eating his
breakfast. After relating the partic-
ulars Of the strike to his wife, he said
Mary, tell you, when Sam comes
downstairs, don't give him any break
fast. He's not working for this firm
any more, and at present, from bust
ness standpoint, has no claim upon US,
remember.
Sam laying in bed, tried to sleep
again, but it was no 60. The birds
sang loudly outdoors, and the fresh
morning air came blowing in his win
dow, and altogether he didn't seem
to enjoy lying in bed as he thought he
would.
After squirming all around the bed
for a couple of hours, making tent
out OF the covers by poking his feet
up for poles. lying on his back and
seeing how near he could come to
touching the headbOard with bis feet,
and various other bedchamber gym
nastics, he concluded to 60 down to
breakfast Upon entering the dining
room he didn't see any signs Of bis ex-
pected repast.
Say, ma, where's my breakfast ?"
Breakfast" said his mother
breakfast? Why, you've struck.
You can't get any breakfast here.
When hands strike they lose all claim
on the firm. I'm sorry, but il you
can't work on our terms I'm sure We