Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1901-05-17

Impractical Nathan.


ance between father and son, harness.
ing the horse on Sunday mornings to
the carryall, and this morning the dea-
con was late dressing, and Nathan. be-
ing ready. was caught in the tolls OF
the unwelcome task.
II never saw such lazy"-but
Kitty was waiting with her fathers
necktie and a smile. Come 'ather,
we shall have to wait for you II you
waste time in scolding, she said
brightly. as she slipped the tie under
his collar and deftiy tied four-in-
hand
Kitty was 16 and her fathers idol.
She was fond Of outdoor work, and Of
ten lent willing hand with the plant
er and reaper, while Nathan much
preferred indoor tasks.
"You are some comfort to me,
Sissy, said the deacon. embracing her
trim waist with his big hands, but
Nathan--'
"Is going to be a credit 10 us after
he has been to college interrupted
Kitty briskly. Here he comes with
the carriage"
A tall youth, slender and effeminate,
came in at the door and went to the
sink with an aggrieved look as he
rubbed soap on his hands, washed and
rubbed with such pertinacity that his
father exclaimed impatiently: Come
now. don't stand there and wash all
day. Wen be late ct church again"
.Tm not going" answered Nathan,
shortly.
Here. father, your hat is brushed.
and we are all ready, said Mrs Grim
shaw, bustling in. her bonnet on and
ready for the drive. She had planned
| to be there when Nathan came In. for
| the lad was obstinate and the deacon's
tongue and temper sharp and quick.
They were half way up to thechureh
before Mrs. Grimshaw yentured to re-
mark softly: He will never make a
farmer. School is the only suitable
place for him
The deacon exploded: Farmer. |
should say not. Look at that boss;
I'm ashamed to drive into town with
| him 's.asesss s.salszaa
"You send Nate to college, father,
and I'll be chore boy for you, Kitty
proposed eagerly.
I'D ruther have one willin' girl than
half dozen finicky. unwillin' boys
replied the deacon. looking back into
Kitty's smiling face. 81 amt saying.
though, that you and your ma are
| going to poster me into spending good
money on him. He don't deserve it,"
| The neighborhood was in sympathy
| with the deacon. 1t was an undoubted
| afIiiction to have visionary. unprae-
| tical son. who touched each unpieas-
ant task pertaining to the farm life
delicately, and with aversion; still he
| knew every bug and beetle which flew
| or erawled in the fields. and was bet
ter acquainted with the insect life
than with the work on the farm.
There was jeering and laughter when
he came in contact with rural wits.
"If had such Ounce as that in my
family I'd dress him up in petticuts fer
a scareerow." Farmer GRAY was fond
| of saying. seen him milk a COW
enct. and, swan. was sorry for tho
cow
"He knows heap about bugs,
though" remarked another. Likes
bug huntin better than he does his
dinner Hear about his peTtater bugs?
He gathered a pan full Of the critters
one day when his pa and ma was gone
to neighbor's visitin'. and when they
| go back the kitchen was sight to be-
| hold. Nate had put EN- in the stove
with lest enough FIRE to warm EN- up
| lively. and gone OF to fix up butter
fly net. OF course. they cfawled out
of the stove and over the walls and
ceilin'-you couldn't pint your finger
where there wasn't pertater bug
crawlin. 1t took Mis- Grimshaw con
siderable OF a spell to get EN- swept
down into pail O hot water. and she
imagined she saw pertater bugs craw-
lin for some time afterwards
Just like him. Set him shoveling
sunshine and he's perfectly happy.
Nothin' practical about him. and I'd
give dozen like him for one wide
awake. sensible girl like his sister
Kitty
So fer as his neighbors were con
cerned, Nathan was irredeemably
sent to Coventry. but his mother and
Kitty had faith in him, and lost no
opportunity of urging upon Mr.. Grim
shaw's attention the idea of a college
education for him.
There certainly is something in
IL. eo+t.&,. fl,Npasi, .rofrn
enough ourselves to see lust what it
| is,n said the mother anxiously. as the
time approached for the opening of
| school in the fall Nathan is lots
wiser than the most boys in some
ways. He came in yesterday with
great, green moth with the loveliest
| crescents on each wing; moon moth.
he called 1t, and you should have
heard him go on and explain all abort
It, and the kind OF grub it came from.
1t was real interestin'. tried to have
him show it to you. bur he said you
wouldn't care
Thought his old dad didn't know
enough to care. s'pose" Mr.. Grim
shaw replied. Derverseiy ignoring the
fact that he never had interested him
self in his sons researches, except on
one occasion when a fine crop of
choice peas had been saved by Ma
than's study of the insect pest which
infested it. He had patiently picked
every infected leaf destroying them
with better results than at the time
Of the potato bug affair. and his father
had really given him credit for sense
and perseverance.
''Well. father. you know you don't
give Nathan much except scolding
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