Waterbury Democrat., 1902-07-30
TOM WENT TO THE ACADEMY.

TOM WENT TO THE ACADEMY.
 "Deestrick school an 'rithmefic was good enough for me, and there ain't no sense in your X-Y-Z-in,, anyway. said Uncle Daniel
 But I want to study philosophy ana history, too, you know.
 Yes, know. You want to dress LID I III your go-to-meetin' clos and leave the chores for somebody else to do-''
 Why, no, uncle--''
 1 Yes you do. Anyway, I hain't got l any money to pay anybody's schoolin' ] specially for a boy who don't earn his salt"
 Tom, to the surprise of Aunt Mary the often surprised her), said not a word.
 ne first boy who has lived with us six months. without getting into hot water she mentally expressed it. for Oncle Daniel was an unreasonable. ciose-fisted driver always domineering and particularly SO to a boy. each year having q new one to do the chores giving him his board and twelve weeks of winter schooling for nay. This year his Wifes nephew, left an orphan, had cor71e to them and be- Ing their own, so to speak. had extra lasks put upon his young shoulders in 1 spite of Aunt Mary's mild protests
 Tommy, ifftit's best the Lord will provide a way she whispered. when she slipped into his room to see if he needed another blanket on his bed.
 Dear Aunt Nary was Toms re ply. But she. had so cheered him that he began to study how it. could be done
 While he dreamed he was selling snoWballs from door to door he ouen- I ed his eyes and heard Uncle Daniel shouting: Get up lazy bonesl It's five o'clock and not Q chore done." Tom soon had an idea. Neighbor 1ohnson was over to transact some puslness with Uncle Daniel, and cas- ually remarked, sI'll soon have a horse to sell for I'm going to sell my mllk route. It doesn't pay to run a l lean Tor hfty quarts when can get ] lWentyelght cents can at the door ,, Tom, quick at figures. instantly I thought: "S into 2s, 3 1-2; 3 1-2 from D, l-2; 90 times 2 1-2 is 125 and : times l25 is S75-eight dollars and sey- enty live centsv' he exclaimed.
 .'Oh, Unc1e!"
 OHcle Daniel took no notice except 10 say, You here? Just feed the pigs ana the hens and then saw wood ill dinner time-an' be quick about if. I too" 1
 Uncle, how much do I earn. any, Way! he inquired a few days later. salt" soui
 All right, then. How glad you'll De that MT Johnson is going to sell me hls milk, and I'm going to take his customers I shall get $125 profit I q shall go twice, instead of Sunday. So you will not have to support me any longer. Mrs Johnson will boa1d me Tor S2.50 a week and Prof Morse has l engaged me to ring the academy bell morning and night for ny tuition.
 Amazed, Uncle Daniel stared at the boy of fourteen, who bravely looked him in the face. But soon he ex- claimed:
 'Humphl And do you suppose you can run on like that, do you?''
 Why, yes, uncle, don't earn my sat- here, you know. and I will not live on your another week. Thank you very much for what you have done for me"
 Aunt Mary and Mr Johnson were both there, and the man, though in a rage, realized how he had overreached -AAi7oiA, diiu SdW uu Way 70 recover lost ground, though he growled:
 Where are you going to get your team, l should like to know?"
 .Oh, uncle, Tin going to be milkman and team, tool" And in spite of all he laughed long and merriIy.
 Halo, milkman!'' shouted the acad emy boys, as Tom after ringing the quarter-of-nine bell, joined them. "mllkman. beggar-man, bell-ringer. thief" cried the rudest ones Yet ey- cry weekday morning at half past five o'clock, Tom. with a hand-cart con taining several cans of milk his school books and a basket of food, left Far mer Johnson's
 ! It was down hill and only a mile to the village, so Tom easily delivered the milk in time for lunch and the ringing of the bell, and then the re malnder of the day was all his own.
 Truly, he was an independent boy, earning more than enough for his SUD- l port, though he gladly went back to board with Aunt Mary at $25O per week. Another boy did ''the chores and Uncle Daniel had to pay him wages, while Tom through the whole academy course. was "milkman and team, and saved quite a sum toward his college bills. Verify. where there's a will there's a way, and the Lord does provide.-Ned Gwen in Our Young I Folks