The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1902-08-07
A TOWN BOY
Takes a Weeks Vacation With
His Country Cousins.

A smile of ecstatic joy lit up the
face of the Town Boy as he lightly
sprang into his uncle's surry that
was to convey him to the country
for a weeks vacation. Thus were
his dreams being realized. How
often, for the last month, had he,
after a hard days work, seated him
self at his window, as the last rays
of the setting sun We're bathing the
topmost leaves of the tallest trees
in golden flood of light, and
drempt score of dreams of the in
Vulnerable joys that this week S
vacation was to bring him.
That luminous smile, that so lit
up the continuance of the Town
Boy when he set out upon his jour
ney, was destined to become brigh-
ter and brighter throughout the en-
tire ride. so that, when Mt last, he
came in sight of his destination and
heard the shouts of some half doz-
en- Of his little cousins piping at the
top of their voices that cousin
Jack was coming and further de-
monstrating their delight by Sc
ries of original and fantastic ma
neuvers, his visage was litteraly
a wreath Of smiles with his mouth
from ear to ear, two sparkling stars
for eyes and a nose half lost in the
brightness of the smiles. What a
picture!
To the city bred-boy, who has
not half dozen or more of country
cousins ranging in ages from eight
months to sixteen years, 1 offer my
sinoerest sympathy for he will lose
half of the pleasures of life.
The Town Boy or Jack, as he
has been already named, had scarce
ly scrambled out of the surry than
he was Immediately taken in hands
by his cousins. They pulled at his
coat tail and arms, they danced
about him, they shouted sang and
asked few hundred questions all
in one breath, while the youngest
of the party was trying his best to
climb up his right leg.
Had Lowell's question, "And
what is so rare as day in June?"
come into the Town Boys mind the
next morning he would have answ.
cred without hesitation or doubt,
that fine early summer morning
on the farm was certainly rarer
than any day June could BOAST
about. The first warning cry that
the champion chanticleer gave of
the coming day, the Town Boys
eyes flew wide open. He was daz-
ed at first but things soon cleared up
and he turned over to gaze out of
the open window, for 1t was so early
that the farmer had not as yet left
his downy bed. What delightful
entertainment had been prepared
for him. The song that had
brought him out of the land of |
dreams was but the signal for the
program to begin. A half dozen CT
more other barn-yard fowls from
various parts of the premisis lifted
up their voices in unison in answer
to the call of their chief. A short
silence then followed but for the
songs of few choristers of the
wood which were momentairiy grow
ing in volumn, when, on the cool,
sweet. tanning breeze of the morn
ing, there came the faint melodious
of a rival rooster from an
farm. He was Immediate
ly answered by a whole battalion
Of indignant fowls who claimed
that it was their privilege and
theirs alone to herald the birth of
new day. By this time guinea fowls
and turkeys were awake and add
ing their harsh chords to the alrea-
ly lively chorus. The sharp, quick, {
bark of dog pierced the morning
lir, a lamb bleated pitiously from
he distant hill side, a COW lowed :
rom the pasture lands and was ,
Immediately y answered by a calf
hat bawled hungerly from its pen I
lnd-theTown Boy had jumped :
traight up in bed. A voice of
hunder from tie foot of the stairs
lied the rooms above, sits ti-i-ime
o get up." The hired hand start. q
d with a suppressed groan and in !,
few minutes limped down stairs. Ii
Breakfast over the Town Boy and l
is next to the oldest cousin, Thom- 4
5, went to one side and were consult
,g as to the prospects of swim or
fishing, when a still small voice y
Did them to pick up couple of
uckets and go with the girls to pick
lack berries. Down went their >,
carts with thump but after a mo- d
tents hesitation they Dicked mn tbair n