The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1904-11-09
In Those Glorious Boyhood Days

1t is the October weather that makes you dream and
forget business and trouble and drift away back to the
barefoot days and happiness
Which would you rather have--a million dollars or
boyhood again? Boyhood with freedom from care, and
health and appetite and patches, and mother you
could go to for hug in awhleand there were al
ways doughnuts in the big crock down under the end
shelf in the pantry
Forty years ago. on day like this you crawled out
of bed at ate half of cold apple pie stuffed some
cookies in your pocket and slipped out of the house with
out disturbing anybody. The dog-there is always dog
when there is boy, in the countrywas shappy as you
were, and you had to fight him to keep him from licking
your face
Over the way you called 'sBLee! Billy! and pretty
the neighbours frecked appeared munching "a
piece of cornbread AS he got his mouth emptied
he said Gee! there bully frost last night and I'll
bet the ground is just covered with em in Austins
lot!''
This is a chestnutting expedition. People who never
went after chestnus haven't lived They don know how
good the sharp tastes and feels they haven't the
sun rising its golden beams making gltterng diamonds
of the frost the grass in the pasture They haven
stopped in old orchard to club late apples off the trees
Taste good? Jimminy You could eat hundred and then
want Are your toes cold? Disturb the first who
is patiently reclining the sward and see how gratefully
warm the earth feels where she has lain.
There is a stop at mysterious hole in the ground.
The dog is half He digs and barks and shifts and
is fairly Wild Some day you and Billy will dig the animal
out. "Come on Sport Com on, doggie!''
And you 60 laughing, Whistng, occasionally shout
ing because of the sunshine that is in you through the
woods, climbing rail fences crossing bubbng stream
fallen tree.
Hear the sqirrels chrp? The chestnut grove is just
the fence and two boys suddenly become seahy
Indians. 'Od Man. Austin doesn't like boys. He
sets the dogs em 1t matters not that he mile
sleeping soundy and dreaming of his taxes His presence
is felt and there is whispering and quet shining up Of
trees and soft shaking Of limbs and then dovnpou of
glossy nuts. Whoopee! Isn't it fun! Let's count Seven-
ty-seven, 80 90" What S the This is real harvest.
The nuts big and fat and the burs extra heavy
Bly's father knows pretty nearly everything. He's
deacon in the church.
Time to go home. The big bag full, pockets are full
and Billy has put quart two inside his shirt He
doesn't mind if they do feel scratchy. And you go
staggering the fields. You pretend that you
part of Robin Hoods band, loaded with plumber, and
it is such fun!
The smoke curls laziy from the chimney at the old
home. There is odor of fried mush in the air that
makes boy OF course there is stop at the
barn to divide with Billy. Divide faira dipper full for
YOU dpper full for Bill until the bag is empty and there
two glossy piles on the floor.
And then, there's mother at the door. You saved a
pocketful of the biggest for her. Why? Oh you
know. She's such good mother, and Billy S mother is
almost good
Goodbye, Billy Well go again next Saturday.
Which would you rather have-a million dollars or
happy boyhood again?