Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1906-10-08

ing Miss Emily heard this new &C
quaintance remark to Reginald:
well, I've been kinder loafin' to-day
shown you around; but tomorrow I've
got to go to work again
What do you work at, Amos?" was
the inquiry that followed
'Choppin' and splittin' wood for next
winter" replied the sturdy little back
woOdsman.
And then Aunt Emily was startled be-
yond measure to hear Reginald eX
claim:
"Oh, III 60 with you. I've always
wanted to know how to chop wood
The next morning, not without many
misgivings. Miss Emily meraphorically
slipped the bride off her charge and
saw him start for the woods in the
wake Of Amos, carrying the basket OF
lunch that was to serve them for din
ner, for they were not coming home
| till evening. All day her mind was
| filled with visions of n worn-Out little
figure, dropping YEARLY homewards
| anu blIC was WutCLlIlk lOI IL uON IL ths
road all the evening.
And there he came at last, rushing al
her like whirlwind and crying before
he was anywhere near:
"Oh, Aunt En-, can chop. Amos
| showed me how, and | cut six little
trees down, didn't l, Amos? And
found doves nest and the dove pre-
tended to be crippled, SO I'd run after
| her and leave the nest. How do you
| suppose she learned how to do that
| And I'm going back to-morrow-and
my hands are blistered Il little, but
Amos says they'll get over it. And, oh
Aunt En-, l am having such Il good
time, and I'm as hungry as Il bear"
This from the boy that had been tired
of everything. This from the pining
fretful child that had confessed that
he was unhappy because he could have
everything he wanted. Miss Emily
smiled us she saw how we'll her expert
ment was succeeding.
Day after day Amos and Reginald
| plunged into the woods with AK and
lunch basket, and evening after even
ing, when they came home, Reginald
detailed to Miss Emily the woodland
lore he had acquired in the course OF
the day.
I'VE saw a snake to-day, Aunt En-,
he would cry, "but we didn't kill it he
cause 1t wasn't n poisonous snake, Amos
In hv, hn Inn 90 hot 4,
heads. and he's teaching me- As soon
as learn, then III know which snakes
to kill"
And another day he came home, flush
ed and breathless. his eyes shining with
eager delight and exclaimed raptur.
| Ously:
"Oh, Aunt En-, I've been studying
ants all day, and Amos has helped me
There was an army of 'em down in the
| woods, and they carried little pieces
Of green leaves over their heads like
flags. and when one of them fell down
crowd OF them ran and helped him
up. Oh, there never was anything like
it,"
Not even the pony and the wheel? p
asked Aunt En-, but to her astonish.
ment the boy replied:
II don't care for them any more
Aunt En-"
But you can't always stay here.
she suggested. you'll have to go back
to the city some time. and then YOU
will be glad to see your city playthings
again"
"Ho! I've outgrOwn playthings. -
said Reginald, with the utmost serious.
| ness. "Amos found out what was the
| matter with me a great deal quicker
than you did, Aunt En-. He says that
l just naturally must be busy, and the
trouble with you and mamma was that
you wouldn't give me anything to do y
But, Reginald" cried the dismayed
Aunt Emily, ''you can't always chop
wood and do farm work with Amos
Your father expects you to grow up
and be lawyer as he is and have a
fine education"
'Oh, we'll. you know l can't be law
YER" replied the boy. amos and
have it all made up. He's going tc
teach me all he knows this summer
and he knows lot, Amos does!
never saw anybody that knew as much
as Amos and then we're both going to
school. I'm going to help Amos through
school, because l have plenty Of money
and he hasn't any and then we're both
going to study birds and animals and
insects and be great naturalists. -
Chicago Daily News.