The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-06-16
DOyhOOd in the Country.

'The city boy but little of the
real fun Of boyLood days" said the
man who was brought up on a farm.
about this time Of year. when ! was
lad. came the last day Of school.
Christmas. Fourth of July and the
last day Of school were great days in
my boyhood calendar. That day itself
was not only crowded with fun, but
1t meant the beginning OF four
months of the same thing. The last
day and then nothing 10 do but fish
for bullheads and 90 in swimmin' un-
I'll dog days. Then came hayin' time.
Who wouldn't be a boy in hayin'
time?
THE morning of the last day we
forgot to turn the cows into the mead
ows or water the hogs. we were so ex-
cited. Father came In just as we
were all dressed up. Everybody wore
his Sunday suit on the last day.
Why amt those kids done their
workg' he asked.
Mother interceded: This is the
last day Of school. you know, pa; and
they just forgot
School didn't take up until ten
o'clock We had an hour and a half
TO play move up in. Part OF the
Simpkins school had come over early
to play with US. Every school within
a radius Of six miles that hadn't
closed came TO visit us on the last
day. They came a-giggling mass Of
youngsters squeezed in one big lum-
Der wagon.
There were no lessons assigned the
last day. Each one recited what he
liked best The reading classes were
in the morning On such occasions
my favorite was Old Ironsides.' With
shoulders thrown back. book held
straight out In front. l beloved:
Ay. tear her tattered ensign down,
Long has it waved on high.
Jimmy Green always read. The
Brook Slouching on one hip, look
ing out OF the window most OF the
time that he might impress the small
er children with his learning, Jimmy
read in monotone:
For men may come and men may go.
But go on forever.
Jimmy couldn't read very well, but
he knew The Brook by heart On
the Fridays we had to speak pieces.
Jimmy spoke The Brook We had
new teacher nearly every year. so she
thought 1t was a piece Jimmy had
learned for that especial occasion. It
was hard on Jimmy when the same
teacher came back the second year.
Jimy had to learn a new piece.
Just before noon, our pas and mas
and the rest Of the children's pas and
mas began to come In, Ma always
came and sat with me. That made me
mad, because Susie Whitty, In the seat
behind me Uttered: He is tied to his
mammals apron strings That cut
was IN love with Susie.
"Old Squire Rogers was the last one
to arrive. The squire didn't have any
children, but he had been on the school
board ever since the district was or
ganized. The teacher boarded at his
place. Johnny Jones left the room
and when he come back. started II
down his aisle: Treats are comm
cause there is a big candy bucket in
the back Of the squires buggy
Would she or wouldn't she trlat on
the last day? had been discussed in
hushed tones by groups OF children
IN .he playground for weeks.
Nnfnna~ L..
buggies and wagons great baskets of
eatables covered with big cloths were
brought out The teacher pretended
to be surprised. she hadn't dreamed
OF it. She had brought her own little
lunch basket as usual. That dinner,
great platters Of fried chicken. big
juicy pickles. watermelon preserves.
hard boiled eggs colored red. with
toothpicks in one end TO pick them up
BY The squire at the head of the
table asked the blessing in his deep
voice. Jackie Schemmerhorn giggled.
Jackie always giggled when the squire
said grace. Jackies father was a
goddess man and II amused Jackie to
see people talk to their platter as he
called Il.
After dinner the smaller children
said pieces, and four Of us big boys
had a debate. The question was,
who suffered the more. Rnoch Arden
or EvangelineT was leader on
Enoch's side and Johnny Jones was
Evangeline's champion. Neither
Enoch nor Evangeline ever got the de-
-ision. Squire Rogers. the third Judge,
always said. as near as he could see.
II was six OF one and half a dozen OF
the other. so he would call It a hung
Jury The squire was a tactful man.
The best was last. That big bucket
was brought out Of the squire's buggy.
Wouldn't this be a happy old world IL
every day was the last day Of school?"
Kansas City Star.