The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-08-15
PREACHING
AND.
PRACTICE.
By EBEN e. RExFoRp,
in Home and Flowers.

he calls systum. Have place for
things, says he, an keep things IN
their place. That's where they b'long'
Live up TO that rule, an you'll alays
know where to find things when you
want EN-. An do things when they
need doin
Josiar's ideas are good-l amt 60
in to deny that-but the fact is, ne
don't jest live up to 'em. He has
places. for his things, but the things
amt always there. Only last week he
wanted the hammer. Wanted it bad,
an right off, an the way he went
through the house a huntin for it, an
scoldin' cause it want to be found
was a caution.
Have you looked behind the cellar
door," / asked. That's where ne
made place for it, an ordered US 10
put il whenever we used it, the min
nit we'd got done with 1t.
Looked behind the suller door"
says he, dretful savage. Wall, sh'd
say ! had! That's where | looked
first. That's where | expected TO ind
it--where ] would ha' found it if you
or the younguns had did as told
you bout putin it back where it
b'longs, after you'd used it, l swan,
II does make me awful mad to think
none O. you'll take any pains to DO S
I've told you"
i But | hain't had the hammer says
!. 81 hain't had no use for it. An |
don't b'lieve the children had it. It's
most likely where you left it.
Hear the woman talk" says Josair,
au' he Jest glared at me. I'D have you
know, ma'am-an' you do know-that
] don't go leaving things round as
you an the rest of 'em do. If you'd
try-jest try-to have some kind o
system about you | wouldn't mind it
30 much, but that's the meanness of
It, you won't try. You jest set out
to be contrary, an you encourage the
children in it. If | told you to leave
the hammer lyin' 'ropad, you'd put
1t up ev'ry time-I'd know right where
to look for it. Hain't had it? How'd
you know you hain't had it? How
1ong'd you remember whether you'd
had it or not? You'd forgit afore you'd
turred round. But of course you'd
declare, up hill an down, that you
hadn't had it or seen it. It's enough
to make a man swear. If | ever find
It agin I've a good mind to put a
paddock on it, an carry the key round
with me-"
What is it you're huntin for now,
pa?" asked Jimmy, who'd ben some'rs
on a arrant, an hadn't heard the rum
pus
"The hammer" says Josiar, like g.
snapin' turtle. "Your mother says
she hain't had it, but that don't prove
she hain't, by any means. Have you
seen it?"
"Its up on the scaffold in the barn,
where you nailed them boards yes't'dy,"
says Jimmy. you didn't bring it
down, when you got through"
When heard that, | laughed.
couldn't help it, considerin all Josiar'd
said. He heard me, an it made him
mad.
"Oh, laugh, will ye?" says he in a
low, awful tone. You think it smart
to make fun O. me, right afore the chill
dren, don't ye? Laugh! Laugh! Why
don't ye? But don't carry your foolish
ness too fur, for you're fatter'n any one
o. your Polan' Chinys, an it might
hy-ip ha
out, an slammed the kitchen door so it
most Jared the clock off the shelf
All summer the suler stairs has
needed fxin'. There's a board loose an
Eev'ril times I've come nigh takin' a
fall. I've spoke to Josiar about it
more'n a dozen times, but he never
rot round to fix it. We got into the
habit O. sayin' ev'ry time any O. the
family went down suller, Look out
fer that step!" More'n once / told
Josiar about it, an said 'tain't livin
mp to his idees O. doin' things when
they needed doin to let it go so but he
gifts contrary if you keep tellin' him,
an by'meby see 'tain't no use O. vast
in breath on the matter, so | hain't
said anything to him about it lately
Thinks | he'll be more likely to get
round an fix it sometime, if let him
be.
Wall, last week he began to dig the
p'tatoes in the garden. an when they'd
got dried off, an the children had
picked 'em up, he went to carryin' 'em
down suller in bags. He made three
or four trips 'thout anything happ'nin'.
but the last time he went down he
happened tostep jest right on the stair
board to give it a flip, an it tipped, all
right, an down he went Such a noise
as there was! He hadn't tied the bag.
but jest he'll his hand round the end
he'd gathered up, to save a string an
tyin', an of course when he went
down, he had to let go an the p'tatoes
jest rolled all over the suller floor. an
sh'd say be bumped hisself good'n
hard on ev'ry step, judgin' by the
sound. But the worst sounds of all
came out O. his mouth. 1t was reilly
frightful to hear him. The way he
frigntf1l to hear him He's church