Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1907-12-19
How Mr.. Preston Put 1t.

the close OF bcuoOI III tue ai'ei uo0o'
Que day be began:
"Oucs, when | was not as old as
som. Of you. and older than the rest
of you. I played truant to 60 fishing.
and I had very bad time of it"
This was a god beginning, the
boys thought. and it is fairly sup
posed that they listened e,gsrly to
hear what he had to say about that
days fishing.
Il objected a little when Peter
Garner prop Jsed 1t. knew | ought
rot to 90, for had recently been Ill,
aud the weather was damp-Very
good for fishing. but not good for
health, aud II didn't need two
tnousuls u tell me It would De wrong
all round. But-Tell, why will
Doys some lines, III the lac: OF all sdcn
knowledge, Ho aud do the tnlugf l
suppose l saaiI nave TO leave 1t vita
the boys.
I've stole away from school at the
noon recess. Peter had brought his
tackls aud hidden II under u bush III
the str.pVf WOODS, one corner oi WnlcI
cans " pJlut close up TO the coun'
ny scuooluouse. GoluH through this
woods We came 10 the little brook III
whicu We WeIe " hsn.
"rue sun euone ali about the school
nouse aud the yard, buL In the Woois
II Mas ool aud damp. We sat Oh a
rvck " nsn. aud eau remember still
now cod anu Wei that ROCK Was. We
lad ialriy good sport, though the hsn
were Very small. But al leustn
hne biz fellow Came swimming onS
near Peters hook.
Keep sull, he whispered. He
stooI up aud | stood up, neither OF us
darling to breathe al We tipLoed ~
wstcu hIm. de played about Peter
LOOK. aud We thought he surely had
ulm, wneD ali OF d sudden be lurued
away. Quietly dropped my hook In
aud lie qulexiy swallowed 1t.
81 uay, said Pete, augrlly, that
was my isn. You mai no ouslues. to
put III your noox.
Perhaps ne Was right. I had no
lime TO discuss the matter for, as l
raised the 1su, just polslug myself on
.hs edge OF tho ROCKS, Pete gave me
. little snovs. Wnetner ne meant 10
push me III 10 another vi the Questions
nave never beeu able 10 settle, ouI
II l Vent up to my neck IN that cold
Water. Pete was scared.
Grab hold OF my pole. he cried,
,oldlug It out to me. did 30 and
'nmbed out. gasplns aud snivering.
4" You d better scoot home as fast 40
,ou Can, said Pete. But didn't
want TO 20 nome; thought | would
IKE to get my clothes drled dfst- l
vent higher up where tns sun shone
ID the bank and lay down. II was
Try, warm place wneu hrst did 30,
'ut before long the Water drppsd
iown aud made u mud puddle uudsr
ne.
i got up and took look at my
ell, couclu hug presently that Was
bout as forlorn u !ooAilg boy as
could often be seen. called to Pete.
,ut he Was gone. and in hls place,
ONE one else was 6:hIng-A very
ice, pleasant man.
II seems to me you had better
,urrY home. my boy he said, and his
one was kind and friendly. was
,old and miserable, and half whlm
oered as said
~ wonder what my mother will
'ay when she sees me
oh, it won't much m alter what
'he says. he SAID. HIS tone was 80
Indifferent that I stared at him, it
seemed such queer thing to cay.
Id you thiuk so ? I asked.
"'Well. it is very plain that you
think 30, he said. Bat there are all
.orts Of mothers. you know. Just
that yours is one of the
Kind that doot count one way or the
'ther.' l was angry. a' you may
yuesa.
".You 'd-better not talk that way
,bout my mother. 1 said 'Sne no
,ountl She's the best mother in the
worldl II we're as big as you are.
7ou wouldn't dare to talk So
"'Oh, come now, my boy be said.
You needn't sputter and bluster about
t. I'm only taking your own testi-
nony in the matter. II you're gong
to put in plea for your mother. you
have no case at all.
"'what do you mean ? l asked.
"'Wby. as l understand it, you
would like people to think you have
, oood rnoth.r-'