Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-06-19
Lazy Tom Blake
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Tom Blake was lazy-at least, all
m neighbors said so and his sharp
songued maiden aunt impressed the
fact upon his mind very forcibly, at
least a score of times each day.
Poor Tom! His was "a dreary boy
hood. Nature had given him big,
clumsy frame, and a shambling gait,
while his rugged, homely features were
literally despatched with freckles. He
was 10 years old, and Lazy Tom" was
ne only name by which he was ever
called by the inhabitants Of the Maine
village where he had always lived.
He was the youngest of large fam
liz. All the older children had left the
homestead, and, since his mother died
and his elderly aunt had kept house
for him, life had not been a bed Of
roses for Tom.
The boy had ambition. Under his
unprepossessing exterior there was a
wealth Of undeYelOped energy, which
had never been awakend. He did not
like to split wood and carry water,
but this was more on account Of the
dislike he felt for his Aunt Marcia.
from whom the orders always came,
than from the trouble of doing the
work, for Tom was almost a man In
strength already.
No matter what he did, 1t was al
ways wrong. He had honestly tried to
please her many times, but his boots
would leave mud on the spotless kit
chen floor, and the wood was never
cut to her liking; Sc, after a while he
fell into a fashion Of doing everything
N a mechanical, lIstless way, which
she called stupidity"
Now, Tom was not stupid. He knew
every inch OF the forest for ten miles
around. He was a good shot, so many
. fat partridge found its way into the
family larder and many a string Of
peckled trout was turned over to his
aunt, without word of thanks.
He had learned all the village school
master could impart, and no plans had
been made for his future, but he had
an ambition Of which no one dreamed
he wanted to be civil engineer.
His knowledge Of the science itself
was very vague, until he had watched
the surveyors prospecting In the neigh
borhood the previous summer for a
route for a proposed new line of rail
road. Then his curlosnty was thor
oughly aroused.
The theodollte was a mystery to
him, but he saw at once that the life
itself was a free, out-of-door calling.
exactly to his liking. He overcame
his natural shyness sufficiently to ask
after that he had but one aim in life.
Deep In the woods he had found an
old cave, while out hunting, and there
he would pass hours at a time, porting
over a few books which he had OBJ
talned from the old man who had once
been the local surveyor.
Slow in speech and deliberate In his
movements, he had gained the title of
LAZY Tom," but this elaboration was
Of great benefit to him in his studies.
What he learned, he learned thorough
u, and although sadly handicapped by
the want Of a teacher, he had made
good progress in the months he had
devoted to this all-absorbing delight
But this was not all. He had a ire
mendOus secret on his mind, which he
had never mentioned.
Wnen his aunt was unusually cross,
he would steal or to his little retreat
In the woods and indulge In dreams
which, to his boyish mind, seemed GER
kAIn OF fulfllment
Summer had rolled around once
more, and his aunt said, one day:
THAT great lazy boy should go to
work. He ought to be earning his
bread and butter"
Tom was not consulted IN the mat
ter, but he was afterwards told by his
father that he was to be hired out to a
neighbOring farmer.
Now, If there was one life more dis
tasteful than all others to Tom, It was
that OF a farmer. He hated It cordial
", and this announcement aroused him
10 action.
He stood meekly while Aunt Marcia
delivered a long lecture on "shIftless-
ness" and then went to his little room
IN the attic.
Mercy on US !" exclaimed Aunt Mar
ella, a haf-hour later, as Tom appear
ed again What on earth is going to
happenf II he hasn't gone and put on
his best clothes You amt going to
run away, are your
..No. aunt" said Tom, quietly.