Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-07
BACK TO BoYH0oD'S DAYS
HappyF Sure! II You Doubt, HIke
Back in Thought as YOu
Read.

Yes. sir! Boyhood's happy days. of
course. We know about that. We haven't
forgotten the JOY OF sleeping in an unfin-
ished loft in winter, when our breath froze
to the bedding and We had to thaw out
with a hot fatiron every morning.
Morning. too We got up at 4 a. m,
pitch dark, s. below zero. and still going
downi We had to get up, hustle out and
feed and milk the lowing herd, curry the
rear elevation OF the family mule, wake
the rooster up TO crow, thaw out the pump,
chop four cords of wood and shovel away
the snow to make room for the sun to
rise!
Sometimes we went to school in the win
ter-not often. Only on the days when it
was too cold and stormy to go outdoors.
Then we sat on a nice. cool board about
fifty feet away from the stove and gayly
blew at our fingers and picked icicles from
our hair. And. as we sat, we listened to a
wooden image with a teachers license as
he handed US misiaformation and perma-
nently crippled our intellects.
The came the merry springtime, Rise at
2:S a. m. More lowing herd! The herd
lowing owing to the supply Of fodder being
low. Then the hired man. who had hiber-
mated in the forest, came forth seeking
whom he might make happy with his pres
ence. And we, being in need OF extra joy,
were allowed TO sleep with this Woolly
hireling. who snored like the boom OF the
sad sea waves He was a good fellow,
this hired man. He taught us to chew to-
bacco and swear. These gentle pastimes
procured US more violent lickings than any
other Joy in our whole young life.
No memory is more loaded with Joy
germs than the spring crop working. Can
MA aeyar forpaf the plnurfnRF How wa haHd
the pillow when We had to reach up with a
I pike pole 10 get the handles; how We drove
the old plug team with the lines around
our neck; how. when the clevis broke. the
mares walked away with our frail BODY
dragging behind By the ears? When dark
ness came we stabbed the plugs and went
forth TO milk the brindle heifer. The heifer
kicked us across the barn floor and an
old COW obligingiy kicke us back again.
Then. when the milking was over, what fun
to turn in and teach a fool calf to drink.
This acting as dry nurse TO a bandy-legged
calf was one OF the most unmixed Joys Of
all We tied the calf short. set the ucket
in front OF him. got astrsddle OF his neck.
stuck two fingers in his mouth and with
the other hand jsmmed his head into the
pail. And all the time We were emptying
out abuse on calves in general and this lop-
cared idiot in particular. This went on I'M
I'll dad came IN and with loving patience
horsewhipped US all about tho place.
Then. when We had carried in the wood.
brought forty gallons OF water from the
spring and eaten about eight pounds OF
solid food, we vent JoyfuIly upstairs-and
came down again Immediately 20 break
fast.
We often dream and wake 10 weep for
the days gone by when the hay was ripe
We recall the old swamp that always had
TO be cut by hand We recall little stone
that We rasped the edge OF our blades on
We recall the pretty snake we stepped on
with our bare feet. We remember Il al
with solemn giadness-
Well. well. How Il all comes back Z,
us.-chieago New