The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-07-02
ey MABEL JoNEs-susH.

barely three. His father. never a COM
petent man. was at his wits end with
end with two babies to tend" and a
living to make. Naturally sad end
ing came to the unequal struggle.
One day the man made a mistake in
his work. which together with his
record for many absences, accom-
plished his dismissal from the factory
where he worked: then Bonnie and
bis brother went to the orphanage.
When Bonnie was just entering his
teens he seemed old enough and big
enough TO do work for the farmers
on neighboring farms. First 1t was
only light chores. like carrying water
to the men in the fields and gather
ing the eggs and running errands;
but soon he was doing harder work,
each succeeding year staying longer
away from the orphanage till finally
he did not return at all, his employer
at the time sending word to the Off
Gals of the institution that he thought
he could find work for Bonnie the
year around. This employer had 9th
er plans for Bonnie: he had heard
of a farmer many miles away TO the
north who was willing to pay $3.50
week as well as board and keep for
a good, strong boy, so he shipped poor
Bonnie off. as he would a COW or Il
horse. without consulting him at all,
pocketed the money. and reported to
the erphanase only the name of the
man to whom he had sent the boy.
In his new place Bonnie had every
chance to test the truth OF the adage,
'All work and no play makes Jack a
dull boy" for he was not given an OPP
rortnnity to learn anything more than
how TO work-and work hard. Had
he shown any disposition TO read bout
the great world about him, he could
not well have done so because there
were few books in his new home, and
he was kept so busy from early morn
ing till late at night that when the
last stroke of work was done he was
Just able to tumble into bed.
About the only pleasures Bonnie had
were "house raisings" and apple
parings." at the neighbors, and these
came few and far between.
Such times as these We're GASES in
Bennie's hard life. To be sure, Ben
ME had enough ID eat, and his clothes
were warm, though queer.looking and
coarse; but plenty 10 eat and warm
clothes, and the very few good times
of the apple bearings" were not
al ptrartrorIyn1
Then Bonnie had another trouble
Farmer John Brison. Bennie's master
whom everybody called "Or john
had three sons who made II theil
main object in life to make Bonnie
miserable. When they shirked work
Bonnie had 10 do double share
When they made mistakes, it Wa.
Bennie's fault. Mrs. Brison was a:
hard as her husband. On every occa
sion she excused her sons and blamed
Bonnie when anything went wrong
Why not? He was only a "bount
boy" This remark. made often II
Bennie's presence, always hurt him
He never knew what answer TO make
but just wondered idly If he was a
ways to be a bound boy" and some
times the thought made him savag
inside.
One particular summer when Bel
ME was about sixteen, he had an e,
perience. For two or three days prio
to the Fourth of July he heard peopl
talking about the Fourth" He aske
Sam, one of Farmer Brisons' SON
'.What Fourth" Sam stared an
then shouted why. the Fourth
Then he knocked OF Bennie's hat an
took to his heels shouting, 'Wh;
Fourth, What Fourth. He wants
know what Fourth"
Afterwards, while milking. Benn
caught portions of conversation b
tween "or John" and one of Il
neighbors; something about, Tho
MANY are going TO the picnic" 'sol
long table for everybody" .the fl,
drill the teacher has gotten up" al
speeches" aud then as the neighb
climbed into his wagon and start
away, he heard, "Of course you "
all stay for the fireworks. They
goin' to be better than ever Ii
year.
Something in what the farmers So
and the tones of their voices stir
Bonnie. He knew that somethi
great was going to happen. Picki
up his pail. he hurried so fast and
eagerly TO ask Farmer Brison what
was all about that he stumbled a
spilled half of the foamy milk,
ceiving a curse instead of the kno
edge he wa. ted. Later he asked
farmers wife, but she was SO fret
over the loss of SO much .'strippir
that her replies were somewi
vague.
why, yes, to be sure. the Fourt
q holiday. Eyerybody's supposed
have a good time ON the Four
(Now won't nave as much A numl
! butter as Mrs. Reid. What. do
you know? Why. the Father of /
Country, he freed the United Sta
"a oil