Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-02-15

mind; but she II get you where she
wants you and read bout a million
hours. I know Miss Minerva"
Billy's aunt was growing impatient.
Come. William" she called. Il am
waiting for you"
Jimmy went back to his own porch
and the other boy Joined his kinswo-
man.
why wouldn't Jimmy Gomez" she
asked
"He-he amt feeling very WELL"
was the cOnsiderate rejoinder.
Once there was a little boy who
was born in Virginia" began Miss
Minerva.
Born in a manger," repeated the
inattentive little boy to himself. ~
knows who that was" So. this impor-
tant question settled in his mind. he
gave himself up to the full enjoyment
OF his chum and to the giving and re-
ceivlng secret signals, the pleasure OF
which was decidedly enhanced by the
fear of imminent detection.
Father, l cannot tell a lie. I did il
with my little hatchet-" read the
thin, monotonous voice at his elbow.
Billy laughed aloud-at that minute
Jimmy was standing on his head wav-
ing two chubby feet in the air.
William said his aunt reprovingly.
peering at him over her spectacIes. Il
don't see anything to laugh at.'-and
she did not, but then she was in ignor-
ance of the little conspiracy.
He was a good and dutiful son and
he studied his lessons so well that
when he was only seventeen years old
he was employed to survey vast tracts
of land in Virginia"
Miss Minerva emphasized every
word, hoping thus to impress her
nephew. But he was so busy keeping
one eye on her and one on the little
boy on the other porch, that he did not
have time to use his ears at all and so
did not hear one WORD.
Leaving mis- camp fires burning to
deceive the enemy, he stole around by
a circuitOus route, fell upon the Brit
ish and captured"
Billy held up his hands to catch a
ball which Jimmy made believe to
throw.
Miss Minerva still read on, uncon-
scious of her nephew's inattention:
THE suffering at Valley Forge had
been intense during the winter"
Billy made a pretense behind his
aunts upright back of throwing a ball
while the other child held up two fat
1iffln 10
laughed aloud as Jimmy spat on his
hands and ground the imaginary ball
into his hip.
She looked at him sternly over her
glasses:
What makes you so silly?" she in
quired, and without waiting tor a reply
went on with her reading; she was
nearing the close now and she read
carefully and deliberately.
And he was chosen the first presi-
dent of the United States"
Billy put his hands to his ears and
wrigsled mis- fingers at Jimmy. who
promptly returned the compliment.
He had no children of his own. so
he is called the Father of his Coun-
try.1a
Miss Minerva closed the book,
turned to the little boy at her side,
and asked:
who was this great and good man,
William?"
Jesus" was his ready answer, in an
appropriately solemn little voice.
why, William Green Hill" she ex-
claimed in disgust. What are you
thinking of? don't believe you heard
one word that l read"
Billy was puzzled; he was sure she
had said Born in a manger" 81 didn't
hear her say nothin' bout bulrushes,"
he thought, so t amt Moses; she
didn't say log cabin so t amt Aba
ham Lincoln; she didn't say Thirty
cents look down upon YOU so t amt
Napolyon. l sho' wish I'd paid ten
ton"
"Jesus!" his aunt was saying, born
in Virginia and first president of the
United States!"
George Washin'ton, | aimed to
say" triumphantly screamed the little
boy, who had received his cue.