Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-06-10
A Hard Thing For
aLittle Boy ToDo
Frances Margaret Fox.)


the public playground around the cor
ner He had done his work weil-nls
mother said so; he had Strengthened the
room in the basement where he and MS
older brother had been making pro
houses: he had swept the furnace room
and carried the ashes into the alley
and cleaned the walks; all that was
boys work He thought that taking the
! baby out for an airing in her go-cart
was girls work and if his big sisters
We're too busy that Saturday morning
| to go walking why couldn't the baby
play in the house until afternoon?
Turn her loose in my room,' he SAID
to his mother, land shut the door. She II
| be good if she can have all my play
things and can pull everything she
sees down to the floor, and then I'll
| straighten up"
! why don't you want to take your
dear little sister out in her go-cart TINS
lovely morning, Jimmy, when you know
J that the sunshine and fresh air will do
her so much good the darling!'
| "Of course 1 know that she is dar-
I ling all right" Jimmy admitted. as ne
helped the baby take uncertain steps
from one chair to another but
but what?" urged his mother, as the
| boy stopped talking and looked cross.
| you'd know if, you'd ever been a
|
of my HART" he advised baby. as she
made a dive at his head with both
hands and squealed for JOY. Here. here
sis, let up, let up, or brother'll be bald
headed"
| Now. mother" he continued, babies
are all right Of course. and felier
likes to meet his little sister out in
go-cart when some one else is wheeling
her. But if I take her out. the boys Will
! taught" 49,
Jinmy's mother opened her mouth to
say something, but changed her mind
so quickly that. although Jimmy felt
cross as a grizzly bear. he half smiled
! when he saw his mothers mouth open
and close like that. and certain 1t Is that
! he felt bit ashamed, because he add
| ed ..- '.
"Of course the baby is all right; she
is pretty and clean, and she doesn't cry!
But. I tell you. it isn't any run TO nave
the boys all laughing at you!'
Jimmy. please bring me the babys
bonnet and coat was the way his
mother answered that. Il am sorry but
she must be out this morning, and you
are the only one who can go with her:
You are dragging her honnet-strinss'
She added, as Jimmy obeyed ungrac-
| iously. "
When the baby saw her bonnet and
\
balance. and down she sat. bobbing her
head and saying, Bye bye bye and
you may be sure that Jimmy was not
cross to her: he was only cross about
! her.
Mother looked troubled when her
small son took the go-cart down the
steps, Bump ety-bump. bump-et
bump" hard! but she smiled when she
saw how tenderly he carried the baby
down those same steps, and how gently
he snuggled her back against her pill
| low. IF his tones were not joyful when
he said "Brother take her ye-bye,' the
baby didn't notice Probably the reason
she pulled his cap off and tossed it on
| the grass was because she wished to
! see him laugh while he buckled the 60
cart strap so tight that. no matter how
hard she bumped against it, she could
not fall out. 81.
/ When Jimmy turned toward the open
window and inquired. How long DO
have to keep her out?' his mother an
swered:
Jimmy. am ashamed Of you. You
behave as if taking your little sister out
! for walk is the hardest thing boy
can do. You may bring her in the house
soon as you make up your mind tnat
you want to give her away!
Jimmy laughed at that: Then sup
pose" he remarked. that | shall have
to stay out with her forever and forever.
walking up and down back Streets:
Jimmys mother said no more, be-
cause she knew that Jimmy chose back
streets for baby lest the boys should
see him and laugh.
! 1t happened that morning that Jimmy
didn't have a chance to turn in the d.
| rection of a back street before he met
three of his particular friends. whom he
| did not wish to meet. on their way to
the playground: but before those little
boys spoke to Jimmy. they began doing
tricks to make the little sister laugh,
and they crowded in front Of her so
they stopped the go-cart.
where, are you taking hero asked
Bobbie Evans.
Nowhere, just out walking" answer
ed Jimmy.
"Then bring her over to the play
ground and let her see us go down the
slide" suggested Peter Brown.
| "And femme wheel her! My! but she
| is peach!' exclaimed Kenneth Barnes.
Thus began one of that dear babys
| happiest mornings, because when she
reached the playground she discovered
that all the children loved her. even the
boys-bis boys and little bows. Jimmy
discovered the same fact. and baby al
lowed I:'m to play with the boys to his
| hearts content: and that day she learn
! ed a new word it was boy"
At eleven o'clock Jimmy suddenly re-
membered that half past ten was the
baby's nap time. "Oh. I must get her
home to mother" he exclaimed. Il
shouldn't have kept her ont so long!
Come home with brother and say Boy
boy for mother"
| Let me wheel her again. offered
| Kenneth Barnes. 1T is time for me to
go home. anyway. Don't tell the others,
but | promised my mother that I would
come home and do the busting this
Saturday,
Isn't that girls work." demanded
Jimmy as he gladly allowed Kenneth
to wheel the baby.
| Mother says not" answered Ken
meth she says that whatever a boy
can do to malle~everything easier for
his mother and sisters is mans work.
OF course, though. l don't like to DUST"
And I don't like to take baby out
in a go-cart," confessed Jimmy, on
reaching his own gate.
DO you know what is the hardest
thing boy can do?" Kenneth wished to