Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-01-15
Grumble Boy and
Smiley Boy

In the Jones house there were two
small boys, Johnnie Grumble-boy and
Johnnie Smiley-boy; but no n ever
saw both at once. AT first they hardly
realized, this little boys father and
mother and Aunt Emma, that there
were two boys: but when one morning
q little chap came down to breakfast
with a big frown on his face, and blue
eyes that were so cross that they look.
cd nearly black, and when pleasant re.
marks from the family had no effect
In making the boy look pleasant, they
were Obliged to make up their mind
that a strange little boy had come to
take the place of their pet. So they
treated him with all the ceremony
necessary with a stranger, and pretty
soon he found himself feeling strange
and queer.
But he wouldn't toll anyone that he
felt strange. Not a bit Of it. He was
not that kind of q boy. When he came
down feeling that way, why, every
thing was wrong. The oatmeal was too
salty, his milk didn't taste right, and
his egg was boiled TOO hard; and he
just didn't want to wear his old cap
to kindergarten - it wasn't comfort
able at all. ...
This sort Of thing went on for some
time. until Aunt Emma made up her
mind that some remedy must be
thought out. The mornings when
| Smiley Johnnie came down, there was
the happiest little boy around the
house all day. and home was a very
different place from what 1t was on
Grumble-boy's DAYS.
So auntie thought and thought, and
one day, when Johnnie came down. and
it was the Grumble-boy Johnnie who
climbed up to the seat beside father,
he found a great change in the atmos-
phere of the family table. Usually
when he came down looking frowning
and sour, and complained about every
thing, the kind members of his family
tried to persuade him by cheerfulness
that things were not so far wrong as
he thought them. But today it was diff,
ferent.
This hominy is too hot" piped .
small voice.
1T is entirely too hot" Aunt Emma
agreed sulkily.
Mines burning my mouth" mother
said sadly.
Mines simply s%calding," growled
father.
Grumble-boy looked up surprised and
for five minutes there wasn't a word
said. .,.4. ... ..ss
Then came the boiled eggs and,
toast. As-", y
my eggs too hard" growled Grurc.
ble-boy before he thought, just because
he was in the htbit of saying it when
he felt cross.
SOS mine" walled auntie.
"And mine,' sobbed mother.
Mines like a rock, it's so hard
growled father.
Grumble-boy could hardly keep from
smiling, it was all SO Ike the good. old
story of S~ilverlocks and the three
bears; but he'd come downstairs feel
ing cross. and it was his habit to stay
cross. ..r
And then the finish came when some
lovely hot griddle cakes were brought
on. Grumble-boy wanted to complain
lust because he felt like it. So after he
had poured maple syrup over his cake,
he touched it with his fork and grum-
bled.
"These cakes are tough
II can hardly cut NINE" walled
mother in a fearful voice.
Father started to cut his just then,
and so did all the others, and at the
same time, father growled, Shame to
send such tough cakes to the table,"
and the cakes simply fell apart on
their forks and everybody burst into
a roar OF laughter.
After that, when by chance the
Grumble-boy appeared at breakfast. 1t
was enough for auntie to say, John
ME. are your cakes tough this morn
fng?" to break the clouds and bring
hack sunshine.-Examiner.
GLADYS BickfOrd Likes