Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1919-03-27
shepberdstow Jefferson County, Virginia. Thursday March 2 1919
Bringing in the Bucket.

must write that letter TO Mrs. Norton
tonight. It's got to be done this week,
or there'll be trouble"
"And this is Saturday, if I'm not mis-
taken," said Uncle Jim looking up from
his newspaper. "In fact, Saturday af-
ternoon. Why not postpone it till to-
morrow, if ! may ask?"
"Why, Uncle JIM" cried Mary.
"That from you. why not wait till to-
morrow | should have expected you
to say, 'Why didn't you write it be-
fore?'"
Uncle Jim hid a quizzical smile be-
hind his newspaper. "Well-since you
suggest the question-why didn't you
write it on Monday-or Tuesday-or
Wednesday-or-"
"Oh, Uncle Jim" Mary interrupted
him. "Do stop. You make it sound
so terrible! I've put it off because |
haven't felt a bit we'll this week; and
it's an awfully hard letter to write, and
| dread it no end"
"Oh, yes" Uncle Jim was politely
sympathetic. "Well, suppose it's
great deal easier to do tonight, of
course"
"What in the world do you mean?
It's harder, if anything"
"Oh-h! Harder? Well, at any rate |
suppose you don't dread it so much ?"
81 dread it just as much"
Mary's voice showed that she was
becoming little annoyed, but Uncle
Jim apparently did not notice, and kept
on with his questions.
"Then you're feeling pretty we'll
again, are you?"
"I'm feeling tired to DEATH You
know | said so at lunch. What do you
mean by all these questions, Uncle
Jim? Are you making fun of me-"
But every trace of the quizzical smile
was gone from Uncle Jim's face.
a was just trying to find out" he
said quietly, Gust why any sensible
girl waits a week about doing some
thing that grows harder the longer she
waits, and that she breads more and
more. Besides, the delay makes her
every day more and more tired. No,
don't shake your head, Mary. You
would have felt great deal better
physically as we'll as mentally if you
had got that letter off your hands
earlier in the week. Did you ever hear
the story about the little boy who was
sick with all symptoms of over
work? The doctor asked how much
work he had to do And they said, TO
bring in a bucket of water every day
"'At any particular time?' inquired
the doctor.
"'Well, he is supposed to bring it
early in the morning, but he usually
puts it off till the last thing at night
''And brings it in all day long!' said
the wise old doctor. 'You make him
bring that water in before he has his
breakfast, and he'll be all right
"And he was"
Mary laughed in spite of herself.
"That's all very we'll for small boy, "
she said, "but for a girl as old as am
it's different"
"How much older do you think you
are than Mr.. Howard Carpenter ?" in
quired Uncle Jim, with one of his sur
prising conversational changes.
colder? Why, Mr.. Howard Carpen-
ten is as old as father! What do you
mean"
Simply that he was the one who
told me the story yesterday and inform
ed me he used it for watchword. |
was asking him how he managed to get
so much done without ever acting tired
or showing strain as so many men do.
And he said, & bring in my bucket of
water the first thing in the morning.
Then he explained that for good many
years he had chosen the hardest thing
in each days work, or the thing he
dreaded most to do, and had deliberate
ly done that thing first of all-thereby
losing neither time nor nervous energy
in dreadng it. I've determined to
adopt the plan, Mary, and ! respectfully
pass it on to you. And now, since
the sermons over, how about a nice
little walk through the woods ?"
Thanks, kind SIR" said Mary, with
smile, "but that's no bucket. I'm go
ing now to draw mine; better late than
never"
A soldier writing home put at the