Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-18

times called THE Sage OF Potato Hill. He
Town" This story is reprinted here by per-
mission OF the author.)
In my neighborhood there lives a
family named Grover-the mother and
father and five little children. Whether
am in my room at work or sitting on
the porch. the Grover children are
| always in evidence; since they are very
active and all through the Summer play
outdoors barefoot, which they regard
as a great privilege, except when their
mother posters them about washing
their feet at night.
Their mother does not believe In
letting her children bother the neigh
borS, so they are always at home, and
other children play with them. They
are the most natural, human youngsters
I ever knew and, as they are healthy,
they are noisy from the time they get
up in the morning until they go to bed
at night. Because of my open windows
I know everything they do or say. When
waken in the morning the roar in
the Grover yard is going full tilt, but
I only smile at 1t, because am fond
of the Grover children. If see COM
pany arrive at the Grover home I soon
hear one of the children say to the
mother:
where are we going to sleep
tonight?"
And next day hear one of the
Grover children put this question:
when are they going home?".
The Grover child that interests me
most is Charley. years old. One morn
ing noticed that Charley was In dis
grace. His mother had dressed him in
girls clothes to punish him.. This kept
him in the house for while. but soon
he didn't mind the girls dress and
played out in the yard. where he was
forbidden to go. Then his mother took
his clothes off and thought that would
keep him in the house, but in a little
while he was out playing with the other
children, naked.
BY this time I was much interested
in Charley's crime and made bold to
60 to the. fence and ask Mrs. Grover
what Charley had done.
Charley had told story. I recon-
mended to Mrs. Grover that she wash
Charley's mouth with soap suds and
let it go at that. but she thought it
best to keep Charley in the house until
his father came home. when e. family
council would be held and Charley's
fate decided
Mrs. Grover told me of Charley's dis
grace. With some other boys he had
gone to a pond in the neighborhoCd
and fallen in. When he returned home
his mother asked him how his clothes
became wet. And then Charley said he
was up at his Aunt Hannah's and in
getting drink out of the well bucket
had accidentally spilled some on his
clothes
Charley had been warned not to go
to the pond, and I feared it would go
hard with him when his father came
home. I have known Charley's father
all his life, and though good, steady
man now he was tougher as a boy than
Charley is. You know how parents take
on about child who has told a story.
We all tell them. But how we are
shocked If children are caught at It,.
We say a great big black man or "a
policeman will get them.
asked Mrs. Grover to put Charley In
my charge for half an hour, ard, as
she knows I like the children, she let
me have him, first putting his sister
Maggie's dress on him. Then led him
over to my porch and lectured him. -.
Charley" I said. IT don't think 1t
very wicked to tell story since have
told more of them probably than any
other man in the world. unless 1t Is
your father, who Is coming home pres
emily to whip you. But there Is a
reason why you shouldn't tell stories