Milford chronicle., 1937-06-18
ALTERNATING THE CHORES
BY HlIda Richmond


why in the world do you send
James to the grocery when Herbert
could do the errand SO much better
and get home sooner?" asked Mr..
Croft when his son had delivered the
parcel minus the string and plus
some dust, showing the little boy
had dropped it. James could be
given some work at home, if 1t is the
training you have in mind"
Then James would never learn to
do errards properly" said Mrs. Croft.
II change the duties about SO all
may be taught to accomplish each
task we'll and so as to be fair, too.
James might feed the cat and weed
the onions better than Herbert-in
fact l know he would-but he must
learn to carry things carefully. also,
and to bring home the right article
and the right change"
Maybe you are right, Mary, but
for the sake of your nerves it would
be better to put each child at what
he can do best. This is a day for
specialists, you know. and to me it
seems waste of time to require the
children to perform tasks that they
do not like"
But Mrs. Croft stuck to her sys-
TEN, and one day a year or two af-
terwards when her husband was
cutting the grass in the back yard,
he heard the children of his neighbor
complaining and wrangling over
some trivial tasks. II never get a
chance to go to the store" whined
Richard.
"Of course not" retorted Fred.
Mother likes her meat and cheese
to be still covered with paper when
she receives them. But you needn't
complain for you always get the job
OF sprinkling the flowers
That's because you don't do 1t
right" explained Richard. "All the
to get all the easy things to do"
Easy" said Fred. II like that. !
Going through the hot sun or the
rain isn't easy"
Mr., Blank came out to quiet the |
boys and then leaned over the fence |
to ask his neighbor about his garden. |
After a little they began talking |
about their children. Both fathers |
were proud of their sons. John |
and Arthur are bit quarrelsome |
about their chores sometimes" said |
Mr.. Blank, ."but they are fine fellows.
Your three boys don't seem to wran-
gle so much. How do you manage
it?"
Il cant claim any credit for it,"
Mr.. Croft. "In fact, used
to think my wife was making a mis-
take with her bookkeeping system of
the chores so each boy
would take his turn at hard and easy
ones, but it seems to work out we'll"
rs that the way you do T." ex-
claimed the neighbor. ut sounds
remember when l was
at home on the farm / always had
to get the cows because was a poor
hand at picking vegetables. still
feel, occasionally. that I got the
worst of the deal, but Aunt Martha.
who brought us up after Mother died,
had a way of fitting the chore to the
boy and keeping it there. Jim and
[ would both have enjoyed change
but she had cast iron !
-ules, and | never was allowed to
20 down to the letter box to get the
nail until l was we'll past twelve
because once 1 dropped letter in
he mud" 4.t. !
at seems children are the same in !
III generations" laughed Mr.. Croft, !
IS he picked up the handle of the
avn mower.
Hey! Richard" called Mr.. Blank,
Mother wants some whole wheat :
read for lunch. Run down to the !
tore and get loaf and let Fred rake
he grass" !
The look of gratitude on the face I
his little boy as he took the money D
nd skipped joyfully away. quite !
)uched Mr.. Blanks heart. 'I've
cen a dumbell." he said to himself. v