Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 253, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 October 1910 — ALMOST TOO QUICK [ARTICLE]

ALMOST TOO QUICK

NEW BOY ASTONISHES PESSIMISTIC OLD MAID. For Once Susan Myers Had to Acknowledge That Modern Youngster Might Really Be “Worth His Salt.” It was very difficult for Susan Myers to keep a boy. She was an active little woman who lived on a small New England farm, managed It herself, and hired a boy from the village to come in and do the small chores immediately round the house. Many boys had she hired, but one and all they reported that Miss Myers "wore ’em out” by the multiplicity of her demands. As for Miss Myers, her own frequently expressed opinion was that boys were “too lazy to live,” anyway, and that a boy who was worth his salt had not yet been Invented. But the time came when Miss Myers met her match in Johnny Briggs, who appeared one morning and offered his services. “Well,” said Miss Myers, “I suppose there’s no help for it. I ain’t much confidence In ye, but let’B see how fast ye can get up to the store and buy me a spool o’ black cotton.” “Yes’m,” replied Johnny, briefly. He went round the corner of the house whistling, exactly like any other boy. But Johnny was not exactly like any other boy. He had Napoleonic qualities—and an old bicycle, which he had left behind the woodshed. Half an hour before Miss Myers had expected him, he was back with the spool of cotton. “Here’s yer cotton, Miss Myers,” said Johnny cheerfully. “I like to do a thing right up quick and have It over. What’ll I do next?” He had got back so soon that Miss Myers was hardly ready with the next commission. “Sweep off the porch,” she 'said tersely. Johnny Briggs leaped at the broom. Never was a porch swept more quickly. He was back in the kitchen. “Done th’ porch, Miss Myers,” said J&hnny. “What’ll I do next? What I like is to do a thing quick and—” "Take this pall.” Interrupted -uiss Myers, “and run dowfi to the*berry pasture and git me a pail of blueberries for dinner.” Johnny seized the pail, picked up his bicycle behind the woodshed, and was off to the berry pasture. Miss Myers continued her work in the kitchen. She had given him a job that would last a while this time, she told herself, for the berry pasture was nearly a mile away. But she had haifdly begun cooking dinner for herself and men whom she had working on the farm when the door opened, and a freckle-faced boy appeared with a brimming pail of berries. “Here’s yer blueberries, ma’am,” announced Johnny, calmly. “What I like is to do a thing quick, and have it—” Susan Myers turned from the oven, where she was examining the ‘biscuits. v "Johnny Briggs," she said, severely. "you set that pail down in the sink, and set yerself In that chair. And you set there till I’ve got the dinner. Ye’re a good boy, but I’d like to see ye doin’ something that ye can’t do so quick and have it over, jest to make certain that I ain’t goin’ crazy.”—Youth’s Companion. i