Johnnie: A Memory Of Boyhood

JOHNNIE A MEMORY OF BOYHOOD - 1898 - JOHNNIE Whose surname may be supplied by the reader from the throng of other Johnnies, -just such happy-hearted little youngsters as wae this one. THE matter presented in this little volume has assumed its present form and dress with those mingled feelings of bravado and timidity which afflict the boy when first he appears in long trousers. The distress of such a boy becomes more evident the more it is concealed. He is painfully conscious of being mostly arms and legs-and clothes. If he swings along carelessly, he is afraid people will accuse him of putting on if he adopts a stiff and dignified manner, as best suits his attire, he thinks that he is awkward and, in any case, he is likely to be overtaken at last by the comfortless conviction that people are not noticing him at all. With these emotions, and others, the author makes his bow. - CONTENTS -CHAPTER I HIS FIRS A T P PEARANCE I1 TRIAL A S N D TRIBULATIONS D I11 BOYISHD REAMS IV As FATHE OF R T HE MAN V THE L AST D AY O B SCHOOL V1 VACATION A S N D CHORES V11 THE HIRED H AND AN D HANTS V111 BEING SICK IX A SUMMDEARY X THE COUNT F Y A IR XI IN WINTER XII CHRISTMAS XI11 THE PLOWMAWNEASR YW AY XIV BUDDING Q XV THE BANE OF BASHFULNESS XVI THE RALLY XVII A SORROWDFUENLO UEMENT XVIII A BOOK WORM XIX THE BOY INVENTOR XX WHENH IS MOTHERD IED XXI THE FLEDGLIN FL G I S G HT XXII IN A GREAT CITY XXIII A MISFIT XXIV THE M IRACLE O F MARRSAGE XXV THE NEW BOY PAGE 1 9 18 27 35 44 54 64 72 79 89 98 104 116 126 136 145 153 161 168 175 183 191 199 207 0 wonderland of wayward childhood what An easy, breezy realm of summer calm And dreamy gleam and gloom and bloom and balm Thou art-The Lotus-Land the poet sung-Itis the Child-World, when the heart beats young. IT was in the morning of the first day of school. The boys had collected in the far corner of the yard, where they were industriously taking turns at wrestling with the New Boy with the intent of determining once for all his proper place in the social scale of the district. The girls, in blue-checked and red-plaid pinafores, were grouped upon the stile, their arms sweetly encircling one anothers waists, while they made scornful remarks about the New Girl, a shy, frail midget in drooping black sunbonnet, who stood sadly apart grasping a battered dinner-pail, her eyes fixed on the ground. Well, here comes another exclaimed one of the larger girls, glancing up the road. Who can it be I thought everybody was here. 1 JOHNNIE No one was actually in sight as yet but far up the road there approached a revolving, pyramidal pillar of dust, such as only a schoolboy or a runaway horse can produce. On it came, swaying and wavering like a miniature whirlwind and the girls went gingerly out to meet it. As it drew near, the wraith of a round, smiling face could-be discerned, a faint nucleus floating in the midst of the yellow nimbus. Then a dust-covered waist was revealed below the face, and, finally, two tiny twinkling feet. The nucleus suddenly halted opposite the schoolhouse, and, as the dust dissolved and drifted away, a fixed and mask-like grin took the place of the smile. It was another new scholar, and the girls immediately gathered about him with the curiosity of fawns and women. I believe its Mrs. Winkles little boy, observed one. What is your name, dear Jawnnie Winkle, n Im six years old, he recited promptly with automatic solemnity, putting onthe grinning mask again with a smirk as soon as he finished...