Oscar / The Boy Who Had His Own Way

e coal," said Mrs. Preston one eve

alph," said Oscar, without looking

"I 've done all your chores t

then," added Oscar, his eyes

bs that you ought to have done, and that is the reason why I did not ask them to get the coal. You have done nothing but play, when you were out of school, since morning, and now,

rid of work. If he was directed to do a thing, he was almost sure to try to coax Alice, or Ella, or Ralph, or Bridget, or somebody else, to do it for him. He never taxed his own l

eston, in a pleasant tone, when Oscar returned w

g me," said Oscar "but I was re

have all noticed it, a hundred times, and you alone seem to be blind to it. In a year or two, when you are old enough to leave school, and go to a place, what do you

ly this morning that Bridget was scolding, because you wanted to be waited upo

but appeared to be reading his newspaper very intently. Mr

eston, "next week is

r," repl

his father. "Frank is going home to spend Thanksgiving, and as it wi

errands while Frank is

much other work as he can at

Frank go off at such a ti

advice from you, and I don't want you to call me to account for what I do. I have given Frank a vac

hed to lay the burden occasioned by Frank's absence, was a young clerk, wh

not much relish the idea of taking Frank's pla

. The poor boy has been away from his mother nearly a year, and it is natural that he should want to go home and spend Than

ut it's hard for me to lose my vacation

you are lively, you can do all I shall want you to do in fo

ph, who was always ready to offer h

e to be compounded into all sorts of good things. The house was filled with savory odors from the oven, and long rows of pies began to fill up every vacant space in the closet. Mrs. Preston was busy, superintending the operations of the household; while Alice and Ella rendered such assistance as they could, in the

f it served to offset the confinement, which he had dreaded more than anything else. With some assistance from Ralph, he managed to do all tha

n branch of the business. Happening to go into it an hour or two after, Mr. Preston observed

ut," said he, as Oscar made his

" said Oscar, in

and there-and there,"-and he pointed out numerous little heaps of dirt, and scraps of paper, which had escaped Oscar's broom. "Now," he continued, "let me show you how t

r," repl

he way to sweep-get all the dirt out from the corners and crevices, and along the edges, and under the counters. Use the broom as though you meant to do something, and w

t's the true doctrine, Oscar. I hope you won't get in the habit of making half-way work with whatever you undertake. If I never expected to do a

entirely. This was partly the result of a want of interest in it, and partly the result

car was on his way to the store, a

"I'm going out to Cambridge, all alone in a wagon, and I

Alfred was in a hurry, and could not stop long for him to consider the matter. So he concluded to run home, and ask his father's permission, while Alfred went and got the horse ready. But when he got home,

s a very good driver. He prided himself on his ability to turn a neat corner, and to steer through the narrowest and most crooked passage-ways, such as abound

liged to return home by the cars, he left word that he would send out for the horse, in the afternoon. This was Alfred's errand. After several inquiries, the boys found the man

long time no one appeared to notice him. At length his father happened to come to the part of the shop where he was, and asked him where he had been all the afternoon. Oscar proceeded to explain the cause of his absence, but Mr. Preston was in too muc

en if Ralph was willing to do his work, he did not like his putting so much upon his younger and weaker brother. He then complimented Ralph for his industry, and his willingness to make himself useful, and held him up to Oscar as a pattern he would do well to imitate. He concluded his lecture to the latter, by drawing from his pocket a quarter of a dollar, and presenting it to Ralph, as a reward for his services. This touched O