Good Templars"Hi there! Bell's rung! Get up, lazy-bones!" called Frank from hisroom as the clock struck six one bright morning, and a greatcreaking and stamping proclaimed that he was astir.
"All right, I'm coming," responded a drowsy voice, and Jack turnedover as if to obey; but there the effort ended, and he was off again,for growing lads are hard to rouse, as many a mother knows to hersorrow.
Frank made a beginning on his own toilet, and then took a look athis brother, for the stillness was suspicious.
"I thought so! He told me to wake him, and I guess this will do it";and, filling his great sponge with water, Frank stalked into the nextroom and stood over the unconscious victim like a sternexecutioner, glad to unite business with pleasure in this agreeablemanner.
A woman would have relented and tried some milder means, forwhen his broad shoulders and stout limbs were hidden, Jacklooked very young and innocent in his sleep. Even Frank paused amoment to look at the round, rosy face, the curly eyelashes,half-open mouth, and the peaceful expression of a dreaming baby.
"I must do it, or he won't be ready for breakfast," said the Spartanbrother, and down came the sponge, cold, wet, and choky, as itwas briskly rubbed to and fro regardless of every obstacle.
"Come, I say! That's not fair! Leave me alone!" sputtered Jack,hitting out so vigorously that the sponge flew across the room, andFrank fell back to laugh at the indignant sufferer.
"I promised to wake you, and you believe in keeping promises, soI'm doing my best to get you up.""Well, you needn't pour a quart of water down a fellow's neck, andrub his nose off, need you? I'm awake, so take your old sponge andgo along," growled Jack, with one eye open and a mighty gape.
"See that you keep so, then, or I'll come and give you another sortof a rouser," said Frank, retiring well-pleased with his success.
"I shall have one good stretch, if I like. It is strengthening to themuscles, and I'm as stiff as a board with all that footballyesterday," murmured Jack, lying down for one delicious moment.
He shut the open eye to enjoy it thoroughly, and forgot the stretchaltogether, for the bed was warm, the pillow soft, and ahalf-finished dream still hung about his drowsy brain. Who doesnot know the fatal charm of that stolen moment--for once yield toit, and one is lost.
Jack was miles away "in the twinkling of a bedpost," and thepleasing dream seemed about to return, when a ruthless hand toreoff the clothes, swept him out of bed, and he really did awake tofind himself standing in the middle of his bath-pan with bothwindows open, and Frank about to pour a pail of water over him.
"Hold on! Yah, how cold the water is! Why, I thought I was up";and, hopping out, Jack rubbed his eyes and looked about with sucha genuine surprise that Frank put down the pail, feeling that thedeluge would not be needed this time.
"You are now, and I'll see that you keep so," he said, as he strippedthe bed and carried off the pillows.
"I don't care. What a jolly day!" and Jack took a little promenadeto finish the rousing process.
"You'd better hurry up, or you won't get your chores done beforebreakfast. No time for a go as you please now, said Frank; andboth boys laughed, for it was an old joke of theirs, and ratherfunny.
Going up to bed one night expecting to find Jack asleep, Frankdiscovered him tramping round and round the room airily attired ina towel, and so dizzy with his brisk revolutions that as his brotherlooked he tumbled over and lay panting like a fallen gladiator.
"What on earth are you about?""Playing Rowell. Walking for the belt, and I've got it too," laughedJack, pointing to an old gilt chandelier chain hanging on thebedpost.
"You little noodle, you'd better revolve into bed before you loseyour head entirely. I never saw such a fellow for taking himself offhis legs.""Well, if I didn't exercise, do you suppose I should be able to dothat--or that?" cried Jack, turning a somersault and striking a fineattitude as he came up, flattering himself that he was the model ofa youthful athlete.
"You look more like a clothes-pin than a Hercules," was thecrushing reply of this unsympathetic brother, and Jack meeklyretired with a bad headache.
"I don't do such silly things now: I'm as broad across the shouldersas you are, and twice as strong on my pins, thanks to mygymnastics. Bet you a cent I'll be dressed first, though you have gotthe start," said Jack, knowing that Frank always had a protractedwrestle with his collar-buttons, which gave his adversary a greatadvantage over him.
"Done!" answered Frank, and at it they went. A wild scramble washeard in Jack's room, and a steady tramp in the other as Frankworked away at the stiff collar and the unaccommodating buttontill every finger ached. A clashing of boots followed, while Jackwhistled "Polly Hopkins," and Frank declaimed in his deepestvoice,"Arma virumque cano, Trojae qui primus ab oris Italiam, fatoprofugus, Laviniaque venit litora."Hair-brushes came next, and here Frank got ahead, for Jack's thickcrop would stand straight up on the crown, and only a goodwetting and a steady brush would make it lie down.
"Play away, No. 2 called out frank as he put on his vest, whileJack was still at it with a pair of the stiffest brushes procurable formoney.
"Hold hard, No. 11, and don't forget your teeth," answered Jack,who had done his.
Frank took a hasty rub and whisked on his coat, while Jack waspicking up the various treasures which had flown out of hispockets as he caught up his roundabout.
"Ready! I'll trouble you for a cent, sonny"; and Frank held out hishand as he appeared equipped for the day.
"You haven't hung up your night-gown, nor aired the bed, noropened the windows. That's part of the dressing; mother said so.
I've got you there, for you did all that for me, except this," and Jackthrew his gown over a chair with a triumphant flourish as Frankturned back to leave his room in the order which they had beentaught was one of the signs of a good bringing-up in boys as wellas girls.
"Ready! I'll trouble you for a cent, old man"; and Jack held out hishand, with a chuckle.
He got the money and a good clap beside; then they retired to theshed to black their boots, after which Frank filled the woodboxesand Jack split kindlings, till the daily allowance was ready. Bothwent at their lessons for half an hour, Jack scowling over hisalgebra in the sofa corner, while Frank, with his elbows on and hislegs round the little stand which held his books, seemed to behaving a wrestling-match with Herodotus.
When the bell rang they were glad to drop the lessons and fallupon their breakfast with the appetite of wolves, especially Jack,who sequestered oatmeal and milk with such rapidity that onewould have thought he had a leathern bag hidden somewhere toslip it into, like his famous namesake when he breakfasted with thegiant.
"I declare I don't see what he does with it! He really ought not to'gobble' so, mother," said Frank, who was eating with greatdeliberation and propriety.
"Never you mind, old quiddle. I'm so hungry I could tuck away abushel," answered Jack, emptying a glass of milk and holding outhis plate for more mush, regardless of his white moustache.
"Temperance in all things is wise, in speech as well as eating anddrinking--remember that, boys," said Mamma from behind the urn.
"That reminds me! We promised to do the 'Observer' this week,and here it is Tuesday and I haven't done a thing: have you?" askedFrank.
"Never thought of it. We must look up some bits at noon instead 0fplaying. Dare say Jill has got some: she always saves all she findsfor me.""I have one or two good items, and can do any copying there maybe. But I think if you undertake the paper you should give sometime and labor to make it good," said Mamma, who was used tothis state of affairs, and often edited the little sheet read everyweek at the Lodge. The boys seldom missed going, but the busylady was often unable to be there, so helped with the paper as hershare of the labor.
"Yes, we ought, but somehow we don't seem to get up much steamabout it lately. If more people belonged, and we could have agrand time now and then, it would be jolly"; and Jack sighedat the lack of interest felt by outsiders in the loyal little Lodgewhich went on year after year kept up by the faithful few.
"I remember when in this very town we used to have a Cold WaterArmy, and in the summer turn out with processions, banners, andbands of music to march about, and end with a picnic, songs, andspeeches in some grove or hall. Nearly all the children belonged toit, and the parents also, and we had fine times here twenty-five orthirty years ago.""It didn't do much good, seems to me, for people still drink, andwe haven't a decent hotel in the place," said Frank, as his mothersat looking out of the window as if she saw again the pleasant sightof old and young working together against the great enemy ofhome peace and safety.
"Oh yes, it did, my dear; for to this day many of those children aretrue to their pledge. One little girl was, I am sure, and now has twobig boys to fight for the reform she has upheld all her life. Thetown is better than it was in those days, and if we each do our partfaithfully, it will improve yet more. Every boy and girl who joins isone gained, perhaps, and your example is the best temperancelecture you can give. Hold fast, and don't mind if it isn't 'jolly': it isright, and that should be enough for us."Mamma spoke warmly, for she heartily believed in young people'sguarding against this dangerous vice before it became atemptation, and hoped her boys would never break the pledge theyhad taken; for, young as they were, they were old enough to see itsworth, feel its wisdom, and pride themselves on the promise whichwas fast growing into a principle. Jack's face brightened as helistened, and Frank said, with the steady look which made his facemanly,"It shall be. Now I'll tell you what I was going to keep as a surprisetill to-night, for I wanted to have my secret as well as other folks.
Ed and I went up to see Bob, Sunday, and he said he'd join theLodge, if they'd have him. I'm going to propose hi............