“Time and tide wait for no man,” observed his mother exasperatingly.  Perhaps her quotation of the proverb carried with it the weight of her experience.  Perhaps she thought it her duty to give moral lessons to her son, regardless of illustrations.

Charlie’s disappointment was rendered bitterer still, when the following week there came a letter from Uncle Josh saying that he and Aunt Jane were about taking a trip to the West.

“Tell Charlie,” said the letter, “that if we only had him with us we should certainly take him along.”

“Isn’t it too bad,” said Charlie, “to think I’ve missed so much, and all through the want of a shoe-string?”

Uncle Giles’ Paint Brush.

BY MARY JOANNA PORTER.

It was a rainy day in summer.  A chilly wind swept about the house and bent the branches of the trees, and reminded every one who encountered it that autumn, with its gales, would return as promptly as ever.

A bright fire was blazing in the sitting-room, and near it were Mrs. Strong with her two little girls, and also Aunt Martha Bates, whom they were visiting.  Rufus Strong, aged fourteen, stood by a closed window, listlessly drumming on a pane.

He was tired of reading, and tired of watching the ladies sew, and tired of building toy houses for his sisters.

“I guess I’ll go out to the barn and find Uncle Giles,” said he at length.

Mrs. Strong, who had found the music on the window pane rather monotonous, quickly responded in favor of the plan.

“Just the one I want to see!” exclaimed Uncle Giles, as Rufus made his appearance at the barn door.  “I’m getting my tools in order, and now you can turn the grind-stone while I sharpen this scythe.”

Rufus cheerfully agreed to this proposal, and performed his part with a hearty good will.

“Do you always put your tools in order on rainy days?” he asked.

“Well, yes; I always look over them and see if they need attention.  Then when I want them they are ready for use.  Now, since this job is done, suppose you undertake another.  Wouldn’t this be a good time to paint those boxes for Aunt Martha’s flowers?  You know you promised to paint them for her, and if you do it now, they’ll be good and dry when she wants to pot her plants in September?”

“I think you believe in preparing for work beforehand, don’t you, Uncle Giles?”

“Yes, indeed, that I do.  It saves ever so much time when you have any work to do to have things all ready.  What’s the matter, can’t you find the paint brush?”

“No, Uncle, and I’m sure that I saw it in its place not very long ago.”

This reminded Uncle Giles that neighbor Jones had borrowed the brush a few days previous and had not yet returned it.

“He promised to bring it home that day,” said Mr. Bates, “but he’s not apt to do things promptly.  I guess you’ll have to step over to his house and ask him if he’s through with it.”