stolen

StolenDay

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“StolenDay”

AUTHORAnderson,Sherwood

DATE1941

GENREShortStory

NATIONALITYUnitedStates

LITERARYTHEMESPointsofView

GRADE/THEME6GrowingPains

7FindingYourPlace

SUBJECTLiterature

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©ScottForesmanCustomLiteratureDataba

StolenDay

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StolenDay

SherwoodAnderson

lethingstartedwitha

boyonourstreetnamedWalter,whohadinflammatory

’’thavetogoto

school.

dgofishinginthecreekorthe

asaplaceupatthepondwhereinthe

springthewatercametumblingoverthedamandformedadeep

mesyoucouldgetsomebigones

there.

Iwentdownthatwayonmywaytoschoolonespringmorning.

ItwasoutofmywaybutIwantedtoeifWalterwasthere.

Hewas,ewas,sitting

eenabletowalkdownthere

allright.

ontoschoolbut,attherecesstime,whenthe

teacher,SarahSuggett,hadcomeoutintotheschoolhouyard.

Shecamerightovertome.

“Iacheallover,”,too.

Ikeptoncryinganditworkedallright.

“You’dbettergoonhome,”shesaid.

nlimpinguntilIgot

outoftheschoolhoustreet.

hadinflammatoryrheumatismprettybad

butIcouldgetalongbetter.

Imusthavedonesomethinkingonthewayhome.

“I’dbetternotsayIhaveinflammatoryrheumatism,”I

decided.“Maybeifyou’vegotthatyouswellup.”

IthoughtI’dbettergoaroundtowhereWalterwasandaskhim

aboutthat,soIdid—buthewasn’tthere.

“Theymustnotbebitingtoday,”Ithought.

Ihadafeelingthat,ifIsaidIhadinflammatoryrheumatism,

d

laughatmeprettyoftenandIdidn’tlikeitatall.

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1©ScottForesmanCustomLiteratureDatabaSherwoodAnderson,“StolenDay,”Copyright©1941by

ght©renewed1969by

tedwith

permissionofHaroldOberAssociatesIncorporated.

StolenDay

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“Justthesame,”Isaidtomylf,“Ihavegotit.”Ibeganto

hurtandacheagain.

erea

asn’tanyoneathomebutMotherandthetwo

ldhavebeenfourorfivethenandEarlmight

havebeenthree.

ttiredsittingandwas

salwaysaquiet,solemnlittlefellow.

HemusthavesaidsomethingtoMotherforprentlyshecame.

“What’sthematterwithyou?Whyaren’tyouinschool?”she

asked.

IcameprettyneartellingherrightoutthatIhadinflammatory

rheumatismbutIthoughtI’andFatherhad

beenspeakingofWalter’scaatthetablejustthedaybefore.“It

affectstheheart,”ightenedmewhenI

thoughtofit.“Imightdie,”Ithought.“Imightjustsuddenlydie

righthere;myheartmightstopbeating.”

OnthedaybeforeIhadbeenrunningaracewithmybrother

upatthefairgroundsafterschoolandtherewasa

half-miletrack.

“I’llbetyoucan’trunahalfmile,”hesaid.“IbetyouIcould

beatyourunningcleararoundthetrack.”

AndsowediditandIbeathim,butafterwardmyheartdidem

beredthatlyingthereontheporch.

“It’sawonder,withmyinflammatoryrheumatismandall,Ididn’t

justdropdowndead,”ughtfrightenedmealot.

Iachedworthanever.

“Iache,Ma,”Isaid.“Ijustache.”

Shemademegointhehouandupstairsandgetintobed.

Itwasn’thereforperhapsan

hour,maybetwo,andthenIfeltbetter.

Igotupandwentdownstairs.“Ifeelbetter,Ma,”Isaid.

prettybusythatdayand

hadn’mademegetintobed

upstairsandthenhadn’tevencomeuptoehowIwas.

Ididn’tthinkmuchofthatwhenIwasuptherebutwhenIgot

downstairswhereshewas,andwhen,afterIhadsaidIfeltbetterand

sheonlysaidshewasgladandwentrightonwithherwork,Ibegan

toacheagain.

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2©ScottForesmanCustomLiteratureDatabaSherwoodAnderson,“StolenDay,”Copyright©1941by

ght©renewed1969by

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StolenDay

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Ithought,“I’o.”

ettysoreat

Mother.

“Ifshereallyknewthetruth,thatIhaveinflammatory

rheumatismandImayjustdropdowndeadanytime,I’llbetshe

wouldn’tcareaboutthateither,”Ithought.

IwasgettingmoreandmoreangrythemorethinkingIdid.

“IknowwhatI’mgoingtodo,”Ithought;“I’mgoingtogo

fishing.”

Ithoughtthat,feelingthewayIdid,Imightbesittingonthe

highbankjustabovethedeeppoolwherethewaterwentoverthe

dam,andsuddenlymyheartwouldstopbeating.

Andthen,ofcour,I’dpitchforward,overthebankintothe

pooland,ifIwasn’tdeadwhenIhitthewater,I’ddrownsure.

Theywouldallcomehometosupperandthey’dmissme.

“Butwhereishe?”

ThenMotherwouldrememberthatI’dcomehomefromschool

aching.

She’dgoupstairsandIwouldn’duringthe

yearbefore,neof

theWyattchildren.

Rightdownattheendofthestreettherewasaspringundera

birchtreeandtherehadbeenabarrelsunkintheground.

Everyonehadalwaysbeensayingthespringoughttobekept

covered,butitwasn’t.

SotheWyattchildwentdownthere,playedaroundalone,and

fellinandgotdrowned.

gonetogetapailofwaterandtherethechildwas,drownedand

dead.

Thishadbeenintheeveningwhenwewereallathome,and

Motherhadcomerunningupthestreetwiththedead,dripping

makingfortheWyatthouashardas

shecouldrun,andshewaspale.

Shehadaterriblelookonherface,Irememberedthen.

“So,”Ithought,“they’llmissmeandthere’llbeaarch

kelythere’llbesomeonewhohasenmesittingby

thepondfishing,andthere’llbeabigalarmandallthetownwill

turnoutandthey’lldragthepond.”

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3©ScottForesmanCustomLiteratureDatabaSherwoodAnderson,“StolenDay,”Copyright©1941by

ght©renewed1969by

tedwith

permissionofHaroldOberAssociatesIncorporated.

StolenDay

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Iwashavingagrandtime,,aftertheyfound

meandhadgotmeoutofthedeeppool,Motherwouldgrabmeup

inherarmsandrunhomewithmeasshehadrunwiththeWyatt

child.

was

busy—shealwayswas—anddidn’otthereI

thoughtI’dbetternotsittooneartheedgeofthehighbank.

BythistimeIdidn’tachehardlyatall,butIthought:

“Withinflammatoryrheumatismyoucan’ttell,”Ithought.

“Itprobablycomesandgoes,”Ithought.

“Walterhasitandhegoesfishing,”Ithought.

regularwhopper:Iknewthat.I’dneverhadabitelikethat.

’sbigcarp.

ice

ought

somebigcarpandputthemintohispondandthen,earlierinthe

springwhentherewasafreshet,hisdamhadgoneout.

Sothecarphadgotintoourcreekandoneortwobigoneshad

beencaught—butnoneofthembyaboylikeme.

ThecarpwaspullingandIwaspullingandIwasafraidhe’d

breakmyline,soIjusttumbleddownthehighbank,holdingonto

tout,thereinthepool.

otahandunderhisgillsand

gothimout.

earlyhalfasbigasIwas

monthebankandIkeptonehandunderhisgills

andIran.

lippery,andnowandthen

hewriggledoutofmyarms;onceIstumbledandfellonhim,butI

gothimhome.

gotawashtub

thefishinitandalltheneighbors

todryclothesandwentdowntosupper—and

thenImadeabreakthatspoiledmyday.

Therewewere,allofus,atthetable,andsuddenlyFatherasked

ettheteacher,

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4©ScottForesmanCustomLiteratureDatabaSherwoodAnderson,“StolenDay,”Copyright©1941by

ght©renewed1969by

tedwith

permissionofHaroldOberAssociatesIncorporated.

StolenDay

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SarahSuggett,onthestreetandshehadtoldhimhowIhad

becomeill.

“Whatwasthematterwithyou?”Fatherasked,andbeforeI

thoughtwhatIwassayingIletitout.

“Ihadtheinflammatoryrheumatism,”Isaid—andashoutwent

mesicktohearthem,thewaytheyalllaughed.

Itbroughtbackalltheachingpainagain,andlikeafoolIbegan

tocry.

“Well,Ihavegotit—Ihave,Ihave,”Icried,andIgotupfrom

thetableandranupstairs.

twouldbealong

sickallright,buttheachingInowhadwasn’tinmylegsorinmy

back.

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5©ScottForesmanCustomLiteratureDatabaSherwoodAnderson,“StolenDay,”Copyright©1941by

ght©renewed1969by

tedwith

permissionofHaroldOberAssociatesIncorporated.