richer still, but he was bored again and couldn't stay still.

As he walked home trying to think of something else he could work on, the mayor stopped to talk to him.

"Farmer Jones," the mayor said, "since you have so much energy and can't stay still, I wondered if you could remove all those large rocks from the farmer's plowed land, and build a stone fence around the village hall?"

Farmer Jones smiled at the mayor and agreed to start work right away.

And he did. He built a stone wall four feet high all the way around the village hall. But because he couldn't stay still he kept building more and more wall. First around the village park and then the police station, fire station, livery, stable, bakery, dry goods store, fish pond, butcher's shop, auditorium, library, courthouse, ice cream shop, drug store, hardware store, feed shop, marina, dog kennel, and the barbershop.

He stood back to admire his work, as all good New Englanders do, and then, because he couldn't stay still, he continued building the wall out into the countryside where the farms were. He built up the wall around the Blue's farm, Rose's farm, Green's farm, Black's farm, Brown's farm, his farm, and right up to the Williams' farm where little Virginia Williams saw poor Farmer Jones working so hard, and looking so thirsty. Virginia asked her mother and father if it would be all right to take some tea to poor Farmer Jones.

"Oh what a lovely idea," Mrs. Williams said, and she, her husband and Virginia did just that. Virginia walked up and tapped Farmer Jones on the shoulder to get his attention. Because he was so busy building the wall, he didn't notice the Williams' family behind him with a table, four chairs and tea service.

"Would you like some tea, Mr. Jones?" Virginia asked.

Farmer Jones looked at his wall and then at Virginia and said, "Why yes, thank you very much."

And Farmer Jones sat down at the table with Virginia for tea. When he took a sip of tea, something amazing happened. Farmer Jones, who couldn't stay still, sat perfectly still. His hands were still, his head was still, his feet and legs were still. Even his eyelids were still.

Mr. and Mrs. Williams were so excited to see Farmer Jones sitting perfectly still that they jumped up and ran to the village to tell everyone of the miracle. Soon the whole village surrounded Farmer Jones and watched him sip tea and sit perfectly still.

Dr. Mandroot stepped up to the table to address Farmer Jones.

"Farmer Jones, is it the tea that calmed you down and allowed you to sit perfectly still?"

Farmer Jones placed the tea on the table and said, "Oh yes. Tea always calms me down."

The doctor, now completely flabbergasted asked, "Well sir, why didn't you tell us that in the first place?"

Farmer Jones stood up from the table, perfectly still, and replied. "No one ever asked me."

Well-after that, everyone was happy.

Mrs. Jones was especially happy, because whenever Farmer Jones couldn't stay still, she made him a spot of that wonderful New England tea, because everyone knows the best tea is made in New England.

And every time she did, Farmer Jones stayed perfectly still.

Learn more about this author, John White.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

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