Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-01-08
From the Peoples Journal.
Dick Timberly's going and coming.

BY MARY How1Tr.
Dick Timberly said nothing to his grandmo,h-
err about his new acquiston--not one word
although he himself could not sleep for thinking
of it. Dicks now acquisition was gun an
old rusty gun--wth a twist in the barrel and an
old iinrling lock Nobody but Dick would have
thought it worth owning: but to him it was a
great treasure, and had cost no less than seven
shillings and sixpcnce. Dicks grandmother was
one of those inexperienced people who are fright
ened at the sight of gun: she always thought
that. charged or unchanged, it would 90 off: he
had terrified her many time with his kev-runs
ard crackers: but he would have been the last
person 10 harm her for all that: and. therefore.
now that he had gun of his own, he carefully
kept it ont Of her sight.
To any body who knew Dick Kimberly and his
grandmother it would have been mystery how
he could get seven and sXncncc to fool away in
IN old gun His grandmother went ont wash
ing three days I'M weck,nnd the other three she
cut candle vicks for the tallow chandler; she
was poor woman. anj as to Dick. he ives a
wild. graceless sort of a lad, whc had no regular
employment, although he was now sixteen. lie
was a tail. stout lad Of his age. and used to run
errands for the whole parish. lie was always
at hand, either at the blacksmiths or at old Hen
~ Caythornc 5 the wheelwrght, or at the Kings
Head. at which place he was a kind of deputy
ostIer-lor of all things he loved horses and by
one means and another he always contrivec to
have odd pence and sixpences in his pocket
He was a favoritc everywhere; and when he had
nothing else to do. he used to set on the horse
block in the street and crack his Jokes on every
body that went by.
Sober minded people foretod that Dick would
never come TO any good he was, they said,
mcdowell. and his old crumplcd hat that had
never set straight on his head, told that as plain
ly as if it could speak. The clergymans wife
talked to Dicks grandmother about it, but the
grandmother maintained that he was not a bad
lad he was so fond Of horses she said and if
he could get place as groom or ostlcr. he would
keep il and be a credit to them ALL Neither q
rrooms nor an ostcr's place was however met
with but he tried service with a farmer, and
then, not liking that, came back 70 his old dis
comtortcd grandmother. to the triumph of all the
croakcrs.
Once Dick staid three weeks in a farmer SER
vice but then he WAS sent to tend the corn as
it is called: that is TO walk round ard round
the corn fields a, in spring, with the farmers gun
on his shoulder. 30 Brighten away birds that VEN
trcd on the forbidden ground That was plea
SAINT service to Dick and might he havchad the
gnn on his shoulders all the year he would not
have left so soon. This gave Dick passion
Tor gun, and from that time he began boarding
and saving to buy one for himself. Old Henry
Craythornc the whcnlwright had "A brace of pis-
tolls, and now and then the boy would persuade
linn to lend them for an hour or two at a time,
and then not sparrow was safe in the neigh
borhood. He was really born to do mischief, ev-
cry body said but old Henry, like his grand
mother seemed bent upon spelling him, and al
ways took his part against every body Dick
knew who were his friends. he treated them as
such he could read very well, and as old Hen
rvs eyes were Indifferent, he used to borrow the
newspaper rom Kings Head, and read it TO
him on a Sunday night, without even being So
lcted to do 50, and that made the favor the
geratcr. Dick spent a deal Of time with old
lenry--ha used to seat himself upon one of
those barrel-ke blocks of wood intended for the
navcs of cart wheels, and talk with him as he
worked Many was the bit Of good advice which
the old man then dropped and more than once
he offered to teach him the wheclwright's trade
il lie would only be steady and learn. But the
wheelWrg ht'S trade had no temptation for Dick
and now and then. | am sorry to say it. he did
not take the old mans advice as well rs it was
meant and then after such occasions there
would be little pause in their friendly inter-
course.
1t was during ono ofthose pauses that Dick
after long time Of boarding and saving, fonnd
himself possessed OF his gun. The gun was
concealed from his grandmothers knowledge,
and the next evening he went out, with half a
dozen ragged lads ut his heels to practice shoot
inc at mark. At an abrupt angle of the road
"A considerable distance from the village stood
an old elm tree upon the bolc of which he nail
ed two or three leaves of an old copy-bool for
target. \ tall hedge bor1ercd the road, so that
/ it was impossible to see any person coming up
| before he turned the angle by the tree. Dick
never thought of danger. either to himsefor any
body else a: he was shooting with all his might.
thinking what charming fun it was. when, all
! at once. n cry was heard as of a person in ago
ny: and mqn rushed forward with both his
| hands casped TO one eye and realing as ii about
| to fall. Though it was evening and rather dusk,
there was no mistakng the tigure,--it was old
/ Henry Craythorne-and he had shot him--shut
/ him dead, as he at that moment believed.
/ MY lad, what hast thou done ?! exclaimed
the old man; my poor eye i gone fnrever!' and
SO SAYING he threw himself on the bank, and
rocked to and fro in agony, whilst Dicks rag
eed companions scampcrei back to the village
carrying the news with them.
! II lis impossible TO describe Dicks feelings at
this accident, Had the wounded man fallen on
/ him and beaten him to IA mummy, he would
/ have forgiven him ; but poor old Iienry's words
wrung his very soul,and no suffering could have
been severer than his at that moment, when as
with lightnings fash, so many things rushed
| upon his memory AT once his weakened eye
| sight; his old are himself the late little es-
arrangement between them He uetcsted him
self he was in his own sight monster ofin-
gratitude and vet he really loved his old friend
so truly lie threw his gun, the wicked cause,
as it seemed to him, of this cruel mischance,
into tha ditch and fell at tn, old mans feet
lie had not kissed any body, not even his grand
mother. for wears; but he now kissed his knees
and his feet and wcpt like child he then star
ted up and held the poor mans head tohis breast
lie knew not what to do ; he would so gladly
have borne all the pain--he would so Willingly
have given one of his own eyes, had it been pos
sible in that way to make restitution.
! Let me 20 home said old Henry, in weak