Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-01-20
miscellaneous
FIRST EXPERIENCE OF A DEBT.
BY INCHES.

BY INCHES.
Never did I feel proudor or richer than when
my father said, Harry, that calf is yours I'll
give you Bossy, she shall be yours" lie was
standing whiting in the odd barn-door, while |,
his oldest son, was watching with delighted in
terest, Bossy's trisky movements in the yard how
sho would snuff in the sweet morning air, then
whisk hor tail and caper around, it not with all
the grace, with far more gladsomeness ard ratu-
ralness than a ballet queen. Bossy seemed to
think it a very pleasant thing to live. Much as |
loved the creature before, | was seized with a
fresh puff Of love at my fathers generous an.
nouncement.
"Nep!" cried, "Nep, that is mn calf! sec to
II, SIR, that you treat her like n gentleman, and not
lark at her nor bite at her when YOU fetch tho cows
from PASTURE
Neptune looked up, wagged his tail, and glanc-
cd at Bossy, as much as to say, Yes, yes, | under
stand the matter" To my brothers and sisters
aud there were five younger than mysolf-I was
not long IN communicating the important lntelli-
gcnce that "Bossy was my calf; father said
So"
Mother" said I, look out at the window and
see this calf; well, she - mine Bossy is mine 4;
father said 500 She thought it was a nice little
calf, and as she was ohurning, she offered to do
my churning for me, when Bossy's age should re-
quirc such services.
You shall. mother" l shouted with q glad
laugh at the thought of it, land though it will be
my butter, you shall have it all" and | am sure the
WORDS IN anu niue ntu II SlHulHcIlCc never
known before. Beside Bossy, we had the old cow,
Bossy's mother, Star" a two-year.old heifer, a
yoke of oxen, a few sheep and plenty of fowls
these, with six children. made quite a family to be
stabbed and fed by our little family among the Yer
mont hills.
did not go to school that summer, for the
boys services were needed in the felds.-ah those
glorious fields and hill-sides, and maple groves,
and fir briars, tall and high, what do many boys,
imprisoned in the city. know of the light and lib.
pptV md EthpSDmppnGs Of E,lHz fron s,,,l.an
among the hills. Th1y seldom pass their brick
wall-bounds.
ITO range tho hills, and treat their lungs with
air." and yet the country wins me ever" not only
as the heritage OF my early memories. but the
h~oped-for retreat of lile's declining days.
think that | worked with a new alacritv, now
that / owned Bossy l felt like Il man, and n man
with more than IL life-interest in the world. for
when the farmers grouped together and ia lked
about their stock, l always wanted to add a few
words about my calf.
Mother | said, one pleasant twilight, as she
came end sat IN the door, while | threw myself on
the turf; mother, | want just one thing to make
me lust as happy rs can be-"
''And that is, | hope" said she, with one of her
sweet smiles, Ito Sc a good boy, like joseph and
little Samuel; then | am sure you will be a happy
child"
/ biushed and rolled over in the grass, for GER
tainly nothing was farther from my thoughts than
Joseph or little Samuel. No, Mother" | an
swered at length,-half ashamed to own what it
was after this expression of her maternal hope,-
not exactly that, though l do rant to he Il good boy
and nobody can say | don't, but now | was think.
inr of something else; oh. MOTHER mastering up
my courage, Il want a pail; a little tin pail! mine ="
~souatting on my bare toes before her and looking
earnestly into her face. And where is it to come
from, Harry!' she asked. Alas, it was a question
more easily asked than answered.
1.-THE pedllers - Iroared triumphantlv, suppos-
ing | had gotten over the mount of difficulty; the
peddlers the next time one comes won't you buy
me q tin pail-mg paiI!-to milk my calf in %
Harry forgets how little we have to bay with"
said my mother. But mother, you know Bossy
will give milk soon and she must have n nail, and
then | can milk, and it will help you so, MOTHER
How weighty my arguments might have seemed.
had she had the wherewitha! for the purchase. |
have no means of knowing; as it was, she patted
me on thehead saving, 'by.and-by, Harry will be
able to earn enc himself, and that will help mo
Their"
leaned my head on her lap with n resigned and
loving heart for nothing ever conquered my va
grant or rehsllious wishes like the friendly patting
Of my mothers hand upon my head.
And this was the first and last Of Bossy's pail.
The next person to whom l wanted to communi-
cate my good fortune was joshua Pepper; but his
home being some miles distant, no opportunity oc-
CURED for this purpose until the following Sunday,
when | suddenly seized him by the jacket in the
porch of the old Westinghouse, as he was about
following his father up the aisle. You don't know
what I've got!' | whispered e~xcitelly in his ear,
but not so low as to escape the hearing Of his faith
or, who turned round and taking his boy by the
hand, abruptly, terminated our intercourse. Josh.
ua and | were friends when the winter school kent
and we attended. This season we were both al
work, and consequently seldom met EXCEPT on the
Sabbath, when during the short interval Of Sab,
bath services. we often strolled away and ate our
dinners together in a neighboring grove, or on the
gtass-grown graves of the church-yard, or in the
cool shade Of the long shed built for the accomoda
ton of all church. going horses. For in those days
there were no Sabbath schools to pasture the lambs
Of the flock, so that we were, perhaps, sometimes
in danger of becoming goats. How l longed fo
the close of morning service, and when over, how
tried to moderate my eagerness to find him.
"Here | am" he cried, twitching me by til
sleeve, come; and he led the way to a neigh
boring well, while | lost no time in setting him
guessing.
well" he cried impatiently, I can't guess
Now tell us what it is. I should think it wa
most likely to be a new knife, only you say
isn't.
mol! nor I shouted, charmed with his i'll SUI,
cess; no, it is a calf, our Boss! Father has give
her to me; h said so she's mine!"
BOSS yours" and he looked delightfully."- II
credulous. you got a calf? How good it was i
your father. Isuppose you know Tve got n laml
know it.
"And now, Harry" he stopped and took me b
the sleeve, as if n great thought was striking bin
will the calf's calves lie yours? That's the que,
ton. Will Bossy's Bossies be your stock, too?-
Boy, you'll have a drove soon! Respect and at
miration twinkled in bis little grey eyes. as he SUI
veyed me.
Yes, a drove soon :" and he gave an emphati
nod.
"a drove I shall, shant 2" starting up at tn
full comprehension of this prolific idea.
Now make a good bargain with your father,
said my friend, with a shrewd wag of lis head
"tell him as Boss is yours. her calves will be your;
also. Have it understood! :"
YES | will. That's a fact" And I fel
profoundly that two heads were better than one.
Here unhappily was food for the remainder @
the day. Eyory now and then l looked hard int
the minister's face and tried 10 hear what he said