The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1859-04-16


and she'll need il. | have my little farm
paid for, and the COW aud the pony, but that's
all, neighbor, And then, my boy Daniel.
I've tried hard, perhaps not 40 faithfully
a. ! ought, TO wean him from his books, but
it's Ia him, and fire couldn't burn Il out Of
him. What can be done for him, and with
him P"
"lts 40 use Ia trying, nay old friend. La
jest as na tural for him 10 study as for trout
to bite at fly. Study ho will, and study
he must, and III promise to help him all /
can"
God bless you for that, James ordway.
And il he don't feel grateful aud thank you,
sure you are that you have the thanks Of "a
dying father beiorehand.'N
"Who can tell but that like one ofour own
rough lnga which -Ae alnd daWn thH riYHr. aud
which il worked into beautiful house at
Boston, he may yet become something that
will honor us all"
So said the friend and ncghbor, ard tho
eye Of The dying man kindlcd with joy. and
hope was there to cheer him, and faith to
strengthen him and 30 his last interview
with his old friend was one Of great conso'
aliou.
The good old man was buried in the little
graveyard and the deep SHOWS soon laid
their white sheet over him, aud the winds
that sighed through the lofty forest tolled
his requiem Ia short time, Mr.. Ordway
went to the nearest educated mind ia the re-
gon "a humble minister o. the gospsl-who
| lived in q poor shanty six miles oil through
| tEr woods, and who had followed his sheep
there to keep them from the wolves. The
good man was a finished scholar, aud with
smiling face, told Mr.. Ordway to send the
young man without fee or reward He
promised To do ao,. hut the Squire had occA-
sion to 60 that way oneu, and /, was noticed
that he always stopped, ostcnsibly to inquire
about bis protege, but ia reality ts-dfoP n
bag OF potatoes, quarter Of beef, few yards
OF hannel or something TO add TO the real
comfort OF the ministers family. Daniel was
a good and profitable pupil. Twice week
on his pony Shag, did he go to rccite and
never without stopping at Mr.. Ordways q
moment-sinco hc must needs go past BIZ
door. IL was soon found that Daniel could
In measure compensate Mr., Ordway, for he
now gave lessons regularly TO little Susan"
as she was still called, though she was now
/ fairly in her teens. She had never manifest
81 any very great love Tor books, but t'Ander
Daniels superb ision, she actually studied and
made rapid advances. It is impossible to
tell why, but Young .missss do 80 sometimes,
They become apt scholars
/ Time moved on, or elsc our story could
not. The Revolutionary war had broken out
aud ragged The cali Of the infant nation, in.
yokinE the spirit Of freedom had penetrated
even the wilderness, and the young Ordwnys
had every one dropped the az, lcft their clear
I iings and gone 10 join The army OF Washing
ton. Young Redfeld had completed his col
lcge course, within few months, by the
great efforts and economy Of his widowed
mother. and the kindness Of her husbands
old friend, when the college was broken up
by the war and the students scattered. Dan
iel had returned home 10 consult his mother
and his friend Ordwny whether or not he
should join the army also. 1t was n doubt.
ful question, for though he was good hun
ter and a dead shot with the rife, yet ten to
one, that II he got hold of book, the enemy
might charge and ride over him ere he knew
il. The widow felt that she could not have
him Ro--he was her all Mr. Ordway hcs-
tated what TO advise, and little Susan" now
eighteen, and as authoritative rs ever, declar-
cd it was shumc-thot he ought not to go
and leave his aged mother that it was lone
some to have everybody go of, and that she
was almost ready to enlist and become a sol.
.dier herself rather than stay there in the
woods so lonely
While this grave question was undecided,
young Redfeld one morning took his rife
aud went up the Kennebec to hunt for moose.
a moose is large species Of deer. If my
readers never saw one they have to imagine
a round fat horse cut his tail off short, put
an ASS head on him, with immense horns
sometimes weighing ninety pounds--givc
him long decr's legs and hoofs, and you have
pretty good moose. They weigh as much,
and often more than horse, and stand up
much higher from the ground Daniel went
up the river, but night came and he did not
return. This gave no uneasiness.
But after he had been gone two, three and
fopr days the mothers heart began to grow
alarmed.
There had been a great rain and If alive
and well, why had he not come back She
caught old Shag aud went down to consult
Mr.. ordway. He at first thought the young
man had been unsuccessful, aud had deter
mined to hunt till he had got moose Su-
san affected TO laugh, and said "he undoubt-
edly had found moose enough, but probably
had thrown a book at them instead Of shoot
ingi for her part, she had no doubt he was
looking up the books which he had thus