The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-08-24
Select miseflIanp.
THE TWO scHooLMATEs.
BY ]. B. 1NeRAHAM.

Edwin Barry and Seth Manning were school
fellows at Chester Academy. The father of
Edwin was lawyer of good standing and some
property the father of Seth was house car
penter
Like most youths whose fathers belong to the
professions. Edwin Barry was early taught that
he was .'respectable" by virtue of his fathers
pursuits. His mother inculcated this ideawrh
his daily meals, and his father enforced it by
his bearings towards mechanics Edwin. as
be grew .hesasBe ifati; afstccr;rte
and eprided himself much on his respectabiii-
ty." 1t was his delight-to make boys less for
tunatc feel his position above them. ard to
boast of the great men he saw at his fathers
house. One day, he was taking with Seth
Manning, for lee condeseended to speak with
mechanics sons when he could make them is
teners TO his own vain and silly boasts Seth
lived IN the same street, aud they often fell IN
together on the way TO school, when Edwin,
who loved idieness, was willing to avail himself
Of Seths more studious habits, to get help in
his lessons. They were each about sixteen
years OF age. Edwin, seeing Seth approaching
from his humble dwelling, waited for him TO
come up.
II say he observed, with an elevated look.
as Seth came near with his school books and
his ancient looking slate under hi. arm, "who
do you think is going to be at our house to-day,
to dinDer%
81 don't know, Edwin" answered Seth, as
he quietly walked on.
"Well, it's Judge Barnes?' answered Edwin,
if he had given utterance to piece of over
whelming intelligence. Seth did not, howev-
er, receive it as anything remarkable, and Ed
win looked displeased.
"You don't think anything of judges be-
ing at our house, hey? Well, guess it would
be long day before a judge or any respecta-
bic man would go into your house" answered
Barry.
81 know what you call respectable, and what
is respectable" said Seth, in manly tone;
"Judge Barnes, I have heard, is a very cruel
man, and drinks"
"But he is respectable, and belongs to the
first society Father says man mustn't be
judged by his private life, but by his respecta-
bic standing. I'm sure I'd rather be wicked
judge than clever tradesman."
am sorry you think SO, Edwin, as such SEN
timents will bring you to much unhappiness.
know you think my father is not respectable,
and that am not proper associate for you.-
see that while you walk with me, you keep
step or two in advance, and look around and
up at the windows, though you feared you
should be seen associating with me-"
Edwin colored, for he felt the truth and
force of Seth's plain and candid reproof He
stammered something, which Seth did not hear,
in the way of excusing himself, and then in
confidential. favoriDg Kind of tone. said:
"Come, Seth, never mind, l was out at
party at Col Farney's last night, and didn't
get my task in Virgil. Will you just translate
it over for me, when we get up in the lane?"
II will do it as we walk along" answered
Seth, smiling, as he well understood the fool
sh youths motive in getting into the lane
first. .sz.a-El 5l
y .'Oh, no, am afraid some of the fellows will
see us here and say you showed me. -
''Y ou mean you are afraid they will see US
in close companionship. rather. Edwardi Well,
forgive you, for you have been taught to con-
slider trades, and those who follow them as de-
grading. will cheerfully show you when we
come to the lane. Who was at Col. Farney's
last night?''
eoh, all the pretty girls in the village we
had a capital time. .t liTgs
'.Was Mary Curtis there p asked Seth, with
a slight increase of color.
MARY Curtis? yes, guess she was and the
prettiest girl in the party-and in the town
But why do you ask about girl, Seth Man
ming, whom you can never speak to 7" demand
ed Edwin with offensive haughtiness. "She
and her father was once in the army. I don't
like to hear girl like her spoken of by such
a enc as you are, because it looks as if you
might like to become acquainted with her.
Ha, ha'! guess she wouldn't speak to you, if
you did think sol
Seth looked slightly dispJeased, and felt
disposition b rstOrt SHARPLY; but his father