Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1860-04-24
Mistellang.
THE YOUNG BLACKSMITH.

Mr.. Solomon Winthrop was plain
farmer-an austere, precise man, who
did everything by established rules, and
could see no reason why people should
grasp at things beyond what had been
reached by their great grandfathers.-
He had three children-two boys and a
girl. There was Jeremiah, seventeen
years old, Samuel, fifteen, and Fanny,
thirteen.
1t was cold winters day. Samuel
was in the kitchen reading a book, and
SO interested was he that he did not no.
tice the entrance of his father. Jerry
was in an opposite corner, engaged in
ciphering out sum which he had found
in his arithmetic. rT3eE
"Sam, said the father to his youngest
boy, "have you worked out that sum
yet?"8
"No, sir, returned the boy hesita-
tingly.
"Didn't I tell you to stick to your
arithmetic till you had done it?" uttered
: Mr.. Winthrop, in severe tone.
Samuel hung down his head and looked
troubled
"Why haven't you done it?' continued
the father.
"I can't do it, SIR tremblingly, re-
turned Samuel.
''Can't do it? and why not? Look at
Jerry there with the slate and pencil.
He had ciphered further than you have,
long before he was as old as you are
"Jerry was always fond of mathemat-
ical problems, sir, but cannot fasten my
mind on them. They have no interest
for me- rs. -e ,eee
"That's because you don't try to feel
an interest in your studies. What book
is that you are reading?'
81 at is work on philosophy, sir"
"a work on fddlesticks! Go put it
away this instant, and then get your slate
and don't let me see you away from your
arithmetic until you can work out those
roots. Do you understand me?"
Samuel made no answer, but silently
he put away his philosophy, and then he
got his slate and sat down in the chin
ney corner. His neither lip trembled,
and his eye moistened, for he was un-
happy. His father had been harsh to-
ward him, and he felt that it was with
out cause.
"Sam," said Jerry, as soon as their
father had gone, II will do that sum
for you
aNo, Jerry" returned the younger
brother, with grateful look, 'that will
be deceiving father. will try to do
the sum, but fear 1 shall not succeed. -
Samuel worked very hard, but all to
no purpose. His mind was not ON the
subject before him. The roots and
squares, the basis, hypothenuse and per-
psndieulars, though comparatively sim
pie in themselves were to him mingled
mass of incomprehensible things, and
the more he worked the more he became
perplexed and bothered
The truth was his father did not un-
derstand him 'St.'-
Samuel was a bright boy, and uncom-
monty intelligent for one of his age
Mr.. Winthrop was thorough mathe-
matician-he never yet came across a
problem he could not solve, and he de-
sired that his boys should be like him,
for he considered that the acme of edu-
eational perfection lay in the power of
conquering Euclid, and he often ex-
pressed his opinion that, were Euclid
living then, he could '.give the old geo.
metrican a hard tussel. y He seemed not
to comprehend that different minds were
made different capacities, and what one
mind grasped with ease, another of eoual
power, would fail to comprehend
Hence, because Jeremiah progressed
rapidly in his mathematical studies, and
could already survey piece of land Of
many angles, he imagined that because
Samuel made no progress in the same
branch he was idle and careless, and
treated him accordingly. He never can.
didly conxersed with his younger son
with a view to ascertain the true bent Of
his mind, but he pertinaciously adhered
to it. @t W. ~ <4.s
There was another thing that Mr.
Winthrop could not see, and that wa.
that Samuel was continually ponderi1e
upon such. a matter as was interesting t.
him, and that he was scarcely eEef idle
nor did his father see, either, that if ht
wished his boy to become mathemati
clan, he was pursuing the course to pre-
vent such result. Instead of endeav