Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-09-01
THE YOUNG BLACKSMITH.

r Mr. solomon Winthrop was plain farmer
an sustere, precise man, who did everything
by established rules, could see no reason why
people should grasp at things beyond what had
been reached by their great grandfsthers. He
had three children-two boys and a girl-Jer-
'emiah, seventeen years old; Samuel, fifteen; /;
and Fanny, thirteen.
II WAS a cold winters day Samuel was in
the kitchen reading book, and so interested
was he that he did not notice the entrance Of
his father. Jerry was in the opposite corner,
engaged in ciphering out sum which he had
(. found in his arithmetic. .....--..
-. 81 SAM" said the father to his youngest boy,
"have you worked out that sum yeti"
No. SIR" returned the boy, hesitatingly.
+" Didn't tell you to stick at your arithme-
tic till you had done it ?'' uttered Mr.. Win.
throp, in severe tone. -
Samuel hung down his head, and looked
troubled.
why haven't you done it?'' continued the
father. .......
Il can't do it, SIR" tremblingly returned
Can't do it? and why not9 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 mathematical
problems. air. but cannot fasten my mind on
them, They have no interest for me-"
That's because you don't try to feel an in
terest in your studies What book is that you
are reading,n -s.- -.
"It is work on philosophy. sir"
F. "a work on fddlsstcks Go put it away
this instant, and then get your slate, and don't
let me see you away from your arithmetic till
You can work out those roots. Do you under
stand me?" rs
Samuel made no answer, but silently he put
away his philosophy, and then he got his slate
and sat down in the chimney corner His
neither lip trembled, and his eye moistened, for
ha unh hanpu His fathar had hoox,
towards him, and he felt that it was without a
cause. t
Sam" said Jerry, as soon as their father
had gone, q I will do that sum for you"
mo, Jerry" returned the younger brother
with a grateful look, ''that will be deceiving
father. will try to do the sum, but fear I
shall not succeed s.f's. - ....
Samuel worked very hard, but all to no pur-
r pose. His mind was not on the subject before
him. The roots and squares the basis, hypoth-
enuse and perpendiculars, though compara-
lively simple in themselves were to him a
mingled mass of incomprehensible things, and
the more he worked the more he became per-
picked and bothered. loH .r-. 49,.
The truth was, his father did not understand
him. -s .......- rms. TT.
Samuel was q bright boy. and uncommonly
intelligent for one Of his age. Mr. Winthrop
was thorough mathematician-hen never yet
came across a problem which he could not
like him, for he considered that the acme Of
educational perfection lay in the power of con-
quering Euclid, and he often expressed his
opinion that, were Euclid living then, be could
give the old gentleman q hard tussel" He
seemed not to comprehend that different minds
were made with different capacities, and what
one mind grasped with ease, another of equal
power would fail TO comprehend. Hence be-
cause Jeremiah progressed rapidly in his math-
ematical studies, and could already survey a
piece of land Of many angles, he imagined that
because Samuel made no progress in the same
him accordingly. He never candidly conversed
with his younger son, with a view to ascertain
the true bent of his mind, but he pertinacious-
ly adhered to it. ..-
There was another thing that Mr. Winthrop
could not see, and that was that Samuel was
continually pondering upon such a matter as
was interesting to him, and that he was scarcely
z ever idle; nor did the father see, either, thar
If he wished his boy to become q mathemati-
o. clan, he Was pursuing the course to prevent
such q result. Instead Of endeavoring to max Q
the study Interesting for the child, he was
making il obnoxious. .f
- The dinner hour came, and Samuel had not
r worksd out the sum His father was angry,
and obliged the boy TO go without his dinner,
telling him that he was an idle, lazy child
sss. Poor Samuel left the kitchen, and sat down
and cried. At length his mind seemed to pass
from the wrong he had suffered at the hand of
.e his parent and took another turn, and the
marks of grief left his face. There was large
fire in the room below his chamber 80 that be
was not very cold, and getting up, he went To
q q small closet, and from beneath a lot of old
clothes, he took forth some long strips Of wood
aad commenced whi ting, 1t was not for mere
pastime that he whitfield, for he was fashioning
some curious affair from thoss pieces Of wood
He had bits Of wire, little scraps of tin plate.
pieces OF twine, and dozens Of small wheels
that he had made himself, trying to ft them
together, after some particular fashion of his
own. p .-..-l s-.-J rHIt yss IEI 1s
Half the afternoon had thus passed away
when his sister entered his chsmber She had
her apron gathered up in her hand, and after
closing the door softly behind her, she an
preached the spot where her brother sat y
Here, sammy, see, have brought you
something to eat. know you must be Sery
hungry" .sIE fr =, -
~. As sne spoke she opened her apron and took
out four cakes, piece of pie and some cheese.
s' The boy was hungry, and he hesitated not to
ayail himself Of his sisters kind offer He
kissed her as he took the cake, and thanked
her r'- s,taS - =
p = 20, what q pretty thing that is Won are
making" :" uttered Fanny, as she eszed mon
the result Of her brothers labors Won 4
you give 1t to me after 1t Is done ?" rsrs65 4
& Not this one, sister," returned the boy,
With smile, "but az soon as get time viii
. make you one eqoAuy As pretty."-
: Fanny thanked her brother, and sbortlx =
sfterwsrd left the room, while the boy went
on with his work, @.'9
-, BEFORE long the various materials that had
been subjected to Samuel's jack kkn fe and min.
O cets had assumed form and co,aeliness. and
they were joined and grooved together in a
u curious manner. tsts 80 .zaH'--4 I'D ..r t
1 \. The embryo philosopher set the machine--
for 1t looked very much like q mAchine-upon
the floor and thsn stood OF and gazsd at IL.
his eyes cleaned with q peculiar glow of sat.
isfseiion, and he looked proud and happy.
While he stood and gsssd On the child OF 6is
I abors, the door Of hischambsr Opened, and
his father entered. !, .,
'' What, are jon not studying % exclsiined
Mr.. Winthrop, a. he noticed the boy standing
in the middle Of the foor - - - ''AdUs Z
Samuel II mbled when he heard his father,s
. Voice and turned pale with fear. 49,.
Ha. what is this?'' said Mr.. Winthrop,
As ne caught sight. Of the oarioas construction
on the foor This Is the secret Of your idle
ness. Now see how it Is you cannot msster 7
your studies. You spend your time in makins