Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-05-19
miscellaneous.
DEsPAIRING DICK AND ROBIN READY.

H@Nf6 N~ Wv
nursery rhyme
Richard and Robin we're two pretty men.
They lay abcd till the clock struck ten
Robin Starts up and looks at The sky,
oh hOl brother Richard the sun's very highl
I'll 20 before on little Jack Nag,
And co you follow after with basket and bag !"
This was the usual mode Of procedure with my
two heroes. Robin always had his eyes open first,
aud was ready u seize upon every advantage
which offered. lilo rode forward upon any little
Jack Nag of an opportunity there was going,
while poor Dick brought up The rear, under all the
heat aud burthens of day.
WhJn they woso boys, anl hal a hard task to
learn, Robin put bis mind to it and though he
was not more gifted than Dick, he accomplished
it fret, because Dick always thought, i can never
get that it is too hard can't possibly learn it,
30 ii is no use to try until at last he had to be
made to do it, with the ruler and rattan
Richard was always saying, never borrow trou-
ble,' which he interpreted to mean never do ant.
thing you can help doing, and put of all ~exertion
until you are forced to it, Robins %favorite max.
in was, drive your work-don't let your work
drive you =
So, when they grew up, Richard always fancied
everything too much for him, and never made any
effort till pushed to extremity by necessity-like a
dog by an unavoidable bun, whom be only tries
to run away from until he gets pinned to some
wall by the pursuing animal. Now Robia, 10 a
d~ilemrIa, was ready to take it by the horns and
o%verturn it, which is the easiest way to escape, it
one can only have the courage and prom ptness to
do it.
Richard let everything overcome him from faint
heartedness. Robin considered himself a match
for whatever might turn up. So Richard got the
name Of Dospairing Dick, aud Robin was called
Robin Ready.
Just before the father died, be said to his sons,
L leave Richard my mill, because all he has to
do is to put the corn in and let it come out -four,
and there is no risk or danger aboutit.
And to Robin l leave my farm. 1t is o poor
biz Of land net worth half SO much as the mill.
Blu. Robert inherits my energy and hopeful tenn
per, and they are treasures in themselves. So
boys, you will soon be equally rich, and l don't
know how l could do more fairly by YOU
When the OLD man was dead, his two sons sepa-
ra,ed-one went to his mill and the other to his
farm.
II was winter, the time for improvements, fenc-
ing, etc. Robin went heartily to work and by the
labor of his hands be put up substantial stone
walls, treuched a meadow, built a spring house,
and hauled off stones that numbered his fields
repaired the house and barn, and made all snug
about tho place. In the Spring the tax assessor
said his farm was nearly doubled i'll value.
The old miller had just completed q fine new
dam to the mill ~ponc-which required a very
strong aud high one-but the machinery Of the
mill was a little out of order and pretty old.
why don. zoe set about renewing the belts,
and getting those ~cog-wheels mended, DIck2 ask
ed Robin. .l- ...l -tt.
'Oh, there is SO much to be done, that l don't
know where to begin
mo, there is not much the matter. All is
right but a few trides, and It don't make any diff
ference where you begin. Now, I'd have that
wheel new belted this very day; and one of your
stones has ground %uneven.'
Yes, yes ; l know. There arc a thousand
things to be done, aud l can't bear to legin.
] don't know when | could STOP
Now Dick you've heard that old proverb which
says, if you can't master the whole, don't forsakt
the whole You could make q good spec out o
this mill if you would only set to work. But i
you spend your time sucking your thumbs, yot
~ OAHNIh w Nv Ou u lnllh lhGlbl u III luoh 4!
Dick only sighed for an answer, and Robin wen.
away quite grieved.
When the spring came, and the deep snowbank
began TO melt, the pond filled to the flow over fin
ely. The mill humme1 and ratified, aud grounc
snowy flour, or golden meal, oil day long. Blu
a very warm. copious rain fell and produced
great fresbet.
Robin went over to see if his brothers. new
dam were safe, and when he got there he say
Despairing Dick sitting in the rain, on a banl
above the pond, crying and bomoaning.
What's the matter2 Is your wife or chill
drowned 2 asked Robin in a fright.
'oh, no oh no But the freshet will swee
away my new dam, the only thing about the mi
that is frst-rate ! Oh dear dear don't you sc
the swirl in that corner. and the Jet Of water VI
der the main fall? 1t is undermined-my ne
dam all lie over with i'll there go hundreds
dollars =
mo, no. said Robin. but he looked pretty pale
we won't be beat yeti We must save it,
But we can't. It's no use to try
But we will said Robin. I'm not going
give up to every little freshet that comes! Hel
Dick you run homo and send one of your hant
with a cart-lOad of straw. Hurry, now =
oh, it is of no use to hurry 1t will all g
I'm sure.'
Wei now, Dick, you know / don't give up
easy as all that. 1t will go against me tie see tn
fine dam lost So do you hurry home and ord
out your men for my sake, and l won't spare q,
self for yours
Dicks hired hands were a little more active thf
himself, so it was not long before a load Of stra
arrived, with pitch-forks and poles for rammin
Meanwhile, Robin had been working hard, thru:
ing down into the little whirlpool the olumps
dead leaves and grass which aoated by-just
gain tine.
With the long poles they now rammed the strp
little by little, into the hole which the water hl
made inside the dam. Ar last they filled it, al