Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-03-09
TIE GRIT saRs-lEssED laDDlE."

Sixty years ago, stout youth OF Is
years old, who bad been known among
his neighborhood, as grit bare-legged
laJdie, called on poor village school
master, and said
Il would ike to attend your evening
school, sir
What do you wish to studyf asked
the teacher,
Il want to learn to read and write,
replied the lad.
The teacher looked into the lads face
with somewhat scornful glance, shrug.
red his shoulders, and said
Very well, you can attend
Now, if that bony lad had said to the
teacher, mean to become great IN
ventor to be the companion Of rich and
noble men, TO hold conversation with
kings, and to write my name among the
great men Of the world, / dare say the
teacher would have called the boy fool
for cherishing such wild dreams. Yet
that poor bony lad, who at eighteen aid
not know the alphabet, did all those
things before he died.
Who was he? His name was Geo.
Stephenson, the great railway pioneer.
1t was not the fault Of young George
that he was ignorant, it was only his mis-
fortune. His parents were too poor TO
send him to school. He was the son of
the fireman Of a pumping engine in a
colliery. His birthplace was cottage
with a clay floor, mud wall and bare
rafters. He had to help earn his living
from his earliest years, first by herding
cows and barring up the gate Of the
mine at night. Next be was put 10
picking stones from the coal, and after
that to driving a horse, which hauled
coal from the pit. By-and-bye he was
made assistant fireman to his father
When he was seventeen be was made
plugman Of pumping engine-a higher
post than his fathers, and climed, as ii
seemed, to the top Of his ladder. What
hope was there for youth who could
not read at seventeen?
But George had hope in his breast.
His engine was a lesson-book to him
He took it apart and put it together
again, studied it, loved it, and when he
was told that there were books which
told about engines, he made up his mind
to go to school.
To school he went, and soon learned
all that the village master could teach.
When twenty years old he was made
brakeman, and began TO think about in
venting better engines than be saw
about him.
His next work was railway eight
miles in length, and from this point he
went until he was known as great rail-
way pioneer of the world.
George was often laughed at by men
who thought themselves much wiser than
he. One day he was proposing to build
an engine to run twelve miles an hour
a grave-looking gentleman thinking to
put him down, said:
Suppose one Of these engines to be
going along railroad at he rate of nine
or ten miles an hour, and tina. COW
were to stray upon the line, would not
, that be very awkward circumstance
Yes replied Mr.. Stephenson, very
awkward indeed-for the COW ?
Thus, by his own industry, did the
grit bare-legged laddie' climb TO a very
high place among men. Great men,
and even kings, sought bis advice, wealth
flowed into his purse; his name was
honored, his character respected. At a
7 ripe age he died and went to his eternal
l reward.
: Let this sketch cheer on the boys and
S girls to patient effort in the path of duty.
0 Learn something every day. Press for
= ward BE good, and you win prosper
A GHosTLY SPEEcH.-Some wap