The weekly Butte record., 1861-02-23
The Young Blacksmith.

pie should grasp at things beyond what had
been reached by their great at-grandfathers. He
had three chidren-two boys and girl
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 Eot notice the entrance of
bis father Jerry was in the opposite corner,
working out a sum which he had found in his
arithmetic.
Sam" said the father to his youngest son,
" have you worked out the sum which gave
you?"
"No, sir" returned the boy, rather hesitat-
ingly.
didn't tell you to stick to your arithme-
tic till you had it done ~ said Mr. Winthrop,
in a severe tone.
Samuel hung down his head and looked
troubled.
"Why haven't you done it ?" continued the
father.
"I cannot do it sir, tremblingly answered
Samuel.
Cant do it? And why not? Look at
Jerry, there, with his slate and pencil He
had cyphered further than you have, long be-
fore he was as old as you are"
Jerry was always fond of mathematical
problems, sir, but I cannot fasten my mind
upon them at ALL They have no interest for
me-"
THAT is because you do not try to feel an
interest in your studies. What book is that
you have p
"a work on philosophy, SIR" answered
Samuel.
"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 till
you can work out those roots. Do you under
stand me?,'
Samuel made no answer, but he silently put
away his philosophy, and then got his slate
and sat down in the chimney corner His
neither lip trembled, and his eye moistened, for
he was unhappy. His father had been harsh
towards him, and he felt that it had been
without cause.
Sam" said Jerry, as soon as their father
had left the room, 81 will do that sum for
you"
No, Jerry" returned the younger brother,
with grateful look, that would be deceiving
father. I'll try and do it, but fear I shall
not succeed"
Samuel worked very hard, but all to no pur-
pose. His mind was not on the subject before
him. The roots and squares, the base, by
pothenuse and perpendicuars though com
paratively simple in themselves, were 10 him
mingled mass of incomprehensible things, and
the more he worked the more he became per-
picked and bothered
The truth was, his father did not understand
him.
Samuel was bright boy, and uncommonly
intelligent for one of his age. Mr.. Winthrop
was thorough mathematician-he had never
came across a problem which he could not
solye-and he desired that bis boys should be
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 Edward living, he could
" give the old gentleman 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
piece of land of many angles, he imagined be-
cause Samuel made no progress in the same
branch, be was idle and careless and treated
him accordingly He never candidly conyersed
with his younger son, with a view to ascertain
the true bent of his mind but he pertinacously
adhered to it.
There was another thing that Mr.. Winthrop
could not see, and that was that Samuel was
continually pondering upon some matter that
was interesting to him, and that he was scarce
ly ever idle nor did the father see, either,
that if he wished his boy to become mathe-
matician, he was pursuing the very course to
prevent such result. Instead of endeavoring
to make the study interesting to the child, he
was making it obnoxious.
The dinner hour came, and Samuel had not
worked out the sum. His father was angry,
and made the child go without his dinner, tell
ing him that he was very idle and lazy child.
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
his parent and took another turn, and the
marks of grief left his face. There was large
FIRE in the room below his chamber so that he
was not very cold, and getting up, he went to
a closet, and from beneath lot of old clothes
he took forth some long strips of wood, and
commenced whiting. 1t was not for mere
pastime that he Whitfield, for he was fashion
ing some curious affair from those pieces of
wood He had bits of wire, little scraps Of
tin-plate, pieces of twine, and dozens of small
wheels that be had made himself, trying to fit
them after some particular fashion of his own.
Half the afternoon had thus passed away,
when his sister entered his chamber. She had