The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1862-04-23
THE CANAL BOY.
By MRS. n. J. H.'''..
FIRST PART.

"Pshaw he's nothing but canal driver
with patches on both knees. guess shan't
choose him at all, 2 and pretty Jennie john
son tossed back her thick, black curls, and
flashed her saucy black eyes quite indignant
ly upon the companion who had suggested
that Willie Warner be chosen first Of all
the eager group assembled in the old stone
school house on the night of that long an
ticipated spelling school.
And YOU, my dear city reader, do not,
dare say, know what spelling school is.
Just because you have lived all your life i'm
INJURED in bricks aud mortar-have never
called gabIe-roofed house youry home-ne-
yer worn red flannel frocks and calfskin shoes
to school never ridden down bill in boys
lap and on boys sled, helping him draw
itnp again and feeling very slight twinge
Of something-you didn't then know what
when he asked Lucy Brown to ride with
him next time and you LETT there alone, won
dering what made the cold December wind
draw such big drops Of water from your eyes.
Never went chesnutting in the dear old
woods, with his same Lucy Brown and sell
same boy, who, in gathering the largest,
richest, brown nuts for her, forgot that you
were there, and in his strange forgetfulness
wound his arm around her neck and kissed
her childish lips, just as lovingly as he kiss
ed them afterwards, standing at the altar
ave. and lust as ne kissed them, too, on
that dreary autumnal day, when the No
yembef rain wept with hin for the early
dead.
All this, | say, you have never experien-
ced, and 50 forsooth, I must tell you what a
spelling school is-well it is when the schO.
lars Of certain district meet together some
winter evening ostensibly TO choose sides
and see which can outspell the other, bui
really 10 give the bows chance for going
home with the girls after il is all over, and
the girls the satisfaction Of saying no. 4 the
righi one does not offer.
Is my explanation sufficiently clear !--st
will hasten back 70 nv story and tell how
on frosty January night the scholars o
District Nos were assembled in an old stons
house many miles to the eastward and JUS
where the shadow Of mountain wraps il
an early twilight every object near enougi
10 come within lis influence.
Jennie Johnson, the petted child OF thu
weaIfhiest man in the town, had the priv
lege Of choosing first, and though she knew
that Willie Warner was by far the better
speller, he was nothing but !" canal driver
and 30 she seornfuIly passed him by, and tool
in his stead Robert MAYNARD. smooth fac
ced, conceited boy who was spending n,
winter with bis maternal mother, Mrs. Field
Jennie's voice was loud and clear, and he
taunting words fell with cruel distinctnes
upon The ear Of the Canal boy, who quickl,
turned his face from the light, 50 that 9th
ers. who heard them. should not see th'
deep pain written there. lie was . pale
slender boy, tall and old beyond his years
for he numbered bat fifteen. In the eKperi
ence Of life, however, be was man, Tor alInOs
since be could remember, sick and widow
ed mother had leaned on him. her only child
for comfort and support. a distant rela.
ton. and the proprietor Of line OF boats
shieh ran on the Canal near BY. offered hin
ths situation Of driver, and as the remaner-
alton Tar exceeded shat be could earn IN hii
own village, Willie gladly accepted the
post. nor deemed himself degraded being
NAT early and late, through sunshine and
storm, be pIoddsd along The .tow path
,,hisfj,sx A. he vent, and thinking pleasant