Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-02-14

goodness knows that there WASH enough
of him to go round among many heathen.
From this specimen of discipline may be
learned the entire Barkcrian system Of train
ing. was about to say, "es uno disco
omnes, but, as it's the only Latin remcm-
her from the lot which got rubbed into--or
rather over--me at Barkers, I'm rather spa
ring of it, not knowing but can bring 1t in
somewhere else with better effect. As with
the Word of God, so with that of man, the
grand Barkerian idea of how TO fix 1t in Il
boys memory was to send him to bed, or ex-
coriate his palm. If religion and polite
learning could hove been communicated by
sheets, like chicken-pox, or blistered into one
like the stern but curative cantharides, Mr..
Barker's boys would have become the envy
of mankind and the beloved of the gods; but
not even Little Briggs died young from the
latter or any other cause, which speaks vol
umcs for his constitution.
Even at Barkcrs, boys grew up, somehow |;
and In process of time | became fourteen
years of age. recollect that epoch well,
for it was marked by my first sorrow. |
learned to sympathize, at least half way, with
Little Briggs. l lost good and indulgent
father, though did not get one of an oppo-
site character, nor indeed any at all. When
/ came back to Barkers, few weeks after
the funeral, little Briggs looked at me with
peculiar interest," and made me timid offer
Of baked chestnuts.
81 had on as good clothes as that, when
was in mourning, real bombazine with jet
buttons" said Little Briggs waxing conf
dental during second recess. 81 wish /
was in mourning now. Do you feel very
bad?"
My heart rose in my throat.
"0f course you do But wouldn't. I'm
different, you know my dads not the real
thing, g,-only imitation. If he should die ]
would't cry-no more-no more than-than'
Little Briggs cast about for some particu-
larly stern and fearless comparison, and fin
ally hit on the not very ielcitous one Of
''that pump" which just at that moment
was yielding water freely to the solicitations
of Mr.. Barkers hired man, Yankee. Yam
kee was pumping for the cook, between
whom and himself there were supposed to bt
still more romantic loye-passages, wide cred
ence having been given among Barkers boys
to the theory that she was the daughter of
man with countless millions, who had turn
ed her out of doors on account of her iov,
for pedler of humble birth; upon whicl
she and the pedlar, not 10 be separated, ha,
4 come to take service at Barker's. Mature
selfishness than ours would have propitate,
her with reference TO her post-obit expecta
tions, but the Establishments of Barker's boy
were directed solely to the more immediat
particular of pies. As we passed Yanke
and the cook, the latter glanced at Littl
Briggs's threadbare knees, and said compas
sionately to her companion,-
"Poor thing! he don't look as if he wa
much sot on by his family
"Wall, naow," replied Yankee, with
drawl and twinkle, 8 should say, to loo
at him, that they'd all on 'em sot on him t
once, and tol'ble heavy tew ="
Little Briggs heard him, and made wht
within my experience was his first sclf-ai
sertion. He rushed at the pump, with h
face as pale as death and his lip quiyerins
: drew back his foot, paused, and
''Sce here, you old hogs" said Littl
Briggs, If that wasn't the cooks pail, I'd
I'd kick it overt
''Thcyre all hogs" he added, as i
walked away with me, leaving Yankee p'
trifed by his exceptional demonstration
"everybody's hogs at Bakers. Barker's Il
biggest; he haint got any more feeling tha
, a bcdpost. When your father died, the fe
lers all signed paper asking for haf-ho
, iday, and Pete Gilbert took up to hin
and he went right on with school just til
: same. Don't wish was big enough
a break his head I'd run away this minu
r. if Id only got anywhere to run to !"
In spite of all q am not sure but this mi
l be mixture Of metaphors,) Briggs's lie
d turned deaf ear to parental remonstranc
Il his upper frame at the the same time fill
h out to degree which, taken in connecti
e with the stern simplicity of Barker's tab
's was corroboration of the nutritive propl
ties of oxygen, which must have satisfi
r the most sceptical Psychologist. By the Sc
Ii son that we were both fifteen, he lacked L
N an inch of the five feet six on which prid
,f myself; and six months after, when beg
/ to talk of going to college, he was quite
is to me, and, but for n certain unmistakal
Of air of never having any pocket-money, o
ye of the wholesomest looking boys in ssho
s. Whether, as a result of his first bold sta
to or from the expansive influence of havi
le found in me something like u comm
I'd ground of human sympathy, Little Brig
1T to the surprise of everybody, began gro
fe ing $50 rapidly, in fact, that within a Fl
~ months he confided to me as many as thl
letters signed, Yours, 7. Mixer" and WI
'h ten in stiff, invoicy hand, to complain
ce an extension of legs which had defeated
re T. Makers calculations regarding the ann
e. family demand for pepper and salt cas-
a mere; and, moreover, if the mind mi!
of sentative of Briggs mammals opinio
ce given that lady great solicitude from be
pt an indication of the .tubuerculous diathes
an "If I've got to have that" said Briggs, $
on rather stay short-what is it p Iconfes
" my ignorance, and advised him to ask b
y ker, in which did him an unintentiOnal
mp kindness, that worthy inviting him to