Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1867-03-20
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From the Vermont Record.
WHEREIN TOM TIPTON Was A FOOL.
by REV. sILAs KETcHUM.

was, not exactly like anybody else for
when other boys were off ball-playing or
pitching quoits, or hunting, or sshfng, or
going to evening frolices, or toting the
girls to balls, Tom was sure to be poring
over some rusty old book that nobody else
ever thought of looking in. Had be read
such books as other boys read, it would
not have been SO strange; but he didn't.
Two tattered volumes of the tedious Com
stock, and bungiDg old copy of Doctor
Gum, were his chief treasures. and were
sweeter to his taste than Cooper or the
Waverlies. Such q taste must be abnor-
malt could not he natural, at least eve
rybody said so, and what every body said,
must be true.
Sam Sin pkins liked to read as well as
anybody, and was getting up club for
the Flag Of oar Union, but when hs
asked Tom to subscribe, telling him they
could get it cheap, Tom said he couldn't
take but one paper, and had just sent for
the Scientific Farmer--surcly strange
freak for boy fifteen years old. "What
could he 6nd, in thai dry thing, to read !!
He was fool to tukc it,. instead of the
Flag. which came every week, could be
had just as cheap and was always full Of
stories
Tom was working boy ; he was liter
ally never idle. His father had died
when be was small lad. His mother
had brought him up till he was furnished
with trade but her health had faild,
and now it Was his duty, as an only son,
to support her. He toilcd from the ri.
sing of the sun. to the going down of the
same, and sat up later than he ought por.
ing over his tedious Locks and papers.
But he had cheerful temper and this
bore him up And thus he worked on,
day after day, Year after year. till he wa
twenty. y.onc, when his mother was taken
al.o, and Tom was left alone.
And pow was the time for the studious
boy to decide his course, and he was net
long in coming to conclusion. Out Of
his seven years of hard labor. he had
saved rothing except few specimens Of
insects and creeping thiugs, and little
library Of about Fifty volumes, which he
had selected himself, but which nobody
else would read. But his trade would
give him fair compensation for his la.
Dor, and without penny in his pocket.
be entered himself as student at the ac-
ademy in his native town. Night and
morning found him at his bench, and evc-
ry dad found him in his class at the old
academy. Folks said he was fool to
spend his time and money SO he had
better be laying by something for rainy
day. What good did he suppose his
"larnin' would ever do him, when he got
lit?
But Tom still worked and studied, and
at the end of two years, as penniless as
when be began, entered himself at Castle,
| tn Then folks began to see what he pur-
posed to do. He taught, he worked
he studied, and in due time graduated
the first man in his class.
Moreover, Tom had at last found some.
thing more interesting. even to him. than
books. He had found dark eyed girl
plump and healthy, whose voice was mu.
sic to his ear, and whose shrewd little
head pleased him nightly. And nc
sooner bad be got his diploma in hi'
pocket, than, with the san careless dis
regard Of circumstances. as penniless a'
ever. and Bell ho better OF than he, bt
took her and went into town about ffty
miles from his own, where an old Doctor
had Just died, and it seemed to tbt
! shrewd eye Of Tom, that new one nigh
be wanted
Three, four, five pears passed away ,ane
little was heard of Tom Upton among
! those who had known him as boy. II,
lad nothing to call him tAere, and h
!. had not visited his native town, wheI
one evening, Squire Skinner received
, letter, bearing the post aark Of Wellville
superscribed in bold and rapid hand
The Squire held it close to the lamp AM
examined the writing. took of his specta
cles and wiped them. and gave the lettc
second scrutiny.
"Wellville? Wellville ? Nobody ther
! that ] know" said the Squire, partly t
himself aud partly to his wife. The
breaking the seal he opened and read
/, MELVILLE. Feb. 2, 1916.
!; DEAR sIR:---Presuming that the plac
; where my father and mother lived an
died is still in your possession, | wiite I
lsay am dosirous to purchase il, an
hope, il you are willing to part with ]