The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-05-18
Eolsnny s:lT;rnp's Composition.

Ike boats. When am big, l mean
to have as many boats as ! want. /
once read book written by Mr.. spar
rowgrass. lie said that q boat WAS q
good thing to have in the house, espe-
ciaIIy if there be any water near. /
think so too.
Pa says he'll buy me boat when he
gats rich lie says he's 50 poor now he
can hardly get clothes to his back. He
bought 4 nice new coat only last week.
He says he can't afford boat, though;
he has to buy cigars, and = pew in church
and John Barleycorn, and other neces-
sarics of life. think q boat is more q
necessary Of life than 4 pew il church,
any day. | wonder who John Barley
corn is, and why he wants to buy hia
Aunt Jcrusha says that if that hoy
has q boat he'll be sure to tumble over
board, and be brought home wringing
wet, and dead rs 4 door nail, by tlseBo-
lice, on shutter 1t would be fun. The
cops bring me home by the coat-collar
or by the ear. 1t hurts-I think L shut
ter would be much better.
l rowed pa over to IIoboken once
Pa says it's good for boys to row, and
good for men to sit in the stern Of the
boat and be rowed. Sometimes boys
have too much Of good thing. l had
il then.
l caught crabs when rowing to Hobo
ken. | caught 'em with my oar, and
they knocked me off the seat Pa said
not to care-it would make me grow to
be knocked over in the bottom Of a
leaky boat; it vets their trowsers and
makes EN- feel sticky. | Idon't call that
growing.
l don't like to bail out boats. When
the boat is leaby, l take Dicky Mopps
with me. He's littler than | am, and |
can make him do all the bailing. Once
pa said he could not pay the rent, and
must be arrested and who should he get
to bail him out? said, ''Dicky Mopps.' u
Pa said, '<Don't be a fool" Ma says
that pa sometimes asks very unreason-
able things Of me, and expects too much
like to build little steamboats,. Aunt
Jerusha says l used up all her spools OF
cotton for cylinders and ringing. l Dor
rowed some of the wheels from the
kitchen clock once to make machinery,
ans! the clock has never went since Ma
found it ont, and told Aunt Jerusha that
| had wonderful talent, and would make
a great mechanic. But when L took q
wheel, and o needle, and some other
things, out Of her sewing-machine, ms
said [ ought to he whipped sounGly
don't sec why one thing don't show q:
much talent as the other.
Aunt Jerusha says l am dragging hel
to an early grave, because l took he
glasses cut Of her spectacles, and he
old thimble, and her pill-boXes, and tht
top Of the tea-kettle, 20 make up int
things for my boat. She says she'll tel
pa.
Pa says my boat is very nice. So
didn't tell him cut out the hull witt
his razor, and made the sails out of
piece Of his shirt. Pa says the washer
women are very careless. One OF then
washed the back all out Of his shirts
think shirt-stuff makes very good sails
l mean to make good many boats, ant
l know a boy whose father keeps q watcI
store, and has lots Of little wheels an,
; things> That boys name is Spriggin
Hank Spriggins. l gave him an ap
pie to-day. 1t was sour, and l didn'
e want it. l mean to make up to Sprie
{ gins, and see if he won't give he som
e clock-works. He can get som
from his pa I often get things from p
without bothering him by asking hin
beforehand. l take 'em. 1t save
, trouble.