Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-10-29
VOL. xI,II. NEW SERIES, VOL. XVI.

smatterlng of Latin himself, was qualified Il
aid his pupil
Although the schOolmaster was allowed
the use Of a tallow candle, he vastly prefer
red the more brilliant light OF Tom pitch
knot: so that. as often as the long winter
evening set in. the master and pupil might
be seen land were seen) sitting before the
large fireplace with their heads buried IN
the pages Of the books, along which they
plodded slowly, but to such purposes that
at the end Of the winter Tom could read bis
/ fable and solve the problem in a manner
yery creditable to himself and master.
1t was uphill work with poor Tom, but
he never lost what little he lined, and man
aged to make what little he accomplished to
/ tell on the future.
/ One day his father brought home a stranr-
| er. and told Tom that be was apprenticed
during bis minority, to this man. who would
make him a black smith.
"Butl am not going to be a blacksmith,
cried Tom in passion I'm going to Con
gress.
" The more need you should learn to shoe
the horse that carries you there, replied the
father with a shrug.
Tom picked up his worldly goods, not for
getting his books, and trudgei away to a
distant village, where he pared horses
hoofs by day, and studied and read at night
by stealth, l0r he was allowed neither knot
nor candle.
Six months the poor fellow tried TO be
faithful TO his duty but one night. when
his master had thrown his grammar into the
fire. and athered him for disJbcdcnce. Tom
took leave Of the workshop. lie made his
way. barf5oted as he was, over bogs and
briars. until he venturei into the main road,
and bv dint of begging q ride now and then,
reached the city. As Ben Franklin had
done before him, with his roll under bis arm,
he sought and obtained employment.
Perhaps the happiest time Of Tom : lite
was when he found himself in the antigua
rian book store with plenty Of leisure, plenty
of books. and nothing to fear from friend or
foe. Ii was wonderful how he read and
read and read The parched earth does not
more greelily take in the summer rain.
When his intellectual thirst was partially
satisfied, he began 10 work. lie saw the
ladder up which he must climb, and seizing
the lowest round he made his way steadily
upward We all know by what steps an
man makes progress-hy patient
t1il-by self-denial-bv courteous dep.rt-
ment- by the constantacquisition of kn3wl-
edge.
Years passed by, during ali Of which Ton
had looked in vain for bis early friend, Jae
-tranger. In his timid awkwarlncss, he
bad not thought to ask the name OF his .
beneiactor, and the only opportunity o. do .
So had been lost.
Well, years slid away and Tom was elect
"a member of Congress from the very
county where be spent his struggling boy
hood. lie went 10 Washington, NOT in cow
hide shoes and butternut-colored homepln.
but dressed something as imagination had
pictured, as be l11ket after his hsneiact3r
IN the eventiful day of the siei eisdrilc.
4 nohler looking man. the ladies in tae
galleries said, never had appeared upon the
door than this Yankee member, who. Il he
spoke through his nose, always i-aya Dis
arrows home 70 the mark.
One day there appeared in ,he house lhc
venerable form of an eZ-member, whom all
present delighted to honor. 1t needed but
one glance at that genial face for Tom 20
in him the giyeT Of tae Latin
Grammar. lie had come, he said. to listen
10 the gentleman who had so maulully de-
Tended the right, and 10 wish him cd
speed.
81. IT, said Tom. with hl- Old modcsry, if
il has been my good fortune % do anything
for our country in the hour of he- peril.
owe my ability to do SO, in p great measure
TO yourself
3: To me ''' echoed the as.onishcl gentle
man s q me- | DO not rec1,lect ever