The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1869-08-19

stump, returned the gentleman.
Win smile. "Nell is little aristocratic
apd SHES at all such plebeian things. She
a9es not know that stump was the ma
hng of her master"
Z. LON scratched his head again, and wig
geo all over. Then came the question
How could stump be the making of
hy lad, answered the stranger, mar
KING the white surface of the snow gently
WITH his whiplash, ''I was poor bow. and
my father could not afford to send me to
school. We worked very hard, but l used
to study In the evenings by the light of
ees nre, and learned the whole of the Lat
IL grammar by the light of one pitch
For moment Tom sat perfectly still
Then he asked, as if ashamed of his igno-
raace
Please, sir, what's Latin grammar 2"
Ihls last question aroused the gentle
man, and becoming sensible that the little
fellow at his side was thirsting for knowl-
edge, he kindly went over such parts of
his history as he thought would be of in
tesest to him, and ended by saying that he
was a member of Congress.
his last announcement almost took
Tens breath away. He had heard of
members of Congress, but he had an idea
that they were myths, whom nobody ever
saw. Perhaps the awe with which Tom
regarded him as he glanced up sidewise
lnso his face fattered the gentleman, for
he said, smilingly
You are just as likely to be member
of Congress as l I! You know, in Ameri-
ca, success. is to be determined and brave
If you study as did, you may possibly
rise as high-yes perhaps higher p
but haven't any Latin grammar, sir, -
said Tom. .-.~
''No Well would you like one ?"
"Yes, sir" cried Tom, with flashing
eyes. ,
swell, my lad, shall come this way
again, and / will leave one at the school
house for you"
But haven't any money p
"Never mind; you can pay me when
you get to Congress"
sThank you," said Tom; II won't for
get it, SIR
The gentleman looked down at him with
/ T - pr4riio, tsr11 tho rude IL
silence until they reached the school
house.
"Please don't forget the grammar" sug.
gested Tom, as he lifted the old cap again
Not l." returned the gentleman. ga
man who cannot keep promise should not
make one-hey, my lad ?"
Nell tossed her head, and the boy soon
lost sight of the rider Then he looked
down at his shoes, at his coat, and his old
cap, as he hung it on the peg in the entry,
and silently contrasted them with the fur
trimmed overcoat and outfit of the stran-
ger. "Never mind" said Tom to himself,
II will have them all, too, when [ am a
member of Congress-"
At the end of two weeks bundle OF
books was left at the school house. There
was not only Latin grammar, but we'll
worn copy of Virgil, Esop's Fables, and
sundry other volumes such as Tom had
never seen.
Pine-knots were plentiful where Tom
lived, and he sat up till midnight all the
rest of the winter pondering over the mys-
teries of those books.
AS luck would have it, the school-mas-
ter. who boarded around with his pupils,
had not eaten the rations due him at Tom s
fathers. When he arrived he entered
warmly into the boys ambitious projects,
and as he had smattering of Latin him.
self, was qualified to aid his pupil
Although the schoolmaster was allowed
the use of tallow candle, he vastly pre-
fer1ed the more brilliant light of Toms
pitch knot; so that, as often as the long
winter evenings set in, the master and pu-
pill might be seen (and were SEEM sitting
before the fireplace with their heads
burr: IA the pages of the books along
which they plodded slowly, but to such
purpose that, at the end of the winter,
Tom could read his fable and solve the
problem in manner creditable to himself
and master.
It was up hill work with poor Tom. but
he managed to make what little he accom-
plished to tell on the future.
One day his father brought home
stranger, and told Tom that he was ap-
prenticed during his minority, to this man.
who would make him a blacksmith
aBut [ am not going to be oiack-
smith," cried Tom, in a passion LII
going to Congress.
"The more need that you should learn !,
to shoe the horse that carries you tnere'
renlied the father with shrug.
Tom packed up his worldly GOODS not
forgetting his books, and trudged away 20
distant village, where he pared horses
hoofs by day, and studied and read al
night by ste.lth, for 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 lathered him for disobedienoe,
Tom took leave of the workshop. lie MADE
his way. bare-footed as he was, over Dogs