Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-06-03

va "h "PPiS wv 10 ~ "'fpSHSu thO hh0s
one in the young orchard, the summer
swceting.'
We had got well under way with ou
game, whom cousin Susie cried out il
great alarm, The hogs, The hogsr Befor,
we could fly to tho rescue my hopes were
all laid low. An old SOW, with her progeny
Of young pigs, wandering about for ar
occasional apple that had been left on tn,
young trees, had found my new shoes
the smell OF the leather induced her L
examine further, and she settled the clio
ven foot of one lorcleg into the heel an,
her long tusk into the toe of one preciou,
shoe, and, tossing her head upward
away it flew into fragments and with i
all my dreams of the futurc-ol going t
school; OF seeing every day sweet Gcrti'
Aston, whom thought the prettiest cir
that ever was born; of carrying her
large, sweet golden apple every morn
ing. How could | slide without shoes
How could I--but it was useless; all wa,
gone. vanished in an instant.
am an old man now--have had losses
| and crosses, like other folks; but no sor
row ever penetrated So deeply or cut my
heart so sorely rs the loss of my frs
pair Of shoes
And believe, children, that that Incl
dent tempered your fathers whole life
Susie and Joe came running in--su ",
heard your grandma say-with blanched
faces and reported Cousin George dead
/ for he would not stir. She rau 10 her boy
and found him PROSTATE upon the grounC
with his lace buried in the autumn grass
moiionless rs a statue. She spoke to him
I but he did not answer. She turned hi!
face to the light, and found all the ex
preston gone out OF his bright young
eyes, and knew that the disappointment
had been too much for his sensitive, nerv
Gus temperament. She dropped bcsid,
him on the grass, took the dear little hoaC
in her lap, kissed and cooed over him a.
she had done when he was baby, and
this had the desired effect; he burst into
tears. extricatcd himself from her arms
and ran OF alone for little while. Wher
he came back TO his friends, it was rs il
nothing had happened; he stood unmoy'
cd Us :! man, but his whole nature seem
ed changed. Ever after he was earnest
thoughtful, willing to forego a pleasure
if necdful, and never binding his heart up
in things that might vanish in moment
and leave only a dark despair behind"
Belle was thoughtful Tor minute; and
then. as if long train of thought had
brought the question to her lips, she said
Aunt. DO you think that children in
these days ever love anything so much,
or feel so sorry when they arc disap.
pointed?"
Il don't know, dear Why should
they noi?n
Because we have so many thing:
that are beautiful, don't see how we
can"
That's it. said Fred. When Uocle
Jack asked me Mt Christmas time what
wanted most, do you think, | couldnttel
him; for l had so many, many thing:
already.
And when my white pony died" said
Blanche, Il was sorry and cried little
but while was crying was thinking
that papa would give me one of the pretty
black ones. And so lie did, You know"
Then said Aunt Margaret, "you
must think of those little children that
can have but few things, and how happy
they can be made with very little; and
YOU, dear Belle, must comfort your
wounded pride by the reflection that
many heart will be made lighter thro
the coming summer days by the kindly
care OF your dear father, who was once
struck dumb by the loss Of a pair OF shoes
made of q pair of old boot-tops and the
skirt of an old saddle. ."[-IRdependem.