Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-05-18
Our aJuuns folks.
How They Quarreled.
BY THos. X. BEEcHER.

L Dougnt me neat, little penknlfe.
mean what [ say-a penknife; for afte
using gold pens for twenty-seven years,
have learned that quill pens are far better
for him who must write page after page
L shall teach all my boys and girls to max,
pens of a quill before | give them a per
of gold; and they must learn to sew vel
with needle, before can let them sew
fast with a machine.
A neat, little penknife, | said, to lie il
my vest pocket, right-hand side, with a
neat, little gold tooth-pick for his ohum
To these two neat little fellows | gave my
pocket, rent free, in consideration of tri
fling services now and then to be rendered
by them to me. Whole days they spend
in elegant idleness, and so of course they
have quarreled. People with nothing tc
do always quarrel, or do worse. The gold
tooth-pick, it seems, had left its mark on
the white ivory of the penknife. and thus
the wrangle was going on when l first over
heard it.
Well, you are pretty piece of gold
See there, how you We crooked my side
If you are gold, L hope L may have a
squid of lead for chum, next time
To which ToOth-pick replied, being of
royal metal, and very high-bred:
You are probably not aware that the
purest gold is softest. \ ring of pure
gold will surely crock the white finger
that wears it. Gold rings, and pins, anC
studs, that never crock, as you call it
are not pure gold If mark you b.
touching you, the mark is an honor to you
1t shows that you keep good company
Whites good enough for me. L don
know why gold marks are any better tina
lax spots I'd rather be clean than respe.
table. Id rather be useful than gentee
I've seen enough of your aristocratic Go
breed. You put on airs, but when
comes to doing anything, you are MT there
Now I've got an uncle-old Uncle 4
When he meets man that suits him, tbs
can cut down a big tree in half hou,.
But what can you dor
This insulting talk of Penknife did ut
seem to vex Tooth-pick. High-bred po-
pie are never vexed by trifes,
l was well acquainted with your Unle
AK. | have introduced him to seveal
good men. Indeed, the Gold family re
very busy introducing things that re
needed to people that need them, We
visit great deal, first and last. Wesee
great deal of the world. We n6er
leave friend without getting some one
that he likes better TO come and take our
place. Your old Uncle AK, presum.. is
in Michigan now, on the Saginaw Rier,
trimming twenty pine-trees day 49,
useful AK But he never would have got
there had not a full brother of mine stayed
behind IN Cnlcogo IN hardware storl and
in one place. Men love the Gold fehily
chiefly because we are SO accommodating
and good-natured, and willing to Civ up
our bed and board to any new guest wlom
the master may fancy That brOthe of
mine that stayed in Chicago, l suppoa,
shall never see again but when | hard
from him last
Knife broke in
I'd rather do something myself tan
spend my life getting out of the way or
somebody else to come in. L can do sole-
thing. My master never wants to get i'd
of me- | cut quilts, and pare his na ;.
and erase wrong words, and | do all sets
of nice little jobs. I'm none of ur
common Jack-knives. I'm genteel m
a Pen-knife - white-handled - Rodgrs'
best
I've seen q great many dozen like 70
replied Tooth-pick. The man that nie
you will take gold for you any day. if
the master had a dozen of you, he'd ct
eleven 90 for one piece of gold. MI
shall stay here longer than you will
know you Knife family. You break ad
rust, and get borrowed. and are gone ht
we gold Tooth-picks stand by
At this point Knife began to be a H.,
and to uudouble, aud get open, to ct
Tooth-pick-a thing which l have 70 b..
den. No open knives in my pocket It
was time for me to interfere | took hel
both out and stood them upon end ID tie
penholes of my stand, like nar ghy
boys in a corner, and began to tall o
| them.
You are both foolish, good-for-no hilg
trifes,' said [. When | take youl an
use you, then you are useful-one as us
full as the other. 1 have good mi Id
let you alone, put you away in a b x-
quarreling in my pocket
They both seemed ashamed, as Il le
them stuck in the inkstand and went on
to saw wood.
When L came back TOoth-pick pushed
ND his point little, and said submissiyely.
Master may we ask you a question 4
Yes said L.
Penknife and | want to know whethA
when men quarrel about which is smartest
they will ever get stuck in an inkstand and
| talk ed To in this wav9'
| stopped and thought fully min
utes, and then five minutes more AM
then put down my pen, and have not an
swered yet But / am thinking, and Pen
knife and Tooth-pick are in my poke
again, waiting for the answer to their ques
tion.-LittIe Corporal.