The Portland daily press., 1871-07-31

CAPITAL SKETCH FOR OLD BOYS AND
YOUNG BOYS.
There are so many spots in the life of +.
iarm-poy, that l sometimes think should
like to live the life over again; should al
most be willing to be girl if it were not for
the chores. There is a great comfort TO a
BOY IN the amount of work he can get rid of
doing. 1t is sometimes astonishing how slow
ne can 60 on an errand, he who leads the
school in race. The world is new and in
teresting to him, and there is so much to take
MS attention off when he is sent to do any,
thing. Perhaps he couldn't explain, himsels
why, when he is sent to the neighbor's after
yeast, he stops to stone the frogs; he is not
exactly cruel, but he wants to see if he can
hit em. No other living thing can 60 as slow
as boy sent Oh. an errand. His legs seem to
be dead unless he happens to espy wood
chuck in an adjoining lot, when he gives
chase to it like deer; and it is curious fact
about boys. that two will be great deal slow
er in doing anything than one, and that the
more you have to help on piece of work the
less is accomplished. Boys have power in
helping each other do nothing; and they are
so innocent about it and unconscious. 81
went as quick as ever could", says one boy,
when his father asks him why edidn't stay
all night, when he has been absent three
hours on ten minute errand. The sarcasm
has no effect on the boy.
Going after the cows was a serions thing in
my day. had to climb up hill which was
covered with wild Strawberries in the season.
Could any boy pass by those ripe berries p
And then in the ,.'agrant hilLpasture, there
were beds Of wnter-green with red berries,
TUFTS OF columbine, roots of sassafras to be
dug, and dozens of things good to eat or to
smell, which could not resist. 1t sometimes
even lay in my way to climb a tree to look for
crows nest, or to swing in the top, or to see
if could see the stceple of the village church
1t became very important sometimes for mt
to see the steeple; and in the midst of my in
vestigations the tin no, a would blow a grea
blast '.om the farmhouse, which would seni
a cold chill down my back in the hottest days
knew what it meant. 1t had frightfull,
impatient quaver in it,, not at all like thu
sweet note that called us to dinner from the
bayfield,. 1t said: "Why on earth doesn'
that boy come home? 1t is almost dark anG
the cows amt milkedp And that was the
time the cows had to start into brisk pace
and make up for lost time. I wonder if any
BOY ever drove home the cows late, who die
not say that the cows were at the further enc
of the pasture, aud that "Od Brindle wa
hidden in the woods, and he couldn't find he
| for ever Sd long" The brindle COW is tn,
boys scapegOat many a time
no other boy knows how to appreciate
holiday as the farm-boy does; and his bes
ones are F 'culiar kind. Going fishing is Q
course one sort. The excitement of rigein
up !ne tne tackle, digging the bait, ard th
anticipation OF great luck; these are pur
pleasures, enjoyed because they are rare
Boys who can 60 fishing any time care bu
little for it,. Tramping all day through brusI
and brlar, fighting flies and mosquitoes, an(
branches that tangle the line, and snags tha
break the book, and returning home late ant
| hungry, with wet feet and string of speck
led trout on willow twig, and have the fam
lily crowd out at the kitchen door to look a
| 'em, and say, Pretty well done for YOU, bull
| aid you catch that big one yourselfpa Thi
| Is a'so pure happiness, the like of which tn,
DoY VIII never nave again; not if he comes tc
| store" et
| But the holidays recall with deliobt vore
the two days in the spring and fall. woen wv
| went to the distant pasture land, in neigh.
| boring town, may be, to drive tbither fbe
young cattle and colts, and 10 bring them
PACK a3an. 1t was wild and rocky INLAND
Wnere OFT great pasture was, manv miIes
from home, the road to it Ilnnipe bv bra w
ing river, and up dashing brookside amono
great NILS. What days adventure it was
~ was IKE journey 10 Europe. The night
before l could scarcely sleep for thinking Of
| VI IL, ana there was ne trouble about get
ung me up at sunrise that morning. The
L 90 al
| in large basket, f''>'D
| & wish the journey would neve. end: but
at last, Dy noon, we reach the pastures and
turn IN the herd; and afte. making the tour
OF the lots to make sure there are no breaks
In the fences we take our luncheon from the
wagon and eat it Under the trees by the
spring. This is the supreme moment Of the
DAY. This is the way :, life; this Is like the
SWISS Family Robinson, and all the rest OF
my delightful acquaintances in romance
Baked beans, ryeand-Indian bread (moist
remember), doughnuts and cheese, pie and
root beer. What richness! You NAV live to
dlne at DelmonlcO's, or at Phiiippe's in the
hue MOneorguell, in Paris, where the good
old Thackeray used to eat as good dinner as
anybody; but you will get there neither
doughnuts, nor pie, nor root beer, nor any.
thing as good as that luncheon at noon in the
old pasture, high among the Massachusetts
hills! Nor will you ever, if you live to be the
oldest boy in the world, have any holiday
equal to the one I have described I have al
ways regretted that did not take fish-line
Just to throw in" the brook we passed. /
know there were trout there.-C. ID. Warner
IN Work and Play for july.