Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-11-29

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,Euf HERE was little fellow among
II Xy the New England hills, years
TzX age, as there are many now,
p whose parents were poor. He
could not remember the time when he
wore shoes and stockings in the sum-
mer. Sometimes in the winter, when
he was obliged to walk three miles to
school, and wade through snow drifts
that did not melt until the last of May,
he did wear such as his father had re-
jected, and a pair of shoes that slipped
up and down every step he took. New
ertheless, they were shoes and stock
ings; and he was infinitely prouder of
them than any king living, is of his
crown.
One day, as Tom was plodding along
with his slipsbod shoes, putting from eN-
ertion, and blowing his blue fingers to
keep them warm, there came dashing
down the hill a sleigh, such as the
youngster had never seen before; no,
indeed, nor even dreamed of. And the
horse! Tom stopped blowing, so in-
tense was his admiration of the elegant
creature that came foaming and tossing
its daintily arched neck to the right and
left.
mcnt' and as he sank up to his chin in
the light snow, tore off his old cloth
cap from his head, and hoped up and
down as if he was in the presence of the
President.
Jump on behind, my lad.' shouted the
driver, jump oil behind And Tom
did jump on, at the peril of his life, and
away they went, tearing along with
great speed, until over went the sleigh,
and out went the riders and buffaloes,
and things generally.
Tom sprang to the horses head, and
clinginS to the bits, the tips OF his great
cowhide shoes touching the snow, asked
if the gentleman was burt.
Not a bit Of it, my lad said he, shak-
ing himself free of the snow only
warmed up 4 little. What's the dam
age?'
Nothing, sir, that see,' retarned
Tom, his handsome face glowing with
good humor, as he yielded the horse Ia
its owner.
Well, then, my lad, get in, and Well
try again. You are going to school, I
see, added the stranger, rs he gathered
up the reins.
Yes, SIR
How far!'
Guess tits about two miles from here.
The gentleman turned and looked into
his face, and then glanced all over Tom S
figure. even to his feet.
'He sees my Shoes thought Tom,
proudly TO himself, giving his shoes a
shove forward, to make certain that
they should be seen.
The gentieman did see them, and
smiled In spite of himself, as he glanced
back to Toms face,
Hn that, Ein1lv n,ll1ad tba xrarnr fu..s
around the boy, add pulling the cap
over his eyes, shouted, Go along, Nell,
and the chestnut mare, now thoroughly
sobered. mee&ly commenced the ascent
of what was known Whereabouts as the
Long Hill. She was evidently accus-
toned to having her own way, for she
availed herself of every little hollow to
rest, and would not allow herself to be
pressed forward, until the whip was APP
piled.
Tom wondered what had possessed
the creature q few minutes before. He
scratched his head on the right side aud
then on the left, and finally, his Yankee
curiosity getting the better of his dit1i-
dence, he ventured to ask:
1T you please, SIR, what was Ii that
made your mare rung'
a stump returned the gentleman
with smile. Nell is little aristo-
cratic, and shies at all such plebiau
things. She does not know that IL stump
was the making of her MASTER
Tom scratched his head again, aud
wrigglcd all over, Then out came the
question;
'How could Il stump be the making of
Il manY'
My lad, answered the stranger, mark
ing the white surface of the snow gent
ly with his whip-lash, Il was poor boy
and my father could not afford to send
me to school. We worked very hard
but used to study evenings by the light
of the fire, aud learned tue whole of tn,
Latin grammar by the light OF one pin,
, knot,
' For . moment Tom sat perfectly still