The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-12-17
OUR BOYS TRUNK.

How we'll ! remember it, as It came
home from the maker's-that great hulk
of trunk It was built, like man-of-
war, according to specifications-stone
keel, plated with zinc, crossed with
bands of oak, and fretted at every Joint
and corner with spikes of brass. It
was our boys trunk, the first 4e ever
owned, for, hitherto, in his short sum-
mer journeyings, a light valise had
served to hold his q" traps" or they had
been packed in the "one and indivisi-
BILE " Saratoga. The boy was now, for
the first time, leaving home for a series
of years, to pursue his classical educa-
ton.
We said the trunk was made to order,
for our Ned was impressed with the idea
that no craftsman had yet laid keel
large enough for his demands 60 for
you see, father" ne would say, GIVE
all my summer and winter clothes to
carry, besides those monstrous lexicons,
and my skates, and boot-iack, and lots
of other little gim-cracks as if any
amount of lexicons and bOy-prOperties
could fill that three-story edifee," as
Thackeray calls it, a modern trunk.
And so it was brought home, regu-
lar mailed leviathRn, and moored in the
family sitting room, preparatory TO
taking on freight. Ned. inspected it
with immense approval, walking round
it from stem to stern, and humping
every bolt and hinge. Inside, it was
as luxurious and almost as roomy as a
ladY's bOudoir-a succession of sur
prises and ambuscades of convenience
with a fairy sitting on the lid of every
compartments, and rising out of every
pocket. Ned's enthusiasm was dashed
with a little disdain of these interior
furnishings, as being soft and girI-Iike,
and think he would have chosen the
grim diuginess of bank safe, as better
COMFORTING with the gravity of a
students life.
What a hustle and confusion, what
giving and receiving of orders, while
the leviathan was taking in cargo +!
What nice folding of cambria neckties,
and asserting of silken ones, from the
Prince Albert" to the Butterfly -
What inquest for odd cuffs and dereIict
pocket handkerchiefs, tied 10 kite tails,
and slowed away in old coats What
inspection of collars and shirt bosoms,
and remorseless tossing into the laun-
dry basket of any that showed spot or
wrinkle What brushing and sponging
of old garments and Crying on of
new What disquisitions on the tailor
like way of folding a coat ! What
washing of ipk-stauds and rummaging
for pens, knives, pencils and other
" rolling stock" on which no bow from
Tubal Gain downward ever knew where
to lay his hand What squandering of
tops, fish-hooks, and water.wheels on
the neighbors What measuring and
adjusting of books, states and maps to
fit What ransackipg for readers and
speakers-the hold of our ship being
found so prodigious that it swallows up
not only the lexicOns, but all sorts of
miscellaneous books, to which the bow
helps himself with the double purpose of
filling up and making a brave show on
his book-shelves.
At last, after confusion enough to
have shipped the stores of an arsenal,
the lower compartment of Ned's trunk
is pronounced solid as abrick. Buttons
and seams have all been inspected by
anxious mamma as carefully as a brake,
man tests his car wheels, and the snowy
piles of linen have been laid in with q
silent prayer that the boys heart may
be kept as pure and fresh amid its new
temptations.
Away in the upper loft. under the
monsters ribs, the winters fanneIs are
bestowed with ignominy, also thick
boots, brushes, boot-jack, and slippers,
and the blanket shawl which mother
will put in, with strict Injunction &c
spread it on the bed o frosty nights.
There goes the overcoat, too. though
Ned insists it is quite superfuous in IA
being now August), but punches it be,
cause it viii help the other things tc
"ride snug"
Next come the drawers and things, ,
as Ned styles the fancy compartments,
Here repose the neckties, in varie0ated
sheen, as if bird of paradise had drop.
ped her plumage; there, a cake Of
Cashmere bouquet bestowed by Cousin
Alice, who, fresh from Dotheboys Hall,
is sure nothing but yellow soap is ever
provided in boarding schools. Also
there is stationery of all sorts, from
sturdy foolscap TO note paper of such
tender hue and endorsements rs color
the suspicion that Cupid instead OF
Minerva, presides in acadamic groves.
But here comes the mother with a med,
icine chest which must go in-pepper
mint for collie, oil of hemlock for ear.
ache, camphor for toothache, " compO.
sition" for cold in the head, hot drops
for indigestion, ETC., and having seer
! these safely cushioned, she slips in s
frosted pound cake by way of rendering
her prescriptions necessary. Inscruta,
BILE mamma OF course there are but
tons enough for a Peggotty, and needle,
of all sizes, threaded. waxed and knot
ted. There is gray cushion for The
toilet, with q Ned Withers" so blazOned
IN pinstha the proposes to nail it out.
side for doOrplate, and small circu
lar one for his pocket, bristling enough
to impale that dreadful Greek vert
which is the bette nOir of bows. Also
there is a little hand mirror, for must
not our Neddy see the back Of his head
when combiRg and pertaining to go to
the presidents levees, and to call on the
professors daughters
Well, the trunk is gone. We saw il
locked and strapped, and lifted into the
great wagon. We saw, IN a mist, q boy
sitting on it, waving his hat, hurrahing
and shouting bood-bye. How still the
houseis How dismal the day Seems
as If we have been having a funeral.
Come home again, did YOU say? Oh
yes, 1 suppose he will but he'll wear
badges, and have whiskers, and be pre-
else and proper. All the little boy of
long ago will never come back any
more -
A letter from Ned. "I've got a Jolly
boy fer a chnm. He can play on the
fiddle, and has got & stunning lot of
neckties. He's going to give me one
because 1 let him use my bootiack. Ny
trunk came all right, only one hinge is
sprung, and the iron band round the
lid got smashed IN at one corner. 1
tore my pants on it, and had 20 pay
twenty-five cents to get them mended.
You ought to have seen the porters
sweat aud swear when they brought