The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-01-15

| uVeO, TO GOSlen TO see nm. But he wa!
dead. He had been dead almost year
60 that it was impossible to sec him. H,
died of the most singular disease; it wa.
from not eating green apples in the season
of them. This boy, whose name was
Solomon, before he died, would rather
split up kindling-wood for his mothe,
than go a-fishing-the consequence wa.
that he was Kept at splitting kindling
wood and such work most Of the time
and grew better and more useful boy
day by day. Solomon would not disobeJ
his parents and cat green apples-not ever
when they were ripe enough to knock of
with stick-but he had such longing
for them, that he pinned, and passed away
If he had eaten the green apples he would
have died of them, probably; so that his
example is difficult one to follow. II
fact, a boy is hard subject to get 9
moral from, any way. All his little play
mates who ate green apples came to Solo
mons funeral, and were very sorry fol
what they had done.
John was very different boy from
solomon, not half so good, nor half so
dead. He was a farmers boy, as Solomon
was, but he did not take so much interest
in the farm. If John could have had his
way he would have discovered a cave full
of diamonds, and lots of nail-kegs full of
gold pieces and Spanish dollars, with a
pretty little girl living in the cave, and
which, taking the jewels and money,
they would have ridden off together, he
did not know where. John had got thus
far in his studies, which were apparently
arithmetic and geography, but were in
reality the Arabian Nights" and other
books of high and mi ghty adventure.
He was simple country boy, and did
not know much about the world as it is,
bat he had one of his own ina gination in
which he lived good deal. I dare say
he found out soon enough what the world
is, and he had lesson or two when he
was quite young, in two incidents, which
l may as we'll relate.
If you had seen John at this time YOU
might have thought he was only shabbily
dressed country lad, and you never would
have guessed what beautiful thoughts he
sometimes had as he went stumbling his
toes along the dusty road, nor what a
chivalrous little fellow he was. You
would have seen short boy, barefooted,
short, held up perhaps by one
suspender only, checked cotton shirt,
and a hat of braided palm-leaf, frayed at
the ends and bulged up in the crown. 1t
is impossible to keep q hat neat if you
use it to catch humble bees and whisk
'em; to bail the water from leaky boat;
to catch minnows in; to put over honey
bees nests, and to transport pebbles,
strawberries, and hens eggs. John usual.
ly carried a sling in his hand, or a bow,
or Timber stick, sharp at one end, from
which he could sling apples a great dis
tan e. If he walked in the road, he
walked in the middle Of it, scuf1ins up
the dust; or if he went elsewhere, he was
likely to be running on the top of the
fence or the stone wall, and chasing chip
hunks.
John knew the best place to dig sweet
flag in all the farm; it was in a meadow
by the river where the bcbolinks sang so
gaily. He never liked to hear the bobo-
link sing, however, for lie said it always
him of the whetting of a scythe,
and that reminded him of spreading hay;
and it there was anything he hated it was
spreading hay after the mowers. 81 guess
you wouldn't like it yourself" said John,
with the stubbs getting into your feet,
and the hot sun, and the men getting
ahead of you, all you could do"
Towards evening, once, John was CON-
ing along the road home with some stalks
of the sweet flag in his hand; there is
succulent pith in the end of the stalk
which is very good to eat, tender, and not
so strong as the root; and John liked to
pull it, and carry home what he did not
eat on the way. AS he was walking along
he met carriage, which stopped opposite
to him; he also stopped and bowed, as
country boys used to do in Johns day. A
lady leaned from the carriage, and said:
"What have you got, little boy?''
She seemed to be the most beautiful
woman John had ever seen; with light
hair, dark, tender eyes, and the sweetest
smile. There was that in her gracious
mien and in her dress which reminded
John of the beautiful castle ladies, with
whom he was we'll acquainted in books.
He felt that he knew her at once, and he
also seemed TO be sort of young prince
l fancy he didn't look much
like one. But of his own appearance he
thought not at all, as he replied to the
lady's question. without the least en-
'It's sweet-flag stalk would you like
some?"
''Indeed, should like to taste of it."
said the lady, with most winning smile.
II used to be ever so fond of it when I
was a little girl"
John was delighted that the lady should
like sweet-flag, and that she was pleased
TO accept it from him. He thought, him.
self, that it was about the best thing to eat
he knew. He handed up large bunch
OF it. The lady took two or three stalks,
and was about to return the rest, when
John said:
"Plcase keep it all, ma'am. I can get
lots more. know where it's ever so
thick"
Thank you, thank you," said the lady;
and as the carriage started she reached
out her hand to John. He did not under
stand the motion, until he saw cent drop
in the road at his feet. Instantly all hts
illusion and his pleasure vanished. Some
thing like tears were in his eyes as he
shouted:
II don't want your cent. I don't sell
hag!'
John was intensely mortified. II sup
pose," he said, ''she thought was sort
Of beggar.boy. To think of selling
fag!"
It any rate, he walked away and left
the cent in the road, q Inundated boy.
The next day he told Jim Gates about it.
Jim said he was green not to take the
money; he'd 60 and look for it now, if
he would tell him about where it drop
ped. And Jim did spend an hour poking
about in the dirt, but he did not find the
cent. Jim, however, had an idea: he said
he was going to dig sweet-flag, and see if
another carriage wouldn't come along.
Johns next rebuff and knowledge of
the world was of another sort. He was
again walking the road at twilight, when
he was overtaken by a wagon with one
seat, upon which were two pretty girls,
and young gentleman sat between them,
driving. 1t was merry party, and John
could hear them laughing and singing as
they approached him. The wagon stop.
ped when it overlook him, and one of the
sweetfaced girls leaned from the seat and
said, quite seriously and pleasantly.
Little boy, how's your MARI"
John was surprised and puzzled for q
moment. He had never seen the young