Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-01-08
Che family Circle.
Being a Boy.
BY CHARLES DUDLEY WARNER.

If was obliged to be a boy, and boy
in the Countrywide best kind of boy to be
in the SUMNER would be about ten years
ofage. As soon as got any older, would
quit it. The trouble with a boy is that
just as he begins to enjoy himself he is too
old, and has to be set to doing something
else. If a country boy We're wise he would
stay at just that age when he could enjoy
himself most, and have the least expected
of him in the way of work.
OF course the perfectly good boy will al
ways prefer to work and to do . chores y
for his father and errands for his mother
and sisters, rather than enjoy himself in
his own way. | never saw but one such
a boy, He lived in the town of Goshen
not the place where the butter is made
but much better Goshen than that And
never saw him, but heard of him. and
being about the same age, as | supposed,
| was taken once from Zoah. where lived,
to Goshen to see him. But he was dead
He had been dead almost IA year, so that ii
was impossible to see him. He died of the
most singular disease it was from not eat
ing green apples in the season of them.
This boy, whose name was solomon, before
he died, would rather split up kindling-
:
the consequence was that he was kept at
splitting kindling-wood and such work
most of the time, and grew more better
would not disobev his parents and eat green
enough to knock off with a stick-but he
had such a longing for them, that he pinned,
and passed away. If he had eaten the
oraap op,,1o, no ,-o,1J hn,-a l;oJ 6 +I,,,,
probably; so that his example is "A hard
All his little playmateS who ate green APP
pies came to Solomon's funeral, and were
very Sorry for what they had done
John was a very different boy from Sol
ONION, not half so good, nor half so dead.
He was 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 dia-
mOnds, and lots of nail-keys full of gold
pieces and Spanish dollars, with pretty
little girl living in the cave, and two beau
tiful caparisoned horses, upon which, tax
inc the Jewels and money, they would have
ridden off together, he did not know where.
John had cot thus far in his studies, which
were apparently arithmetic and geogra-
y
Nights" and other books of high and
mighty adventure. He was simple coun-
try boy, and did not know much about the
world as it is. but he had one of his own
Imagination, in which he lived a good
deal | dare say he found out soon enough
what the world is, and he had a lesson or
two when he was quite Young. in two Incl
dents which may As well relate
If Won had caap Inbn tbi- ti,,,o x-,,,
might have thought he was only Il >habbi-
would have guessed what beautiful
thoughts he sometimes had us he went
stubbing his toes along the dusty road, nor
what cIivalrous little fellow he was.
You would have seen a short boy. bare
footed, with trousers at once too big and
too short, held up by one suspender only,
Il checked cotton shirt, and hat of braided
palm leaf, frayed ut the edges and bulged
up in the crown 1t is impossible to keep
hat neat if YOU use it to catch humble
bees and whisk EN-: to bail the water from
a leaky boat to catch minnows in: to put
over honeY-bees' nests, and to transport
pebbles, strawberries, and hens eggs
John usually carried a sling in his hand
or bow. or II timber stick, sharp at one
II
great distance. If he walked in the road
he walked in the middle of it. scuffing up
the dust: OF if he went elsewhere he was
likely to be running on the top of the fence
or the stone wall. and chasing chpmunks
John knew the best place to dig sweet
flag in all the farm; it was in It meadow
by the river. where the bobolinkS sang so
gailv. He never liked to hear the bobo-
link hnu-aI-n, ho ii ~ n,
reminded him of the whetting OF Il scythe.
and that reminded him of spreading hay:
and if there was anything he hated it was
spreading hay after the mowers. Il guess
YOU would MT 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 com
ing along the road home with some stalks
of sweet-hag in his hand; there is a succu-
lent 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 car
riage, which stopped opposite to him: he
also stopped and bowed, as country boys
used to do in Johns day. \ lady leaned
from the carriage, and said:
" What have you got, little boy?"
She seemed to be the most beautiful wo-
man John had ever seen; with light hair
dark tender eyes snd 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
well acquainted in books. He felt that he
knew her ut once, and he also seemed to
ha "a nrtn of r,,inoa hip,snlf I g.,
CIV 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. with
out the least embarrassment:
Its sweet-fag stalk; would YOU like
some?"
Indeed, should like to taste of it,
said the lady with a most winning smile.
" | used to be ever so fond of it when was
a little girl
John was delighted that the lady should
accept it from him. He thought himself
that it was about the best thing to eat he
knew. He handed upa large bunch of it.
The lady took two OF three stalks, and was
about to return the rest, when John said /:
please keep it all. ma am. l 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 understand
the motion, until he saw cent drop in the
road at his feet. Instantly all his illusion
and his pleasure vanished. Something
like tears were in his eyes as he shouted:
. / don't want your cent. don't sell
flag
John was intensely mortified. 4 sup
pose, he said, she Thought was "a sort
of beggar-boy. To think of selling flag. -
At any rate, he walked away and LETT the
cent in the road. Inundated boy. The
next day he told Jim Gates about it, Jim
said he was green not to take the money /;