The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-01-28
Bob

1OfeDOdlnS Whcn ne reported dt III ueSh
among the Cs He looked neither tormid
able nor malicious. His face was much
ireckl led, and his light hair was cropped
close to his round head; his eyes were
blue, keen. and wide open, and his hands
were, to speak broadly, somewhat soiled
he was stoutly built, and dressed in but
toned Jacket and corduroy trousers; he
stood up straight with a manly air, and
though he looked less childish than should
have liked, was more favorably impress
ed than | expected.
"What is your name?"
''Robert Crumul'
"Will you spell 'Crumul,' please ?"
"C-r-o-m, Crom, we'll, well, Crom-
WE'LL
tried to write the letters as though they
were just what expected. and felt that
they lent dignity to my register. He told
me his mothers name was Jane Cromwell,
and he was seven years old, ard so ended
my first interview with this namesake OF
the great Protector.
Whether injustice had been done to
Bob's character, or whether | was partic-
ularly successful, l do not know at all
events had no trouble, and when it was
reported to me that Bob had told in con-
fidence that was "a bully teacher" felt
as complimented as though the school
commissioner had hung medal round my
neck.
Bob's home was a railroad ''shanty'' set
lar out in the fields. | could see it from
the street as passed to and from school,
and it looked not unpicturesque, standing
in the shadow of q magnificent old elm.
The proprietor, familiarly known in the
neighborhood as the Major, was an Ameri-
can born German, stout, shrewd. and good
natured, who went his rounds smoking,
with his hirt-sleeves rolled up to his
elbows and a long leather apron tied un-
der his arms He boarded and lodged
some twenty laborers who were employed
on the railroad there in process Of con-
struction Bob's mother was his cook.
Bob himself brought all the wood and
water, went on errands and wheeled home
provisions. lie was always at school in
good season, and never seemed to find its
confinement irksome. My only difficulty
was to busy his active brain. which was
sure to plot some mischief if left to itself.
lie could scarcely read, so it was the more
difficult to find him employment. He
learned to add little sums and made all
sorts of attempts at writing in an old half
filed account book which tlir Major hal
given him. He was quick of comprehen-
sion, and in the various places where he
had lived, had picked up considerable To-
cal knowledge, and often surprised me
with his announcements and questions.
For child reared in so rude an atmos-
phere he had a remarkable refinement and
gentleness He seemed to possess a sort
of instructive courtesy, and would often
meet me at the schoolgate and carry i'll
my lunch-basket with grace that could
not have been improved. AS is usual in
country schools. united the office OF jani-
tor to that of teacher, and he insisted on
making fires, etc, with great good will
The children brought me flowers from
their gardens at home; and Bob, not to be
outdone, came with his hands full of star
~ dandelions and wild blue violets, with
the dew vet in their eyes; and thought
what type in their lowly, neglected beau
ty, they were of his own life.
He seemed conscious that his home had
been different from that of others, for not
far from the shanty was a farmhouse where
he used sometimes to 90 OF an afternoon
to play with the children. When they
were called in to tea Bob always ran home
in spite of repeated invitations to remain
until one day the children ran in to thell
mother, urging, you ask Bob to stay
mother, he looks as though he wanted to >
so the gentle mother, stepping to the door
said, Come, Bob, you will stay to supper
said he did not know, then walked bacl
~. IL Il l,o IL.
them he did not know how to do, he hat
only eaten in the shanty; but at the tabl
| appeared to better advantage than many
of better breeding.
| was equally surprised and pleased tx
note that Bob was quite popular at school
tor it was neighborhood which pride'
| itself, with reason, on its responsibility
| Most of the farms had changed owner
only as they had passed from father to son
since they were first cleared; the seminar
in the adjacent village probably accouute'
for their unusual intelligence. SO the en-
trance of so foreign an element as Bo
into a crucible which had held the sam
compound undisturbed 50 long, was a
strange aud startling as must have beel
the passage of the railroad to the slum
bering meadows. The children liked hir
for his good nature, admired his pluck
and looked with plying charity on, hi
faults, which were never initiated. On
day he with few others happened to
alone in the schoolroom. when a rough
looking man walked in. They were a
somewhat alarmed, but it proved that h
the girls, telling me about it, said, wv
| u l,+ p,,b H., boE
shovel as bold as could be- You aint atrai
of anything, are you, Bob ?"
remember one instance of his chivalr
not quite so ludicrous Fannie Cole,
plump, rosy-cheeked child of about h
own age, had been very kind to him, an
he in return ''took her part on all poss
BILE occasions He burst in one noon S
excited he could scarcely speak.
Johnny Burr has broken all Fanni
Coles dandelion chains" he stammere
out.
.'Oh, WE'LL" said l soothingly. ssh
didn't care for them, did She"
"Her crie0 - he returned laconically.
lie used to wait at the scoolhouse doc
to walk down with me at night. At frs
!, while | kept the even tenor of my wa,
he walked through all the mud-puddl.
and scaled all the stone-heaps on the roa(
whether to display his dexterity or throug
, basflulness, Twas little uncertain. Aft
a few days he travelled more sedately, an
, told me of his black kitten and the Major
watchdog, and how he meant to keep
.hanty, like the Major, when he was
man. The Major seemed to be his ide
: of human excellence, and l Judged fro
some tritling indications that he receive
J some training from that worthy personag
One night, just as we reached the plat
where he left the street to cross the field
, squirrel ran along the fence. "Golly
said Bob, with emphasis.
! Il don't really like the sound OF tn
word, Robert, q had always called hi
Robert, thinking it would appeal more