Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-09-21
NO. 224.

4hatiyat, Mlcndei ocOtt, ana Kenmore
Cooper Oh the mad enthusiasm, the
sGouling that Quentin, like one possessed,
inflicted upon the astounded inmates of
that quiet household His mother alarmed,
ms sisters amused. eager, half-congratu-
lallng, half-reproving; the servant-girls.
annoyed at such an interruption to their
work, uttering subdued cries of Hes
iair distraught the laddie'll come TO nae
guild"
But Quentin. all needless, flew off TO
carry glad tldings to his boon mate, leav-
ing the books strewed in disorder about
the kitchen, and t0rgetful that, should his
iather be led to the scene by the uproar.
therc would be an end TO his dreams of
eng nyment. On his return, accompanied
10y Alec, The books were gone and silence
and order restored. His mountaineering
look of covert Unanswered his eager
inquiries with-''Ie did ma think, laddie.
that mayb be your father wadna thole (bearl
sic g!aicket (foolish) wylin' bulks ?'
Father he's no been in he's no back.
mlthcr, is he ?" asked Quentin, alarmed.
Deed is he, replied his mither, and
then stopped.
"Mither, mither," implored Quentin, the
big tears in his eyes, .'ye wadna hae the
hart to lat him fin oot, for We ken he'd
burn the vera--n
Hist, laddie. tell We ~ interrupted his
mother, whom this outburst of irreverence
thoroughly alarmed; I've medina fash sac
muckle, yen fin your treasure in your ain
bit roomie, whaur hae just carried it VII
my ain twa hauns; noe come and lat me
gle you and Alec bowl O. crowdie.n
BLESS you, dear mither," was the CRATE
fu response, and after partaking hastily of
the ''crowdie," a composition OF "broken
milk and oatmeal. he and Alec tripped
lightly upstairs. His kind.hearted and
lnIudlcious mother, who was far from be-
ing a guiding and restraining hand to his
lnpulsive temperament. was unconscious
y Withdrawing him farther and farther
every day from his fathers stern but me-
cessary and wholesome influence. Quen-
tin was naturally wild and fanciful; no
need to add fuel to his dangerous imagin-
alton by providing him with a class of
books OF which the distinguishing charac-
terlstic is that reality is kept carefully in
the background. and every incident in the
heros lie is endued with coleur de rose,
and made to be one of thousand con-
meeting steps leading surely and speedily
to fortune and happiness. Alas, poor
reality (both victim and victimizer),
whose only interpreter Is experience,
what pity it is thou canst not take quar-
ter's lessons of thy brilliant sister,
The boys read and reread those books.
Walking home from school i'm the long
summer days they would fondly linger on
the shady hillside at even; or when Satur-
day hall holiday came, after the recapitu-
iation OF the weeks Catechism and other
exercises, thay would hasten home, gulp
their respective dinners, and scamper off
to huge, gray, lichen-covered rock, over
hanging the deepest part of the lake. in
which was natural cavity so situated that,
while they were etfectualiy protected from
Tue suns rays, they could reclne at ease,
and watch the sportive motions of the
front. pike, eel, and water-hen. and be-
hold all the changetul lights and shadows
OF that wild landscape reflected in the
placid water.
But what was the result of all this one
sided reading and sef-absorplion on these
boys! very natural one. Quentin be-
came SIMPLY crazy, and, instead of pre-
parlng lessons and performing his other
duties with customary cheerfulncss and
promptllude, was transformed into Wis
ionary who deSpises the dinner-bell, and
grants but grudgng acquiescence to the
vulgar demands OF everyday life. Alec
lucky FOR him-having Il very ko en- sense
OF his actual position and prospects, gave
less scope to his imagination. ami although
when opportunity served. and the occi-
sion was not altogether madcap and
breakneck, he was not slow in seconding
his friends romantic" propositions, he
allowed himself neither to neglect his ed
ucation nor to acquire distaste for the
honest trade which made his father so use
iul and so much respected, and his own
position so comparatively comfort able.
Now the principal way in which Quen-
tins fervid ideas displayed themselves
was, in adopting a nautical phraseology
to his cOny ersation with every one but his
father (of whom at present he had whole
some dread) in seizing upon every avail
able bit of timber to be applied to the pur-
pose of building large yacht; in appro-
priating several articles of napery in or
der to fit out his fathers crank, hat-bot-
toned boat with sails; in furnishing his
bedroom with hammock, aud various
other articles of naval architecture. which
he had contrived either TO procure or to
manufacture for himself; in sitting up o.
nights in damp hut built by himself of
the shrubbery by the margin of the lake,
waiting and watching. fowling- piece in
hand. for the wild ducks as they stealthily
left the water to conceal themselves in the
ripening corn; and, generally, in mani.
testing growing dislike to all kinds of
restraint.
That he shot numbers of wild ducks and
even of partridges, teal and laverocks.
and thus kept his fathers table plentifully
supplied. we must give him credit for;
this, however, was the only useful result
of his florid romance reading, and it was
more than counterbalanced by his other
vagaries. For, in obtaining the means
to CRAFTY his ship-building prociivities. he
scrupled not to resort to means which the
great authorities from which he drew his
inspiration would be too dainty to attribute
to even the meanest of their wonderful
draniatiS perSOnG. For instance. grieve
10 say that he was once known to have on
the boat already mentioned square sail
of very fine texture and exquisite work
manship. and the same week his sister
went about the house affirming that there
surely must be thief among the servants
and threatening to ransack every corner