The true northerner., 1877-08-24
A Turtles Lesson.

A Turtles Lesson.
About thirty years ago there was a
little boy whose name was John-a pretty
boy, with thick golden hair, large brown
eyes, red cheeks, and freckles. One day
in summer he was playing by the side of
brook in one of the pastures near his
home in the country. This brook re-
sembled the boy in some respects. 1t
was in its first light-hearted youth, and
on its way, leaping and sporting, like all
blithesome young rivulets, who do not
think in the least that they are fast run
ming from the green meadows and cool
mossy forests to the burdened rivers and
tossing seas.
This active little boy first built dam
of moss and turf and stones; then he
rolled up his trousers and sailed his lit
tie schooner-rigged boat; and, finally,
waded aimlessly over the smooth sand
through the cool, running water, dash
ing the sparkling drops to right and left
with his frisky feet In this way he
came to large flat rock, over portion
of whose smooth surface the stream
flowed in broad, crystal current. A
mud-turtle sat on the rock, half out of
the water, enjoying the pleasant sun
dDphItully COnbcHott uiu
py as turtle could be. But when he
saw the boy splashing along at such
rate he thought it high time to be gone;
perhaps he had previously had some ex-
perience of the tender mercies OF boys,
for he made great haste to reach the
protecting mud of the bank.
"Ah, ha, you rogue you think you
can get away, do you?" shouted the
youngster. The next instant he was
kneeling on the slippery rock, with both
outstretched hands over the frightened
prisoner. John had been carrying his
shoes-his stockings stuffed into them
with one hand; but now, in his eager
ness to secure the turtle, he dropped
them upon part of the rock covered by
the stream, and, turning sidewise as they
fell, the water rushed in, filling them to
the very toes.
"There |" exclaimed John, half in
real and half in affected vexation, "you
have made me get my stockings wet,
md you must be punished for it. shall
turn you over on your back, and you
may stay there, sir, until come back
from school tonight"
That night John came home from
school with group OF school-fellows,
over the village road, instead of across
the pasture, forgetting all about the tur-
tie he had left ON the rock.
Vacation began the next day, and
John was to spend whole month with
his brother, who lived in Boston. You
can understand the excitement which
attends boys preparations for his first
journey; but country boys first visit
to Boston exceeds, perhaps, any exper-
fence of yours in that line.
The month passed swiftly away, and
John returned home With brighter eyes
and prouder step. The world had been
revealed to him on broader scale. What
had he not seen? He was a hero in the
opinion of his school-mates. He had
enough stories to tell of his adventures
to last through the winter besides having
brought home the most interesting book
and the handsomest knife that Boston
could furnish. If possible it was mer-
rier boy than before who now bounded
through the dear old pasture. There
were several dams to be visited by theil
young proprietor, one somewhat exten.
sive. with miniature water-wheel and
mill at the side. The dam had been par
TALLY washed away by violent rain, ant
an accun ulation of moss had clogged the
wheel of the mill.
"Ah see there has been freshet
and my mill is damaged. A clear loss o
$4,000, and only insured for $500 i
must be repaired tomorrow, and shal
have to hire a hundred workmen
These freshets are terrible things fo
manufacturers, / declare /"
Leaving the scene of this disaster, h,
.a1 lan
which was always favorite resort, anC
near which, on the bank of the stream
there was n structure of brick about tw,
feet high, which this young man callet
"my summer residence on the Hudson
Six yards from the rock, he paused
suddenly, with his eyes intently tixet
upon some object before him. Step b.
step he drew nearer without once NOV
ing his eyes, which were now full O
horror mingled with hopeful doubt
but as he proceeded the doubt vanished
and the horror spread over his Who'll
countenance. There lay the turtle o.
The rock, upon it's back, as he had lei
tits extended legs and protruded hea
shriveled and dry, scorched by the bla2
ing suns of four August weeks.
There was no need of gentle pity no.
no opportunity for showing human
kindness to a dumb, helpless, Harmless
creature. No more would it gladly hid
itself in the protecting earth, or haste
in fright from the dreaded hand. Whf
vain struggles to regain its feet WIS
WEAKNESS and despair What agon
when the noon sun beats down Whi
pangs of slow starvation As all tn
passed through Johns mind, the roc
seemed no longer the old familiar plea
ant spot, but like haunted place.
With pallid face he turned away, an
hurried homeward in the gathering tw
light, nor stopped until he reached I'll
cheerful room in which his mother 81
......,,ox OIL HE father raadinp