The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-09-28
Chad and Seth.

q
Seths was blacksmith. But, then, the
one was a very good blacksmith and the
other very poor lawyer, and this
lessened the social gap.
There was an opinion floating about
the village that Chad and Seth We're
bad boys. But the evidence for this
was very intangible. People were ready
enough to pronounce them "a pair OF
precious young rascals," but, when a
man was asked for an instance OF their
rascality, he could assert nothing more
definite than that they were always up
to some mischief.
The truth of the matter was that Chad
and Seth were two young democrats, full
to the brim of life and spirit, who liked
fun better than anything else. Indeed,
they considered fun the chief end OF
boys. They sometimes pursued it
thoughtlessly, perhaps recklessly, and
often violated the proprieties in its pur-
suit. But there was nothing mean
about these two boys. To use Chad's
favorite word, they were not sneaks.
They were fair on the playground,
often generous, and, Seth especially,
had soft spot under his sooty jacket.
He was tender with all the weak Little
boys and &" them girls knew very we'll
their knight.
Chad and Seth were near the same
age-just turned 13.
The worst thing / knew about Seth
was that he didn't keep his hands and
face clean. AS for Chad, the greatest
fault found with him was that he per-
sisted in his companionship with Seth,
x-ban ba 1ypauy that his moi bar won la
have preferred him to look higher for a
friend.
His mother had raised no serious OBJ
lection to the association, but Chad
knew her preferences, and should have
respected them. But Seth had great
fascination for Chad. He was a more
important factor in Chad's enjoyment
than all the other boys in the village
combined.
"But his fathers a blacksmith,
Chad's mother said one day.
4" How can Seth help what his father
is 2" Chad asked warmly. I" If we boys
had the bossing of our fathers, Seth
might have had his a lawyer, and I'd had
mine blacksmith. I'd rather be black
smith any day than p lawyer. A lawyer
don't do anything that / know of except
to read old papers, and then go to the
courtroom anu speak his piece. l hate
to read writing, and L don't like to speak
pieces, any way, if there are girls. But
a blacksmith's works jolly-blowing his
big bellows till the forge is red and
splendid. l love to see the red-hot irons,
and to hear the hammer ring on the
anvil, and to see the sparks fly, and the
strong iron bent just the way it's wanted
to. It's better'n fire-crackers and rock
cts makes fellow feel like giving three
cheers and tiger. And n blacksmith
works with horses. My sakes / Just
wish could be a blacksmith. Say, may
l go, mother"
Chad was teasing to go and play with
Seth.
"Why, Chad, L should think you'd
feel mortified to be seen with Seth. His
clothes are dirty and sometimes ragged"
the mother said.
81 amt goin' back on Seth for that, "
said Chad, stoutly. "He can't help it.
His mothers the one to haul over the
Goals for that. Anyway, I'd like to wear
dirty clothes myself sometimes, stead of
being kept all the time starched and
ironed. could play lots better in old
clothes You ought to see Seth play;
he just pitches in-rumblety-t umblety.
He can turn the iolliest somersaults that
ever 1 saw. I've seen him turn 'em, one
after another, all the way from the top to
the bottom of the big red sand-hill-
don't you know ply Squire Bowers.
Tell me, mother, if may CO."
"I'm afraid Seth's bad boy people
say he is" o, It,
"He amt any sneak. Folks think if a
fellow don't stay in the house and read
all the time he's bad. Seth amt any of
your sick kind. He's the jolliest boy in
this town, and 1 can't have any fan
without Seth. That's all there is about
it. There isn't another boy to play
with. Nowp'
"There's Frank Finley" the mother
suggested.
"Frank Finley p exclaimed Chad,
with tone of contempt. "Why, moth
er, he's the spooniest, the dumbest, the
finnikiest, the chickenest milk-sop that
ever L saw. He parts his hair in the
middle, and wears curls stringing down
his back. All the fellows call him Fanny
all except and Chad cheeks flushed
and his eyes frightened with the tri-
umphant vindication of his frend-" all
except Seth, mother; Seth never calls
him names; he always stands up for
Frank. He takes Frank in his lap on
the sled, just like q baby, to keep him
from tumbling off. And Seth's the best
skater on the pond but he often loses
the race, when we boys race, because
he's got Frank Finley tugging him
along. And Seth always chooses Frank
on his side in toss-up, cause the other
fellow won't have him. / tell you,
Seth's high old trump. Mayn't 1 go,
mother?"
eyes, 1 suppose so but don't see
why boys have to catch all the slang
that's floating around, said the mother.
But Chad did not hear the remark.
With the first word of his mothers reply,
he had rushed for the street, slamming
and banging the doors after him.
Sarah Winter Kellogg, IN 50. Nicholas
for october.
ONE of the Middlesex magistrates in