Sharp County record., 1877-10-19
Chad aud Seth-A Sketch OF Two BO,

> a lt.l.
one was a very good blacksmith and th,lree
other a very poor lawyer, and this les u j
sened the social gap. -
There was an opinion floating about
the village that Chad and Seth were bad
bows. But the evidence for this wa,
very intangible. People were ready
enough to pronounce them a "pair q ,o
precious young rascals," but when =
man was asked for an instance of theb :,
rascality, he could assert nothing more ~
definite than 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 any thing else. &c
Indeed, they considered fun the chiefi
end of boys. They sometimes pursued it
thoughtlessly, perhaps recklessly, and a
often violated the proprieties in its pur. h
suit. But there was nothing mean about 7
these two boys. To use Chad's favOrite
word, they were not sneaks. They were };
fair on the ground, often generous, Il
and Seth, especially, had soft spot un. a
der his sooty jacket. He was tender I,
with all the weak. Little boys and
'them girls" knew very well their
knight.
Chad and Seth were near the same :
age-iust turned thirteen.
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,
when he knew that his mother would
have preferred him to look higher for
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 a 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.
"How can Seth help what his father
is?n Chad asked warmly. ''If we boys
had the bossing of our fathers, Seth
might have had his lawyer, and I'd
had mine a blacksmith. I'd rather be
blacksmith any day than lawyer A
lawyer don't do any thing that know
of except to read old papers, and then 90
to the courtroom and speak
piece. l hate to read writ
inc, and 1 don't like to speak
pieces, any way, if there are girls. But
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 bend just the way it's
wanted to. It's better'n fre-crackers
and rockets; makes fellow feel like
giving three cheers and tiger. And
blacksmith works with horses. My
sakes! l just wish 1 could be a black
smith. Say, may | 90, mother?n
Chad was teasing to 60 and play with
Seth.
"Why, Chad, 1 should think you'd
feel mortified to be seen with Seth. His
clothes are dirty and sometimes rag
ged," 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 Any way, I'd like to
wear dirty clothes myself sometimes,
stead of being kept all the time starch
ed and ironed. l could play lots better
in old clothes. You ought to see Seth
play; he just pitches in-rumblety
tumblety. He can turn the jolliest
somersaults that ever saw. I've seen
him turn 'em, one after another, all the
way from the top to the bottom of the
big red -hill-don't you now?-by
Square Bowers's. Tell me, mother, if
l may go.'
"I'm afraid Seth's bad boy; peo-
pie say he is"
"He amt bad,n said Chad, warmly.
He amt any sneak. Folks think if
fellow don't stay in the house and
read all the time, he's bad. Seth amt
any of your sickly kind. He's the jolli-
est boy in this town, and l can't have
any fun without Seth. That's all there
is about it. There is MT another boy to
play with. Now!"
"There's Frank Finley" the mother
suggested.
"Frank Finley!n exclaimed Chad,
with tone of contempt. "Why, moth
er, he's the spooniest, the dumbest, the
finnikiest, the chickenest milksop that
| ever 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's cheeks flush
ed and his eyes brightoned with the tri-
umphant vindication of his friend" all
except Seth, mother; Seth never calls
him names; he always stands up for
Frank. He takes Frank in his lap on
tho Slnd met E-a n bab1- tO loo,, him