, 1877-10-26
Chad and Seth.

Chad and Seth were great Cronies,
though Cbad's father was lawyer, and
Seth S was blacksmith. But, then, the
one was very good blacksmith, and the
other very poor lawyer, and this lessened
the social gap. - ~, J.T
There was an opinion floating about
the village, that Chad and Seth were 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 man was
asked for an instance of their rascality,
he could assert nothing more definite than
that they were always up to some mis-
chief.
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 thought
lessly, perhaps recklessly, and often vio-
lated the properties in its pursuit. But
there was nothing mean about these two
boys. To use Chad's favorite word, they
were not sneaks. They were faiE on the
play ground, often generous, and, Seth es-
pecially, had soft spot under his sooty
Jacket He was tender with all the weak.
Little boys and "them girls'' knew very
well their knight. - ef3"tI
Chad and Seth were near the same age
just turned thirteen.
The worst thing 1 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 a
friend. ,23gt f! LLIA
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 fac
tor in Chads enjoyment than all the
other boys in the village combined.
"But his father'sa blacksmith, "Chads
mother said one day. t'
Show can Seth help what his father is"
Chad asked warmly. "If we boys had
the bossing of our fathers, Seth might
have had his lawyer, and I'd had mine
blacksmith. I'd rather be blacksmith
any day than lawyer. A lawyer don't
do anything that l know of except to
read old papers, and then 60 to the court
room and speak his piece. hate to read
writing, and don't like to speak pieces,
any way, ifthere are girls. But black.
smiths works jolly-blowing bis 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
ire-crackers and rockets; makes fellow
feel like giving three cheers and tiger.
And blacksmith works with horses.
My sakes just wish l could be a
blacksmith. Say, may go, mother9"
Chad was teasing to 60 and play with
Seth.
"Why, Chad, / 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. she 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 starched and
ironed. l could play lots better in old
clothes. You ought to see Seth play; he
just pitches in, n,--rumblety -tumb blety. He
can turn the jolliest somersaults that ever
l saw. I've seen him turn 'em, one after
another, all the way from the top to the
bottom of that big red sand. hill-don't
you know9-by Squire Bowers's. Tell
me, mother, if l may CO."
"I'm afraid seths bad boy; people
say he is"
"He amt bad" 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 jolliest boy
In this town, and / can't have any fun
without Seth. That's all there is about
It. There isn't another boy to play with
NOw!n
There's Frank Finley" the mother
suggested.
"Frank FinleyW exclaimed Chad, with
a tone Of contempt. "Why, mother, he's
the spooniest, the dumbest, the fnnikiest,
the chickenest milksop that ever saw.
He parts his hair in the middle, and W ears
curls stringing down his back. All the