West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1877-10-20

PcudHce III the spoiled ones.
Chad and Seth.---Chad and Seth were
great cronies, though Chad's father was
a 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
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 =" n pair of
precious young rascals," but when man
was asked for an instance of their ras-
callty, 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 demo-
Gratis, 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
1T thoughtlessly, perhaps recklessly, and
often violated the proprieties in its
pursuit. 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 n
soft spot under his sooty Jacket. He
was tender with all the weak. Little
boys and them girls" knew very well
their knight.
Chad and Seth were near the same
age-just 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
persisted 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
objection 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 endowment
than all the other boys in the Village
combined.
But his fathers blacksmith. 4"
Chads mother said one day.
" How can Seth help what his father
lsY' Chad asked warmly. off we bows
! had the bOssing of our fathers. Seth
might have had his a lawyer, and I'd
had mine blacksmith. I'd rather be n
blacksmith any day than a lawyer. A
lawyer don't do anything that know of
except TO read old papers, and then GO Ia
the courtroom and speak his piece.
| hate To read writing, and / don't like Ia
| speak pieces, any way, if there arc girls.
| But blacksmith's works iolly-blowine
his big bellows till the forge is red and
| splendid. / love TO see the red-hOt irons
| and to hear the hammer ring on the
/ anvil, and TO see the sparks hy. and the
strong iron bend just the way it.
! wanted 10. It's better'n fre-cracker,
and rockets; makes a fellow feel like
| giving three cheers and tiger. And n
! blacksmith works with horses. NV
sakesl just wish / could be black
smith. Say, may 60, motherT'
Seth.
Why, Chad, ! should think you'd
I feel mortified to be with Seth. His
/ clothes are dirty and sometimes ragged 81
the mother said.
" / ain't goin' back on Seth for that
/ said Chad, stOutiy. " He can't helm II
/ Ills mother's the one to haul over the
/ Goals for that. Any way. I'd like Ia
| wear dirty clothes myself sometimes.
] W LIE Nc ~ 81 NllN bliiit HNhItIlfN
/ and ironed ] could play lots better i'm
| old clothes. You ought tOsee Seth play
| he just pitches it---rumblety-tumbletv.
| lie can turn the jolliest somersaults that
/ ever saw. I've seen him turn 'cm, one
/ after another, all the way from the ton
! 70 the bottom Of that big red sand-hill--
don you know ?--by Squire Bowers.
Tell me, mother, II ! may co."
/ 90 fu afraid arfI.f. I'll -.
I say he u.s."
. Hc amt bad said Chad. warmly.
lie amt any sneak. Folks think If a
/ fellow don't stay in the house and read
/ al the time, he's bad Seth amt any of
/ your sickly kind. He's the iolliest bow
I in this town and J can't have any fun
/ without Seth. That's all there is about
/ b. There isn't another boy 10 play with.
/ Now !"
There's Frank Finley" the mother
/ suggested