Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-10-10

After much entreaty the boys were
told that if they would be good and
obedient they could go to the street
parade, and they promised unlimited
wisdom and discretion, and withdrew tc
the road, where they sat down in row
and talked of the lions and elephants
till they hardly dared go home.
The next morning Davie was ur
bright and early. AS soon as breakfast
was over, his father said "Now, if 1 am
to give you a pleasure, you must dc
something for me in return. You can
take basket and pick up the chips in
the woodward, and when that is done
we will start"
Cant do it when 1 come backP"
mo, you can do it now, or you
needn't CO."
Davie resigned himself philosophi-
cally, and went out to work with the
biggest basket he could find and a
shovel. But the chip business became
a WEAKNESS to the flesh and vexation
OF spirit before it was finished. Atlast,
however, he ran in to get ready, while
the horse was being harnessed. We
have already mentioned that Davies
| father was deacon. He was believer
in the "here little and there a little"
system, and, as the boys climbed into
the buggy, he saw an opportunity too
precious to be neglected, to impress
them with sense" of-well, their total
depravity as much as anything. Ac-
cordingly they were profoundly admon-
ished and counseled during the drive
to the city regarding "the evils of that
form of dissipation known as circus
going
"It has corrupting influence on the
manners" said the deacon. as loftily as
if addressing a convention of Congre-
gational churches. Sand it debases the
morals to an unlimited degree. It Gre
ates taste for low and sordid amuse-
ments, which, once formed, can never
be wholly eradicated. Iintend to hitch
the horse at the upper end of the town,
where he cannot be frightened, and so
iniure himself, by the noise and hustle
of the parade. An evil tendency cnce
implanted in the mind is like a noxious
weed. 1t will grow and spread and
eventually crowd out all the good.
This street parade will no doubt draw
many who should be better employed,
and will cause them to long for the in
tenser excitement of the circus itself.
thereby causing them to waste money
as well as time. I hope that none of
you boys will ever be tempted to waste
your time, energies, and money in that
way"
This last was said so pointedly that
the boys felt that an answer was neces-
sary lest he should turn around and
take them all home again. Rabbity
spoke up loudly:
Yes sirl"
to git into the big tent" said Ted; at
which Johnny shook him and whis-
pered:
"You dry up your CAB. He's tellin'
us not to-"
"I amt doin' to dryup my CAB. Dry
up y'own. He ain't dot nothin' to say
bout it, any way"
"Oh shut upl Be still" whispered
Johnny, in terror. Hell take us home
if you don't look out. You keep still"
Dess I've dot 5 much yite to say
suthin' s you n Dave has to be a talk
in to yerselves all the time," muttered
Ted, half crying.
"Well, we won't. Well keep still,
won't we Dave?" said Johnny, willing
to do anything to keep Ted's contrary
little tongue quiet.
The sermon was resumed again, and
Dave and Johnny, who sat on the back
seat with Ted between them, nudged
each other occasionally, and tried to
smother their giggling at the sight OF
Rabbity, who sat on the front seat be-
side the deacon, and listened attentively,
apparently drinking in every word /;
which so encouraged the speaker that
his discourse soon began to sound like
some of the columns of "words of four
syllables" in Webster's old spelling
| book.
But the drive was not ,ong, and, once
out of the buggy, the boys gave their
whole attention to the sightseeing, and
the admonitions they had received had
| the fate of the seeds which once fell by
the wayside. The deacon had his hands
full when the panoramic pageant ap-
peared. The three older boys forgot
all their promises, and wormed their
way through the crowd that made the
street almost impossible to the curb
stone, where they stood "rapt in aston
ishment," as the old anthem has it. Ted
could not follow, his hand being firmly
held by the deacon, who vainly tried to
attract the attention of the boys, o1
whom he now and then caught O
glimpse.
at can't see it," shrieked Ted, jump
ing with all his might, as he heard the
music.
The deacon held him up to stop his
noise, but without success, for the
shrieking was changed to shouts of de-
light.
eff ever get these boys home
said the deacon, vengefully.
But there seemed to be a possibility
that he would not get them home, for
when the last chariot passed, the boy
started with the crowd, and the stale
deacon had to trot along, too, whethel
he would or not, with Ted in his arms
The day was very warm, and Ted wal
heavy, and the deacon had not taken OF
his fiannels, and he felt like ignoring
his position, dropping his oratory, ant
indulging in sulphuric oath. To tel
the truth he did say "Godfrey" witt
considerable emphasis.
} Suddenly he came upon his part
talking with an acquaintance. But h
} was too breathless to say anything, and
, between the crowd and the determine,
boys, he found himself hurrying towar
the great white tents at the other EN-