Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-08-12

True. they were poor Jason had few
hundred dollars laid by, but the Noppit
farm was too sterile to produce crops
enough to support the family, so he laid
out his little capital, or part of 1t, in a
good breed of sheep, which found abun-
dant living among mulleins, hardhack
and hucklebeuy bushes, and proved in
due time profitable investment. For
in those days dogs, the curse OF New
England were by no means common IN
the country: there was no reason for
keeping them, and farmers had money
and mutton instead of hydrophobia and
horrors. The wool sold well always and
kept the family in socks, for Jason wife
could spin and knit with wonderful rapid
ity: the lambs he had not room TO raise
were sent to Hartford and sold to the
butchers. and now and then fat old
wether went to the meat mans cart in
the shape of juicy quarters. But the glory
ofthe flock was a big faced ram, who terri
fed marauding boys and intruding vaga-
bonds, and asked no better fun than to send
somebody heels overhead whenever he
had a chance. Jack and Dan had brought
him up from lambhoOd, but he was no
longer a lamb, and of his painstaking
education only one trait staid by him, a
distinct and angry recollection Of the rod
that had not been spared on his early and
somewhat stupid youth. To the day OF
Billv's death a little stick shaken before
ANYTHING, would send him, "head-on,' at
that luckless object, and boys often
amused themselves by climbing the pine
rail fence and dangling a small switch
full in Billy's sight against a big post;
the result was sudden and severe to Billy,
and he might have seriously injured HIM
self if daddy, as the boys called Jason,
had not found them at this sport one day
and strictly forbidden it. Cruelty to
animals was one of the few things that
reused his cholcr and made him impera-
tive.
One summer Mrs. Garter received
letter from her brother asking her to take
his boy q few months; his wife was so
feeble that she was going home 10 her
fathers Nth the baby and young child,
and Jenison could not 20 with her for
want of room,-Mr Wires did not want
him in the city with him in a boarding
house. but was willing 10 pay his board
in Nappit; 50 he came.
Jenison Wires was sharp city-bred
boy, with very little faith in anybodys
goodness. His father was pushing,
money-making, profane man, and his
mother a meek cipher; he himself, at the
mature age of fourteen, could smoke and
swear and talk sailor slang glibly, for he
had run anywhere. Mrs. Carter was
troubled and disgusted 10 find such boy
on her hands. Jason considered that
Providence, in His wisdom, had sent the
lad there for his good and resolved to
prav for him as ior MS own boys, 70 set
him as good an example as he tired to
set Jack and Dan, and to deal with
him, Is he expressed 1t. with a view to
MS eternal salvation. The boys thought
Jenison was wonderful lie knew 50
much, he had seen 50 much, he had seen
so many things; he had such pocket
knife, and such swagger. But when
his first round oath came out Jack and
Dan were startled.
"Iook-a-here." said Jack; don't
YOU let daddy hear no such talk as that;
he tune We, if he does, and no mistake.
.Whe-e-eww responded Jenison; 81
amt boy; guess III swear if | want
TO, for all of him; he amt 50 pious HIM
self bet but what he rips out sometimes.
"He don't. he don't never! the boys
exclaimed in unison.
HIM guess YOU don't hear him;
the old fellow keeps shady before folks
but he used to swear like Botany Bay
pirate I've heard pa say so!'
The boys were shocked into momenta-
~ silence; but recovered themselves
soon.
"And if he ever did he don't now,'
added reasonable Jack. "He's awful
good; he's sa professor; he prays in meet
in and he don't never scOld, nor swear,
nor nothin'. Scarce ever he hcks tel-
Ter; he did give Dan and me one whalln
but he oughter have, that's fact. Dan
he told a thunderin' lie and backed him
up. | tell We! we was sore for one
spell, arter he found it out.
"Well, ! know he used to swear on
ship. I've heard pa tell stories about
him. They called him Still Jase,' to be
sure, but when he got riled the fur flew.
| I'll bet my jacknife | can make him
swear inside of next week!
I'll bet my head you can't retorted
Dan.
81 don't know as l want your head
for anything, but I'll bet my knife against
that cake O maple sugar you've got In the
closet that I'll set Uucle Jase a swearin'
before next weeks over.
The boys were 50 sure that nothing
could make daddy swear, and so pleased
with their first bet of any Importance,
that they accepted the terms at once, and
Jenison began to cudgel his brains for
means of tripping up Jason Carter's
tongue.
One day he slyly let down the bars in
to field of clover, getting up before
light to do it; the two cows, turned out
OF the barnyard to nip at the roadside
till Dan or Jack could drive them to pas