Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-11-14
row TOM BECAME CONGRESSMAN

y
are MANY now. whose parents were
poor. lie could not remember the
time when he wore shoes and stockings
in the summer. Sometimes in the win
ter, when lie was obliged to walk
three miles to school, and wade through
snowdrifts that did not melt until the
last of MAY, he did wear such as his
father had rejected, and pair of shoes
that slipped up ana down every step he
took. Nevertheless they were shoes
and stockings; and he was infinitely
prouder of them than any king living
is of his crown.
One day, as Tom was plodding along
with his old slip-shod shoes, putting
from exertion and blowing his blue fin
gers to keep them warm, there came
dashing down the hill a sleigh such as
TIE youngster had never seen, no, in
deed, nor even dreamed of. And the
horse! Tom stopped blowing, so intense
was his admiration of the elegant
creature that came foaming and tossing
its dalntily arched neck right and left.
Tom sprang aside at the very last mo-
ment, and as he sank up TO his chin in
the light snow. tore off his old cloth cap
from his head, and bobbed up and
down as if he were in the presence Of
the president.
"Jump on behind, my lad" shouted
the rider; "jump ON behind" And
Tom did jump on at the peril of his
life, and away they went, tearing along
with great speed until over went the
sleigh, and out went riders and buifa-
loes, and things generally.
Tom sprang to the horses head and
cinging to the bit, the tips of his great
cowhide shoes touching the snow, ask
ed if the gentleman was hurt.
"Not bit of it, my lad!" said he,
shaking himself free of the snowl "only
warmed up little. What's the damage?"
Nothing, sir, that see," returned
Tom, his handsome face glowing with
good humor as he yielded the horse to
its owner.
"Well, then, my lad, get in and Wen
try again. You are going 10 school,
see, 7 added the stranger, rs he gathered
up the reins.
Eyes, sir
GLOW FAM
"Guess it is about two miles from
here"
The gentleman turned and looked
into his face, and then glanced all over
Toms figure, even to his feet.
"He sees my Shoes" thought Tom,
proudly. to himself, giving bis feet a
shove forward to make certain that
they should be seen.
The gentleman did see them, and
smiled in spite ofhimself as he glanced
to Toms face.
He then kindly pulled the warm furs
around the boy, and pulling his cap
over his eyes, shouted, go along,
Neliw And the chestnut mare, now
thoroughly sobered meekly commenced
the ascent of what was known there
abouts as the long hill. She was evil
IDENTIFY accustomed to having her own
way, for she availed herself of every
little chance to rest, and did not allow
herself to be pressed forward until the
whip was applied.
Tom wondered what had possessed
the creature few minutes before. He
scratched his head on the right side and
then on the left, and finally, his Yankee
curiosity getting the better of of his diff
fidence, he asked:
"If you please, sir, what was it that
made the mare run?'
stump" returned the gentleman,
with asmile. Nell is n little arsto-
cratic, and SHES at all such plebeian
things she does not know that stump
was the making of her master"
Tom scratched his head again, and
wrigeled all over. Then came out the
question: "How could a stump be the
making of mang
"My lad answered the stranger,
marking the white surface Of the snow
gently with his whiplash, :" | was poor
boy, and my father could not afford to
send me 10 school We worked very
bard, but / used TO study evenings by
the light Of the fire, and learned the
whole Of the Latin grammar by the
light Of one pitch knot
For moment Tom sat perfectly still
Then he asked, as il ashamed Of his
ignorance:
Please, sir, what's Latin gram
MARI"
This las question aroused the gen.
tleman, and becoming sensible that the
little fellow at his side was thirsting for
knowledge, he very kindly went over
such pats OF lis history as he
thought would be of interest to him,
and ended by saying that he was
member of congress.
The last announcement almost took
the lads breath away. be had heard
of members Of congress, but be had al
idea that they were myths, whom no
body ever saw. Perhaps the awe WITH
which Tom regarded him az he glanced
up sideways into his face fiatterei the
gentleman, for he said, smiling:
You are just as likely 70 be mem
per 81 congress as /! You know ~
America success il to the determined
and brave. If you study a. did, you
may pyssibly rise as high-yes : per-
haps higher Il
But | haven't any Latin grammer,
cir, said Tom.
No? Well, would you like ONE