The Grant County herald. (Big Stone City, Grant County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1883, 1880-01-03

My lad, answered the stranger, marx
ing the white surface of the snow with
his whiplash, IL was a poor boy, and my
father could not afford to send me to
school. We worked very hard, but I
used to study evenings by the light of
,'le fire, and Learned, the whole Of the Lat
grammar by the light OF one pitch
knot"
For moment Tom sat perfectly still.
Then he asked, as if ashamed OF his igno-
rance:
whats a Latin grammer, please sir!'
This last question aroused the gentle
man, and becoming sensible that the
knowledge, he very kindly went over
such parts Of his history as he thought
would be an interest to him, and ended
by saying that he was member Of Con-
gross.
The last announcement almost took
the lads breath away. He had heard OF
members Of Congress, but he had an idea
! that they were myths. whom nobody ev-
| er saw. Perhaps the awe with which
Tom regarded him as he glanced up side
ways into his face flattered the gentle
man, tor he said, smiingly:
! "1ou are Just as likely to become
member of Congress as I You know in
! America success is to the determined
and brave. If you study as 1 did, you
may possibly rise as high yes-perhaps
higher"
but | haven't any Latin grammar,
sir,' said Tom.
"No? Well would you like one" "les,
slr,' cried Tom, with flashing eyes.
''Well, my lad, shall come this way
again, and | viii leave one at the school
house for you
''But l haven't any money!
"Never mind you can pay me when
you get TO Congress-"
"Thank you said Tom: won't for
get it, SIR"
The gentleman looked down at him
with aquizZlcal smile, and the two rode
on in silence until they reached the school
house.
s.Please don't forget the grammar,
suggested Tom, as he lifted tine old cap
| again.
Not !, returned the gentleman. "A
man who cannot keep promise should
not make onc-hcy, my lad2"
| Nell tossed her head, and the boy soon
| lost 81. lit of the diver. Then he looked
down at his shoes, 1t his coat and hls
old cap as he hung it on a peg in the entry,
and silently contrasted them all With the
fur trimmed oyer-ccat and OUTFIT OF the
stranger. ''Never mind SAID Tom 10
himself, II will have them too, when
am member of Congress-
At the end OF two weeks bundle Of
books were lett at the school house.
There was not only a Latin grammar,
! but a we'll worn copy of "Virgll;' =
ssEsop's Fables and sundry other vol
umes such as Tom had never seen.
Pine knots were plentiful where Ton
lived, and he sat up until midnight all
the rest of the winter pondering over the
mysteries of these books
AS good luck would have it, the school
master. who boarded around with his pu-
pills, had not eaten the rations due him
at Toms fathers. When he arrived he
entered warmly into the lads ambitious
projects, and as he had smattering OF
Latin himself, was qualified to aid his
pupil.
! Although the schoolmaster was allowed
| the use OF a talloW candle, he vastly pre-
fcrrcd the more brilliant light Of Toms
pine knot: 50 that as often as the long
winter evenings set in, the master and pu-
pil might bc seen (and were SEEM sitting
before the large fire place with their heads
buried in the pages OF the books, along
which they ploddcd slowly, but to such
purpose that at the end Of the winter
Tom could read hls fable and solve his
problem in q manner crdcitable to HIM
self and master.
It was uphill work with poor Tom,
but he never lost what little he gained,
and managed to make what little he ac-
complished tell in the future.
One day his father brought home a
stranger, and told Tom that he was ap-
prenticed, during his minority, to this
man, who would make hilna blacksmith
"But am not going to be black
smith = cried Tom in a PASSION; "1'm
going to Congress
'sThe more need that you should learn
to shoe the horse that carries you there,
t replied the father with a shrug.
, Tom packed up his worldly goods; moi
) forgetting his books, and trudged away
: to distant village, where he pared horses
| hoofs by day, and studied and read a
| night by stealth, for be was not allowed
neither knot nor candle.
Q Six months the poor fellow was faith
ful to his duty; but one night when hls
i master had thrown his grammar into tht
& fire, and upbraldcd him for his disobe
. diencc, Tom took leave Of the workshop
He made his way. barefoot as he was
t over boes and briefs until he yenturee
into the main roar and by dint Of beg
r;no q ride now and then reached thi