Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-03-12
A MEMBER OF CONGRESS.
BY MRS. c. W. FLANDERS.

There was little fellow among the New
England hills years ago, as there are many
now, whose parents we're poor. He could
not remember the time when he wore shoes
and stockings in the summer. Sometimes
in the winter, when he was obliged to walk
three miles to school, and wade through
snow-drifts that did not melt until the last
of May, he did wear such as bis father had
rejected, and pair Of shoes that slipped
up and down every step he took. Never
theless, they we're 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 slip shod shoes, putting from exer-
tion, and blowing his blue fingers to keep
them warm, there came dashing down the
hill sleigh such as the youngster had
never seen; no, indeed, nor ever dreamed
of. And a horsel Tom stopped blowing,
so intense was his admiration Of the ele-
CANT creature that came foaming and toss
ing its daintlly arehed 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 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 riders and buffslos and
things generally.
Tom sprang to the horses head, and
clinging to the bit, the tips of his great
cowhide shoes touching the snow, asked il
the gentleman was hurt.
"Not a bit of it my lad, said he, shak-
ing himself free of the snow, "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 own
er.
"Well, then, my lad, get in and well
try again. You are going to school, see" I"
added the stranger, as he gathered up the
reins.
"Yes, sir"
"How far?"
"Guess it's 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 his feet a shove
forward to make certain that they should
be seen.
The gentleman did see them, and smiled
in spite of himself as he glanced back to
Toms face.
He then kindly pulled the warm fur
around the boy, and pulling his cap over
his eyes, shouted, "Go alolg, Nelll" and
the chestnut mare, now thoroughly sober
ed, meekly commenced the ascent of what
was known as the long hill. She was evi
IDENTIFY accustomed of having her own way,
| for she aYailed herself Of every hollow tC
rest, and did not allow herself to be press,
ed forward until the whip was applied.
Tom wondered what had possessed the
creature few minutes before. He scratch
ed his head on the right side and then OF
the left, and finally, his Yankee curiosity
getting the.better of his dif1dence, he ven
tured to ask:
"If you please, sir, what was it thai
made the mare runY
"a stump" returned the gentleman
with smile, "Nell is little aristocratic
and shies at such plebian things. Sht
does not know that a stump was the max
| ing of her master"
Tom scratched his head again, ant
wiggled all over. Then out came the
| question:
"How could stump be the making Of
q manp ".f
"My lad" answered the stranger, mark
| ing the white surface of the snow gently
with his whiplash. II was poor boy,
and my father could not afford to send
me to school, We worked very hard, but
used to study evenings by the light ol
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 igno'
rance:
"Please, sir, what's Latin grammar
This last question aroused the gentle
! man, and becoming sensible that the little
fellow at his side was thirsting for knOwl.
edge, he very kindly went over such parts
Of his history as he thought would be oi
interest to him, and ended by saying that
he was member Of Congress. ...
| This last announcement almost took
the lads breath away. He had heard Of
members of Congress. but he had an idea
they were myths, whom nobody ever saw,
Perhaps the awe with which Tom regarded
him as he glanced up sideways into his
face, fattered the gentleman, for he said,
| smiling: b..
"You are just as likely to be member
Of Congress as |, You know, in America,
success is to be determined and braved
If you study as did, you may possibly
rise as high-yes-perha higherp
'But haven't any Latin grammar, sir, r
said Tom, ~ l'n
"NoP Well, would you like oneT
eyes sir" cried Tom, with flashing
eyes.