Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-08-17
Bill and Andy's Lark.


drews ,alk Tonight; doesn't cost ANYTHING
to go in, but they take up collection after
he's through, so we can put ten cents in
the box, and after meetin' we can buy
some nuts and candy, and have quite a
little lark; come on, will yonp"
"Sam Andrews!' said Andy; "what.
that colored boy that has been off to the
seminary"
Yes; they say he talks splendid"
How mu money have you got?"
queried Andy.
Fifty cents" answered Bill "I'll take
forty cents along tonight, learned it all.
you know, so it's mine to do what I please
with,-Ill pu' ten cents in the box; then
I'll spend say twenty cents for goodies,
and have ten cents in my pocket, and leave
ten cents at home must save "A little, you
know; how much have you gotP"
I've got fifty cents, too,n said ANDY.
Yes, FIJI GO Father won't object to my
goin' to hear Sam, anu of course we won't
stay out very late"
Bill and Andy were boy chums, who at
the present speaking were roosting on
picket fence, in that seemingly comfortable
manner in which bipeds of their species
seem perfectly capable of doing. They
were good hearted, industrious boys, but
rather thoughtless mt times, and the par
ents of hG-fT-vlJen felt troubled that thew
seemed to care so little for shook learn
ing
Sure enough when the town hall was
filling with IL hall interested, half curious
audience to hear Sam Andrews story,
among the rest, on the back seats, sat Bill
and Andy
Pretty soon sam began; he told how,
through struggles and hardships, want and
poverty, he had persisted in gaining an
entrance into the seminary.
All at once Bill swallowed hard. then
whispered to his companion: II say, Andy,
let's give Sam twenty cents instead Of ten ."
Yes, lets" readily agreed Andy.
Sam went on; he told now fever broke
out among some of the seminary bows, he
and "A few others spent the last cent they
could raise in getting medicines, and alas !!
ii coffin in more than one case.
THIS time Bill gulped down great sob
and whispered, brokenly; candy, old boy,
let 5 make 1t thirty cents; heart of stone
couldn't stan thatm
Yes, so we will" gasped Andy, with
shining eyes.
Sam continued; he told of selling the
coat off his back, sooner than to give up
his pr rious opportunity for studying and
improving his mind.
Here Bill gave Andy II nudge, and whs
pered, desperately: I'm going the whole
forty; Andy, what's Il selfish old lark of
nuts and candy, I'd like to know, for a
well fed cove like me? I'll help Sam the
whole tgger-cookies, if won't I"
Feel rs if I'd been a pig all my life,"
whispered Andy, as Sam went on with his
piteous story of painful perseverance and
hard endurance. All ut once Bill began
edgng of he settec, but he stopped to
whisper again: Say, Andy, I'm going
home as tight rs | can leg it after that
other ten cents; be back in a minute;" and
before Andy could repy he was off; in II
few minutes he was back again, but where
was ANDY
A moment later Andy entered softly, and
taking his seat by Bill, opened his hand,
in which was his last ten cent piece.
But it might have done one real good to
have seen the peculiar shine in the eyes of
the generous boys as their willing offerings
ratified down into the well-filed box which
was passed around for the collection at the
close OF the meeting.
And, alter all, that was not the best of
it. for on the way home, instead of the
"seliish Lark so cheerfuily given up, the
boys had good, sensible talk, in which
they agreed that it was shameful, the way
in which they had neglected their studies,
"and here was poor colored feller could
suffer and pull through, ,"-as Andy re-
marked, with boylike earncstness, for the
knowledge they, in their freedom from
care md privation, had hardly thought
worth possessing, much less toiling for.
Bill and Andy IS parents silently wonder
ell villa had come over their boys, that all
at once they grew 50 thoughtful and studi-
Gus; but the boys knew what had come
over them, and they also knew why it was
that whenever they earned any money, a
part was saved out from the rest for char
table purposes.
Makes Il fellar feel quite like man to
help some one else along II little besides
himself, doesn't it, Bill, old boy?" Andy
asked one day.
And Bill replied, Guess it does! We
can do much but even our little is worth
givin Specially when cove saves il
himself; guess oar Sunday school teacher
was right; let's see, what was that verse
she sad?-'It's more blesseder-to give
away part, than to receive all inter your
self Il believe that was about it, and Sc
much better than wastin' it on Il senseless
lark. '-MrS. Harriet Il. LheeUer