The National tribune., 1882-09-23
THE RISING GENERATION.
How Elbridge Gray Played "LittIe
Boy Blue"
by Mrs. IL. L. EUdRS.I


Grandfather Gray was making bell, and
Elbridge Gray, his grhdson, sat on block
by the door of the log smithy watching
him.
More properly speaking, Grandfather
, Gray was brazing the bell, for he had made
) it the day before by hammering out from
, wrought iron a sheet of metal sufficient for
the bell, riveting the edges together into
the proper shape, and attaching staple to
the inside from which to hang the cIapper,
and another to the outside through which
to pass strap; then the bell was ready for
the brazing which grandfather thought nee
essary in order TO give it a clear and musical
sound.
This part of the work Elbridge much
desired to see, and his grandfather had Sc
cured his release from certain chores, as
signed by his mother for the afternoon, by
saying that he needed the lad, though, in
truth, the only assistance that Elbridge
had been called upon to render was to ran
sack the house, barn and smithy for bits
Of old copper to be used in the brazing pro-
cess.
To the scanty store thus collected Elbridge
had with much regret seen his grandfather
add three copper cents; for, though he
wanted the bell brazed, he could not help
thinking that the cents would do more good
IN certain small Duckskin purse in COM
pany with three others Of the same family
which constituted his sole earthly treasure;
lint II -
boys to demonstrate with their grand
fathers, and he watched without murmur
while the scraps of copper, including the
cents, were disposed ab0ut the bell inside
and outside and fastened in place with a
wadding and binding of old rags. After
the rags came an envelope of damp clay
covering the whole several inches thick;
then the mass was put upon the forge in
| the midst of charcoal fire which by means
of the bellows was brought to q heat suGi-
! cient to melt the copper. When Grand
father Gray judged that the copper had
been all melted and spread over the surface
of the iron he took the mass from the fire,
and when the clay had somewhat cooled,
cracked it, removed it and the charred rags,
and exposed bright new bell which, when
the clapper was fastened within, rang to a
q m. "a bell which any sheep might be
Id to wear" said Grandfather Gray as
tapped it admiringly; and Elbridge
ght so too.
le bell was small and of rude work
ship, but it had taken the old smith the
ter part of day to make and braze it.
. would suppose that it would have been
per for him to have bought bell, and
,aa5 he could for small sum have pur-
ed much more satisfactory article;
at this time the Grays were pioneer
,ers on a farm in Illinois, and the near
settlement with its one store was five
$ distant, and besides, this store when
he'd might have been thoroughly
ohed without the discovery of a bell of
description.
Ills, though of very common use, may
y be classed as luxuries; and Grand
er Gray in common with most pioneers
ted the use of luxuries; but in this case
. al made strong argument that bell was
5essity; for his son, Elbridge's father had
morning started a days journey to buy
bring home q small flock of sheep from
= -stant settlement. and" quoth Grand |
father Gray, who ever heard of a flock of |
sheep without bell-wether, or bell-wether |
without bell?"
well, it's about time Jonas was a-getting |
back" said the old gentleman, glancing at
the sun as it was near its setting "Well |
20 back to the house and he ready to bell !
the wether as soon as it comesn
They found Mr.. Gray Just arrived, and all .
the family ont admiring the new possess
sions: five fine ewes, and q decidedly Vi |
ciOus-loOking old ram, who was of course |
destined to have the honor of wearing the
bell; but as to being proud of it he soon
proved grandfather false prophet, for
every attempt to fasten the strap about his
neck brought forth such hostile demonstra-
tons that the old gentleman paused at
length in some perpleXity just as Elbridge,
who had disappeared into the house, re-
turned with deer-skin thong made into
sIp-noose.
Here" said he, "let me throw this over
his horns and tie his head down to that
sapling then you can fasten the strap in a
minute;" and in his excitement, without
stopping for permission, he tossed the i'm
provised lariat over the rams horns, and in
q moment was holding him fast.
well dOne!" said grandfather admiringly
as he fastened the strap; and added, with
twinkle in his eye, "Two heads are better
than one if one is a sleeps head.p
"Why do people say that when they mean
that one of the persons isn't very smart ?"
said Elbridge. Hasn't sheep as much
sense as any other animal?"
mo, it has less than anything that goes on
four legs" answered grandfather; and you
will find it out if you watch this flock
closely"
And Elbridge did find it out, but not by
close watching.
The pasture in which the sheep were to
Craze was enclosed on two sides by timberand
on the other two by corn-field; along one
side next to the timber ran small stream
having at.the corner Of the pasture perpen-
llcular fall Of seven or eight feet into a mar
row ravine There had as yet been no fence
Quilt to separate the pasture from either the
timber or the corn-feld, and it was neces- !
nTIyt hat II, 1 -