The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-12-05
THE BRAVE BoY.


THE BRAVE BOY
shall never forget lesson Hhieh I
received when quite yoang lad, &c the
academy IN 2. Among my school TEL
lows, we're Hartley and Jemson They
were somewhat older than myseh, aud
/ to Jemson / looked mp as sort Of leader
| ID matters Of opinion as well as Of sport
| He was not at heart malicious, but ne
/ had q foolish ambition Of being thought
| witty. and be made himself feared e
! the habit Of turning things into Tidiculet
and being ever on the lookout tor maj
ter Of derision and ridicule. -,
Hartley was 4 new scholar, and little
vas known of him among the boys
One morning as we were on the way 20
| school, he was seen driving COW along
the road toward a neighborlng laeth
A group Of boys, among whom was Jein- g.
son, met him as he was passing. Inc
opportunity was one not TO be lest ~
Jemson.
EHellom he exclaimed, whats the
price of milk? say, Jonathan, What DO
Won fodder on? What will YOU f4ke Tor
all the gold on her horns2 BOYS, II you
| want 10 see the latest Paris 4 yle, look at
those bo0tsP
Hartley. waving his hand toward Us
With a pleasant smile, and driving the
COW to the field, took down the bars q
rail fence, saw her safely IA the Inclos-
ure. and then, putting up the bars, came
and entered the school with the rest OF
us. After school, in the afternoon, ne
let out the COW and drove her of, none
of MS knew where. And every day Tor,
weeks, he went through the same task.
The boys OF B. academy we're nearly AZ
the sons of wealthy parents, and some OF
them. among whom was Jemsen, were.
ounces enough to look down With sort
of disdain upon scholar who had TO
drive COW. The sneers and jeers OF
Jemson were accordingly often renewed
He once. on a plea that he did not like
the odor of the barn, refused to sat next
to Hartley. Occasionally he would ln-
nuire after the e,w's health, pro-
nouncing the word "ke-ow," after the
manner of some country people. with
admirable good nature did Heartleyl
bear all these silly attempts to wound
and annoy him. / do not remember
that he was even once betrayed into
look or word of angry retaliation.
az suppose, Hartley" said Jemson one
day, "your daddy means to make milk
man of you"
"Why notT' asked Hartley.
Nothing; only don't leave much
water in the cans after you rinse them
that's all.
The bows laughed, and Hartley, not IN
the least mortified, replied:
"Neyer mind; if should ever rise to
be milkman, I'll give good measure
and good milk, too"
The day after the conversation, there
was public examination, at which a
number of ladies and gentlemen from
| the neighboring towns, were present.
Prizes were awarded by the Principal,
and both Hartley and Jemson received
a creditable number; for, in respect to
scholarship, these two were about equal.
After the ceremony of distribution, the
Principal remarked that there was one
prize. consisting of gold medal, which
was rarely awarded, not so much on
| account of its great cost, as because tils
| instances were rare which rendered Us
bestowal proper. 1t was the prize o5
heroism. The last boy who received
one was young Manners, who, three
wears ago, rescued blind girl IRON
drowning. The Principal then said
that, with permission of the company,
he would relate a short story:
"Not long since, some scholars were
Ayipg kite in the street just as a poor
boy. on horseback, rode by on his way
TO mill. The horse took fright and
threw the boy, injuriRg him 80 badly
that he was carried hcme and confined
some weeks to his bed. OF the scholars
who had unintentiontially caused the
disaster. none followed to learn the fati
of the wounded boy. There was ore
scholar. however, who had witnessed
: the accident from a distance, who no
. only went to make inquiries, but stayee
! to render services.
J, ssThiS scholar soon learned that 1fE'
: wounded boy was grandson oil poo
widow, whose sole support consisted II
/ selling the milk of fine cow OF whlct
! she was the owner. Alas! what couit
r she now do? She was old and lame, an'
: her grandson, on whom she depended t
r drive her COW to pasture, was on NJ
r back, helpless.
? ".Neyer mind, good woman, said tn
l scholar, Il can drive your COW
J. "With blessings and thanks the ol.
q woman accepted his offer. But hi
: Kindness did not stop here. None
e was wanted to get articles from th
II anothecary, I have money that m
e mother sent me to buy pair of boot
9 with, but / can do without them fc
awhile
D consent to that, but here Is pair
2, heavy boots that I bought for Henr,
'e who can't wear them. If you woul
E. only buy these, We should get aiol
nicely
: "The scholar bought the boots, clums
i y as they were, and has worn them UP
i this time.
: other boys of the academy that o
h. scholar was in the habit OF driving
D y COW. he was assailed every day WI
~ ~ laughter and ridicule. dis coWhl
~ boots, in particular, were made matt
70 70 Of mirth. But he kept on cheerful
= and bravely, day after day, never shu
.e ming observation, driving the widow
elI cow and wearing his thick boots, &C
- tented in the thought that he was dol
u r;0ht: caring not for all the Jeers
oI sneers that could be uttered. lie ney
% undertook to explain why he droy'
rs lLe cow for he was not inclined to make
.n yaunt of his charitable motives, a
en furthermore, in his heart he had
:, svroTathv with the false pride u
AZ canld look down with ridicule on
.ll .a5 nsefnl employment. It was by mere
'en se eident that his course OF kindness
s,,t 1al, self-denial was yesterday discovered
sInd now, ladies and gentlemen
lns Sl anpeal to YOU, was there true heroi
nas uh Il this boys conduct? Nay, Mas
Ine tue Har1lav. do not hide out of sight
S lne hind the blackboard You are
-. ,eu afraid of ridicule, you must not
le. ..L afraid of praise. Come forth, Ma:
wy Wy Edward James Hartley, and let Us
"a YOUR honest face
nu ,. As Hartley, with blushing che
na made his appearance, what rounS
Anu annlause. in which the whole comp'
or ;a;ped. smoke the general approbai
, ~ ~ his conduct The ladies stood
sao' benches and waived their handkerchl
D. The Old men wiped the gathering n
tnra from the corners Of their eyes,
slsnped s their hands. Those clu
hoots on Hartiey's feet seemed Prs
= ornament than crown would
been upon his head The medal Va VI