Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1883-01-18
FOR OUR BOYS AND GIRLS.
joe: Story OF enterprise and Pluck.

/ 1t was chilly autumn morning more
/ than hundred years ago. Deacon
+ GoOd'n stood with his hands in his
pockets watching Widow Browning as
she swung the heavy teakettle up on
the great lug-pole high up in the fire.
place. She was busy preparing break
fast, without the help of her daugh-
tiers. who had been out late the night
before at a quilting, and were still
asleep in the loft overhead. The boys
were foddering the cattle or otherwise
employed ont of doors, and Deacon
Good'n found this good time to talk
with Mrs. Browning alone.
t Yes, Deacon sighed she putting
the potatoes in the ashes to roast,
'.yes, as you say, I've got seven child
ren, but don't find nary one to
spare"
| mo, s'pose not; but you'll see
Joe pretty often. 1 don't live but
twenty miles off, you know. I'll do
we'll by him, I'll learn him the coop
er's trade-best trade in the world
and in seven years he'll have his time
and strike out for himself"
Eyes, l know it, deacon, and I'm
much obleeged for the offer; but l
didn't mean my children should be
bound out to anybody. Husband, he
always said Joseph Henry had the
best head piece of any of the family,
and l do think for boy fourteen
years old-why Joseph Henry, what
now?"
/ A red-haired, resolute lad rushed in
as she spoke, and looking neither to
right nor left, pulled down a blue mil
itary coat from hook IN the ceiling
and made off with it.
Mercy to us! That's Grandsir
Higgins coat that he wore in the
French war? l don't allow it handled
| by nobody!" cried Mrs. Browning,
running to the door. Bnt before she
could raise the latch the loud report
of gun startled the whole house,
waking the four girls in the loft, who
came tumbling down the ladder as
soon as they could hurry on theil
clothes, to see what was the matter.
Young Joe had killed a moose. The
animal, a large one, had been feeding
) among the black stumps of the little
clearing, and the boy, who own
ed his third of the family gun, had :
charge of powder hut no bullet, hat
made bold TO cut off some brass bell
buttons from the sacred coat of Grand
sir Higgins, and ''ram home" three
of them. One did the work. Tht
. moose ran a dozen rods and dropped
GLOW did you happen to think O
firing off them buttons for bullets!' ?
asked the eldest brother admiringly
Everybody clapped and shouted
little Betsey hugged her favorlte Joe
:, and the deacon thought quietly:
: 'sThat's the little shaver for mel
swell, Deacon Good'n, you se
: we've got barrel of moose-meat nov
!, to pack down for winter, so ther
e won't be much hurry about bindin!
! out any of the family" said the prou'
). mother, following her guest to til
\ 7 door after breakfast.
g The good man laughed pleasant
and said no more.
Y But q hard winter set in, Mrs
!; Browning's health failed, and it dl'
seem like ''fying in the face of Prov
); idence' to refuse such an exceller
y offer for Joseph Henry so she cor
sented at last to bind him out till b
n was twenty-one. 1t was a grief to th
: whole family, and little Betsey erie
L herself sick; and Joe cheered her b
e saying, "Never mind it Betsey. Whe
!, I'm man you shall come and kee
n house for me-
No wonder they all missed hin
He was an irrepressible boy, alive a
r over. In five years he had becon
y not only a finished cooper, but ver
3 good scholar by borrowing books an
IS reading them in the evening by IL
= light of a pitch-pine knot. The de-
al con told everybody privately thst h
:: "larnin' didn't spile him a mite;
ID could do the work of two men al
n time" ~
e, But he said more cautiously TO 10
"Well, I've had to lecture you son
., for being leetle too full of fun, j
n seph Henry; but l will own, for :
e. that, you've been a likely youngster.
Joe made no reply. Young peop
= in those days were not expected to 81
= much to their superiors.
II Sand if you keep on another We
! as stiddy as you are now, I'll give "
tyour time "
"Thank you kindly, sir,'' said j
with joyful surprise.
He had been kindly treated by t
- deacon and his wife; but the idea
Nv being his own man at the age of TIVE
at ty! 1t was hard to refrain fre
~ shouting as he drove off that morni
~ ~ TO get up the wood; and as soon as
~ ~ was out of hearing he made the fl
w ests ring to the old song-old ev
or --.
H. Iaieh' D. .
IL. "Yankee Doodle came to town
rs Upon Kentish pony;
nm He stuck feather in his hat,
And called him Maccaronf."