News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-04-17
The Little Hero.
A STORY FOR THE BOYS.

A STORY FOR THE BOYS.
I shall never forget lesson which
I received when quite young lad, at
the academy in B. Among my school
fellows were Hartley and Jemson. They
were somewhat older than myself, and
to Jemson looked up as a sort of leader
in matters of opinion as well as of sport. |
He was not at heart malicious, but he |
had foolish ambition of being thought
witty, and he made himself feared by
the habit of turning things into ridicule
and being ever on the lookout for matter
of derision and ridicule.
Hartley was new scholar, and little
was known of him among the boys.
One morning as we were on the way to
school, he was seen driving COW along
the road toward a neighboring field. A
group of boys, among whom were Jem-
son, met him as he was passing. The
opportunity was one not TO be lost by
Jemson.
''HelIoP' he exclaimed, ''what's the
price of milk? / say, Jonathan, what
do you fodder on2 What will you take
for all the gold ON her horns Boys, if
you want to see the latest Paris style,
look at those boots i'
Hartley, waving his hand toward us
with pleasant smile, and, driving the
COW to the field, took down the bars of |
rail fence, saw her safely in the en-
closure, and then, putting up the bars,
came and entered the school with the
rest of us. After school, in the after
noon, he let out the COW and drove her |
OFF, none of us knew where. And every |
day for weeks he went through the same |
task.
The boys of B. academy were nearly
all the sons of wealthy parents, and
some of them, among whom was Jem-
son, were ounces enough to look down
with sort of disdain upon a scholar
who had to drive a cow. The sneers
and jeers of Jemson were accordingly
often renewed. He once, on plea that
he did not like the odor of the barn, re-
fused to sit next to Hartley. Occasion
ally he would inquire after the cows
health; pronouncing the word "ke-ow,"
after the manner of some country people.
With admirable good nature did Hart
ley bear all these silly attempts to
wound and annoy him. / do not re-
member that he was even once betrayed |
into look or word of angry retaliation.
''I suppose, Hartley" said Jemson
one day, ''your daddy intends to make |
milkman of you?"
"Why not ?" asked Hartley.
Nothing, only don't leave much |
water in the cans after you rinse them
that's all"
The boys laughed and Hartley, not in
the least mortified, replied:
''Never mind; if should ever rise to
be milkman, I'll give good milk and
good measure, too."
The day after the conversation there was
o public examination, at which a number
of ladies and gentlemen from the neigh
boring 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, con-
sisting of gold medal, which was rarely
awarded, not so much on account of its
great cost as because the instances were
are which rendered its bestowal proper
It was the prize of heroism. The last
boy who received one was young Man.
ners, who, three years ago, rescued a
blind girl from drowning. The princi-
pal then said that, with permission of
the company, he would relate a short
story:
mot long since some scholars were
flying kite in the street just as a poor
boy on horseback rode on his way to
mill. The horse took fright and threw
the boy, iniuring him SO badly that he
was carried home and confined some
weeks to his bed. OF the scholars who
had unintentionally caused the disaster
none followed to learn the fate of the
wounded boy. There was one scholar,
however, who had witnessed the accident
from distance, who not only went to
make inquiries, but stayed to render SER
vices.
''The scholar soon learned that the
wounded boy was grandson of poor
widow, whose sole support consisted in
selling the milk of fine COW, of which
she was the owner. Alas what could
she do now? She was old and lame, and
her grandson, ON whom she depended to
drive her cow to pasture, was on his
back, helpless.
Never mind, good woman, said the
scholar, i can drive your cowP
'fWith blessings and thanks the old
woman accepted his offer. But his kind
ness didn't stop here. Money was wanted
to get articles from the apothecary. 4
have money that my mother sent me to
buy pair of boots with, but l can do
without them for awhile
"'Oh, no, said the old woman, Il
can't consent to that, but here is a pair
of heavy boots that I bought for Henry,
who can't wear them. If you would
only buy tEese we would get along
nicely.