The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-05-14
Old SObersides' Hero.

1t was study hour, and the dining-room
table had been cleared off for the boys,
who we're hard at work.
Tom was at his history, Jack deep in
geography, and Vincent was supposed to
be busy with several lessons but under
meath his pile of books had been cheer
Unlocking red-bound volume, which
somehow or other had contrived to lure
him into looking through it.
This was noticed by Ned, or "Old
Sobersides," as they called him, more than
once, and he looked up from the map he
was drawing to tell Vincent that it was
getting late, and he would have to look
out for deficiencies on the morrow if
he did not hurry up and study. But Vim
cents only reply was, 80 bother this is
too good to leave"
"What is it p" asked Tom.
"Lives of Illustrious Men,"
Any explorers or navigators among
them 2" asked Jack, fresh from the wilds
of Africa.
"No, they are principally soldiers"
81 heard Billy Buttons say that he did
boys had not enough fight in them"
"Yes, that is about all that makes fell
low anybody nowadays"
But Billy is too little chap to have
those ideas"
"What is anybody good for who hasn't
plenty of fight 2"
"Good for 2" repeated cold Sober
sides" thoughtfully. al can imagine
man good for great deal who never so
much as smelled gunpowder."
Your heroes are always Miss Nancys."
Ned colored up, but he was not of q
hasty temper, and made no angry retort.
"My hero is Gustavus Vasa," put in
Tom, "the pluckiest fellow that ever
lived. Do you remember how they stuck
him with bayonets once when he was Sc.
GREETED in cart; and they never discov-
cred that he was there, although they
wounded him in the hip very badly ?"
"And my hero is MIR. Living stone,"
said Jack, "the African explorer and
missionary. l think the way he died, all
alone in that savage country, is one of the
grandest things ever read"
Vincent's ardor was all for Napoleon.
"Who is your hero, Sobersides ?" asked
Jack.
well, am not sure that l have any
particular one" replied Ned; "but I
was reading not long ago of man, whose
name forget, but whose work seemed to
me worth more to the world than many
hero's whose record glitters in history.
He was poor shoemaker, living alone, l
believe in London, and having much time
to think and observe, he noticed how
many children of the poor were growing
up in ignorance-for it was before the
time OF public schools. One day he called
in couple of youngsters and asked them
how they would like to learn their alpha
bet; they were not unwilling, and became
30 interested that he taught them to read.
As fast as one set of children learned to
read, he would send them away that
others might fill their places, and SO he
really gave to hundreds of poor children
all the teaching they ever received, and
yet he was never anything more than a
shoemaker"
al know about him. He was John
Pounds of Portsmouth, England" called
"How did you come to fnow7" .
81 read about him in Harper's Young
People nearly whole year ago.
The boys made no end of fun over
Sobersides' admiration of 80 plain char
scter.
Ned said nothing, but he stuck to his
shoemaker hero.
In consequence of all this talk, and the
destinations of Inustrious Men, Vincent
did not know his lessons next day, was
detained after-hours, which made him
cross, and he got into quarrel with one
or two fellows who laughed at him. He
was getting good pommelling, Just as
Ned happened to come up.
Old Sobersides was of slow temper, but
when he saw little Vim, as he called him,
getting the worst of the quarrel, he put
down his books, collared one fellow and
flung him into the gutter, gave another a
persuasive cuff which sent him bowling,
and the third he tripped and made him
sit down to peacefully consider his recent
dispute. Vim was too mad to be grateful;
but as they walked home, and his anger
cooled, he said to Ned:
al say, Old Sobersides, 1 thought you
didn't approve of fighting 2"
"Nor do l." answered Ned. al think
1t is about the most senseless thing men
or boys can engage in; but never could
stand by and see the weak overpowered
by the strong or the gentle submissive to
the rough, and when it is necessary
mean to use the weapons God gave me-
just these two fists; but when you want
to know who my hero is, shall always
choose one who serves the world with his
brains rather than with his MUSCLE
Harper's Young People.