The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-05-05

| Dtusn OF REQ, the Wnghts went over 10 the
| Benson farmhouse to report results.
Mat and Johnny had each $3.50, "and hard
earned money it is, said the former cheer
| fully. II went partner with Johnny in the
| onion business. and many day when il was
! too wet for other WORK we weeded onions
when Dave went ishing'
| The boys looked over at easy-going Dave
| inquiringiy.
| ''Oh, I've got something" he said. "but to
tell the truth forgot all about the library
| till II was too late TO plant anything, SO [
got up early some mornings and picked
| olackt erries.'
I'm our buSh?" broke in Jim rather rudely.
"Oh, you're the fellow that always kept the
| bushes cleared
Yes" laughed Dave, fright near the sugar
camp where we made the compact, they're
| splendid there, and / sold them to the city
| people. Here's $500, though mother did say
! tore more clothes than they were WORTH
| but that was one day wnen L forgot it was
| Monday morning and put on my Sunday
| jacket" The boys all knew gentlemanly
Dave's weak point; and had long since dubbed
| him "Old Forget" but were too busy then
to think of anything but counting the
/ money.
/ Stanton, who was bit of an entomologist.
| offered his services to the orchardists of the
neighborhood, who had no boys to go over
| their trees in search of the webs and eggs of
/ the "ClisiOcampa Americana" which did so
| much damage. and brought out a progeny
/ of four hundred caterpillars from every ring
of eggs. He investigated the bark and
4 trunks for the treacherous "borer," that often
| burrows into the heart of the thriftiest tree
aud in this way made $500 during the sea.
| son, for the neighbors knew his trusty, sturdy
/ spirit, and depended on him to rid their or
| chards OF many pests which his keen eyes
/ were sure to see.
Jim sold the strawberries from the old bed
at least the earliest part of the crop, but the
srsl0C @tb l..
that one rainy day Farmer Benson put in a
| plow and cleared up the land, ready to SOW
| TO turnipS, for he said there was a crop
/ growing that would be a hundred dollars
loss if left another week to go to seed, while
Jim skirmiShed for berries.
1 Stanton gained an additional two dol
lars by keeping the garden paths clean for
old Mrs. Gum, who found it hard for her
| back to stOop, so gladly paid him for going
! over in the early morning to help her.
Eureka said Will, 1915 for me, ST for
Stanton, and s. for Jim's strawberries. onions
$l3, and blackberries 81; total $44. The
bookcase is ready and will hold seventy-ive
| volumes, or hundred thin ones.
This list had a great many erasures before
| 1T was completed, but at last, history and
fiction, biography and an encyclopedia COM
| prising twelve volumes from A. to T. looked
beautifully real, with some on natural MIS-
tory, and work on the civil code that
| Matthew wanted because he had dreams of
being lawyer some day.
IL was reading the other day" said John
ny, about a Mr.. Ticknor of Boston who
used TO lend books out of his own big library
10 any one who wrote his name in a book
he kept, and he said he never lost a volume"
| The books were not long in making their
| appearance after the money was sent, aud
the expreSsman deposited a very heavy box
at the door of the Benson homestead one
| afternoon that gave good weight at least to
/ q feb m NJ nj Z no | Tha
news travelled fast and crowd Of young men
| and girls gathered one evening 10 put stiff
| covers on, and write the name and numbers
| on the back of them, and the list in book.
Then they elected Will librarian and Mat
| thew secretary and treasurer, and all became
members at 81 year which brought in S24
that evening, part of which was decided to
| invest in the best monthlies, and the rest in
some weekly newspapers of the day, all to
be loaned the same as the books, and the
| periodicals TO be bound at the end of each
| volume and added to the library.
Only one afternoon Saturday was to be
spent in exchanging books, and when all the
| plans were made and everything arranged to
| everybOdy's satisfaction, Mother Benson's
ample apron appeared at the door, and all
were invited in to supper in honor of the
| new enterprise. Farmer Benson made them
all feel at ease by remarking that he was glad
to see such fine family, and after he said
| grace and began to tell every body to help
each other, they felt more at ease.
The two daughters, Patience and Letita
or Patty and Lefty as they were Familiarity
| known, waited on the table, resplendent in
uttering blue ribbons, and white aprons
over their Sunday frocks and enjoyed the
| fun. There was package of books from the
minister with a note of apology for his alb
| sence, being called from home unexpectedly
but he sent his good wishes in the shape of
| MaCauley's History of England in eight VOL
1 II md tvun vol of fho lost
sermons. with another of the poems of Sir
| Walter Scott.
Deacon Tompkins had sent "Self Help"
and Mrs. BeresfoTd, a city lady who heard
| OF the club, sent them my Farm at Edge
| wood" and the poems each of Longfellow
TenDyson and Lowell, and when each young
man left with book OF his own under his
arm and CALAMITY carrying besides, one
| which ore of the girls had chosen, they
shook. hands with farmor Benson and his
wife with many thanks, and gave three rous-
| ing cheers for the Hope Library Club"
This all happened two years ago, and this
season they hold monthly meetings in the
Benson kitchen. There is a steady addition
| to the library books by purchase or donation,
even old Captain Screwall giving them a
copy OF Burns poems that he brought IRA
| the auld kintry lang syne," though when
the club was first talked OF he condemned
ii as the idea of "tha daft looms"
4 The new school-master, who is a young
student, reads to them from some book
chosen by vote at the regular meetings and
| they discuss it together, so as TO gain each
others opinions, and profit by multitude
of counsel.
He helps Matthew, too, in his preliminary
studies and encourages the boys to gs on
with the good work they have begun, till in
the near future they should build a town
hall and have reading room and library for
| all corners. That NAV be some time; but |
i mil ha thar fhos no
| now in Farmer Benson's kitchen, with the
| cosy home light, and their own strong en-
deavor to help each other, while kindly
| Mother Benson passes the rosy-cheeked
apples And so we leave them looking for
ward, with Hope" as their watchword a
helpful example to others of what six boys
| can do.
4 circus was expected at the little village
of C, and the inhabitants were wildly
excited over the event as the inhabitants oil
small towns usually are. The colored pOpu-
l latiOn were particularly enthusiastic. but