The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-07-17
BACKBONE AND GRIT.
New York World.l

lNeW lOrk WOrlu.l
The stage has gone, sir, but there's a
widow lives here, and she's got boy, and
he'll driveyou over. He's nice little fellow.
and Deacon Ball let's him have his team for
trifle and we like to get him job when we
can"
1t was hot day in July. Away up among
the hills that make the lower slope of the
Monadnock mountain, friend lay very i'll.
In order to reach his temporary home, one
must take an early train to the nearest
station, and trust to the numbering old coach
that made daily trip to K. The train was
late; the stage, after waiting some little time,
was gone. The landlord of the little white
hotel appeared in his shirt sleeves, and, lean
ing his elbows on the balcony rail, dropped
down on the hot and thirsty traveller what
comfort could be extracted from the opening
sentence of nv sketch.
Would he not come in and have some din
nerP" yes" would he send for the
deacon's team" "Yes" ''And the boy?"
"Yes."
And the dinner was eaten and the team
came round-an open buggy and an old white
horse. and just as we were seated, the poor
OF the little brown house across the way
opened, and out rushed the widows boy"
In his mouth was the last morsel of his din
ner; he had evidently learned how to 'eat
and rum" His feet were clad in last win
ter's much worn boots, whose wrinkled legs
refused to stay within the limits of his mar
row faded trousers. As his legs flew for
ward his arms flew backward in an Intellectual
struggle to get himself inside Jacket much
too short In the sleeves.
There he is" said the hostltr "that's the
Widow Beebe's boy. l told him I'd hold the
horse while he went to get bite.'
The horse did not look as though he needed
to be held, but the hostler got his dime, and
the boy approached in time to relieve my
mind as to whether he would conquer the
jacket or the jacket would conquer him and
turn him wrong side out.
He was sun-burned and freckled, large
mouthed and red-haired-a homely, plain,
wretched little Yankee boy and yet, as we
rode through the deep summer bloom and
fragrance of the shaded road, winding up the
long hill in the glow of the afternoon sun,
learned such a lesson from the little fellow
as | shall not soon forget
He did not look much like a preacher as
he sat STOPPING forward a little. whisking
the flies from the deacon's horse, but his
sermon was one which | wish might have
been heard by all the boys in the land. AS
1t was, had TO spur him on now and then
by questions to get him to tell all about
himself.
MY father died, you see, and left my
mother the little brown house opposite the
tavern. You saw II, didn't you, sir-the one
with the lilac bushes under the window?
Father was sick for long time, and when
he could not work he had to raise money on
the house. Deacon Ball let him have it, a
little at time, and when father was gone,
mother found the money owed was almost
$780, At first she thought she would have
to give up the house, but the deacon said,
Let it wait awhile and he turned and pat
ted me on the head; when Johnny gets big
enough to earn something will expect him
to pay it, Twas only then and am 10
now l remember mother cried and said
Yes, deacon, johnny is my only hope now;'
and wondered and wondered what work |
could do. / really felt as if / ought to be-
gin at once, but l could not think Of any
swell, what did yoado?" Iasked quickly,
Tor was afraid he would stop, and l wanted
to hear the rest.
''Well, at first did very funny things for
a boy. Mother used to knit socks to sell, and
she sewed the rags to make rag carpets, and
helped"
How? What could you ?"
well, the people who would like carpet
could not always get the time to make it.
30 went to the houses among the farmers
and took home their rags, old coats, and
everything they had, and out in the wood
shed ! ripped and cut them up. Then mother
se~ea them, and sometimes / sewed some
700 ana then ] rolled them into balls and
woven into rugs" w
..6 6St 9 1aa they pay you for your work?"
felt aSite , lnikgot SO much per pound. and
weighed them out With our own STEWARDS.
put thas was s, o my one way; we've two or
three old apple trees UT in the back ward
e Syd M tbs mS Then some Sied the apples and
had good many apples hegsaaee dafm a,ed who
to us to dry, and we pan them en- m rn1ni
pounds all dry, and had the fest 70 seI III "h'any
"Bpt yogg, surely could not Do muc hin in ways
mo, notmnnch but something and we had
the knitting" -''>'
"Did you knltr
mot at first, bt after awhile mother
began to have rheum tism in her hands, and
the Joints became sSallen and the fingers
twisted. and it hurt hero move them. Then
learned to knit; befer, that i wound the
warn for her. had to leu to sew a little.
too, for mother didn't likeo see the holes
without patches.
And he looked half smilina at the sneci-
mems on his knees. ''eo'
"But YOU did not mend 90 o., soiaI
Eyes sir; but [ was in hurrSSnd n Satb !.
said ii was not done as it had VII VII n ~ he
They had just been washed, and conI ~ ~
wait for them to dry" 'iu"
"Who washed them"
81 did, and ironed them, too. | cSA 49,.
and iron almost as good as mother carSSSSnn
don't mean to let me, but how is she ge2,4ee