The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-09-21
Storp
Written for the Waterman.
Herbert Putnam, Poet.

IlC uSDllCu w Nhhb hpHSiloliOh, Oub 40
yet was known only as Herb, and there
were not wanting those who made adj
ditions somewhat less complimentary
than his vision.
He's smart enough If he's only
mind to be, but alfred lazy" This
was the general verdict.
Coming from a family noted for
thriftiness, the fact was the more re-
markable, but it was not so much dis
inclination to work, as the thought,
firmly planted in Herbs mind that he
was born for greater things than the
dull routine of farm life afforded-a
not uncommon state of mind, perhaps
most seen in those who are least fitted
for higher spheres. The longing TO do
great things must not be mistaken for
the power to do them. Herbs BROTH
ers and sisters, sober, plain country
boys and girls, had gone to homes of
their own, and he was left with his
father and mother to manage the farm.
1t had taken years of hard labor to
bring the rough, rocky land to its pres
ent state of smooth, productive fields,
and many rods of stone wall, built,
some of it, not because of the necessity
for a fence, but to rid the land of scat
tering stone. Asa Putnam and his
wife were in a condition to take things
easy, the neighbors said, but the habit
of toll had grown upon them from child
hood, and was not readily thrown aside.
Varieties from the original stock may
doubtless all be accounted for, and, al.
though no would-be poet had before
graced the family, at least within the
memory of the present generation, the
picture of delicate woman bending
absorbed above a pile of Ne1U York
LedgerS might throw some light on the
problem for the student of heredity and
prenatal conditions.
AT home Herbs literary illusions
met with scant announcement, and
they were made public only at school,
where he received abundant praise
from the wondering scholars and the
teacher, youth whose one term at a
city seminary, had, among other things,
implanted within him the idea that his
pupils were the future Washington's,
Hawthorne's and Lowell's of his coun-
try. From all but one, EN- Martin, his
inspiration, for whom he stole away
to write stealthily in hooks and cor
ners, could not be won to commenda-
ton. She was listening now as Herb
read his verses written especially for
the mid-term speaking day-a girl at
tractive with the comeliness of healthy,
happy youth, her face at this moment
expressive of the slightest Impotence,
and fingers toying nervously with the
fringe of her red and black plaid shawl,
which was needed to-day on the back
seat, where the older scholars sat, for
the schoolhouse was old and let in the
wind Their homeward way was the
same, and EN- waited while the bust
ling teacher assured Herb that " if he
kept on in the path he had chosen a
brilliant future lay before him." 1t
was relief to the girl to be out in the
clear, fresh air, a crowd of laugh
ing, screaming children around them
tossing snow, and dispelling the nom
sense, as she termed it. The little
ones dropped away two by two until
the boy and girl were alone
" Pretty good piece you spoke to-day,
En-" Herb observed at length.
"Think SOP"
eyes" After a pause he went on.
"S'pose l could have fonnd better
one; but, then, fellow kind o. wants
to try and see what he can do"
He spoke apologetically and with an
anxious glance at his companion.
81 s'pose So" she said, but don't
you think sometimes folks try things
they'd better have let alone?"
" i know some of 'em make failure
of it, but don't mean to, EN-. 1t amt
much now, know, but a fellows got
to begin somewhere, low down, in any
thing. Look at that poem of Longfel-
lows; was it about the turnip?"
cit amt the beginning low down
that mean," EN- replied. "Of course
you've got to do that, but it's being
sure you're starting on the right thing.
We don't want to make mistake at
the start"
Herb felt her earnestness, but it only
served to strengthen his determination
to please her in his own way, to show
her he was not mistaken, and make her
acknowledge at last his ability. They
had reached Ems home" Come
down tonight and We'll try those ex-
amples," were her parting words.
=
A hot July day; in the sky those
masses of cloud that give no token of
rain but seem to intensity the heat;
the fields growing green again after
haying, and grain showing faint yell
low tinge in anticipation of harvest.
En- was in the pasture picking berries.
Bushes fringed on either side the wall
which skirted the road, and hung bent
with fruit The girls brown fingers
rapidly filed the tin cup which from
time TO time added its contents to that
of large pail hidden in the shade.
Schooldays for EN- are over, and with
heightened skirts and coiled hair she
looks older, though hardly more sedate,
than when she was Herbs unappreci.
alive friend. He is coming up the road
now, and as he approaches he tries to
appear calm, hut is inwardly excited
and exultant.
"Berries pretty thick?" he queries
leaving the road.
For reply she displays her pail, now
nearly full, "I've got so many" she
says.
"There's bushels of 'em wasting OF
that new clearing of ours; come up any
Tina -