The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-10-04
THE HAPPY BOY.
A Review Written for the Fl. L. c. by
ben Ardys."

Far away in the 'land of the mid
night sun" in cottage beneath on over
hanging cliff, where birch and fir were
trembling in fear of Nipen, Oeyvind first
saw the light; "and he cried when he
was born" This fact is without signif-
canoe How many children have acted
as he did under the same circumstances,
but how few have changed to merriment
as soon. We can never know how many
children fulfill their mothers porphecy,
but certain 1t is that in the career of the
Happy Boy" the mothers predictions
were fully realized.
His mountain home was all the world
to him. until the straying of his goat
But when he climbed the hill and saw
the strange little girl kneeling at the
side of the goat. new life seemed to
dawn upon him. The tempting offer of
the buttercake was his first temptation,
and how lily he was prepared to with
stand 1t we can all realize from the
sequel.
The loss Of his favorite was more than
human nature could withstand, and he
sought relief in repeating the lesson
he had learped at the beginning of his
existence. The sudden return of the goat
and the gift OF the garter as an atone
ment are simple incidents of Morse life
but true to the life Of any country.
What great events hinge upon small
circumstances. Until the straying of the
goat the world was very fair, with
naught Of fear or grief. But when he
climbed the brow Of the hill and saw
the little girl kneeling at the side Of the
goat new life was thrust upon him.
"Our life is a tide that floats us on to an
unknown destiny" and Oeyvind's bark
had now passed out upon life's tempestu-
Gus seas.
The mountains, the streams. the
clouds, the trees, all had a new meaning
for him. Before this he had "never real
~ seen them" He began to fathom the
mysteries Of the alphabet under his
mothers tuition and at last was sent to
school, that wonderful mysterious place
TO the uninitiated child, the place which
moulds the statesmen and the orator, the
philosopher and the sage.
From this time forward his life wild
ened, and the history Of the patient.
loving. kind-hearted Clergyman had a
great effect upon, him. How many lives
are influenced by Others, and hence what
a responsibility rests upon every one to
make the best use of,their lives.
Uutil that night Of the Christmas party
at Heides jealously had not been part
OF his nature, but when John HatIen
entered upon the scene and ne awoke to
the fact that he was the laborer's boy at
Platsen 'it seemed to him as though he
were shrunk I'm body, shorter than all
the others, and only the memories of
the old schoolmaster righted him.
How many can repeat with him, from
the day we care for some one we are no
longer happy But yet these trials
throught which he passed are similar to
those we experience IN everyday life
Yet very few resolve to reach the nights
as he did. by toiling, working, studying.
How many at this critical moment begin
good and pure
after striving hard for number one, he
accepts the schoolmaster's reproof and is
contented that he is to be number nine
or ten And we can imagine the change
IN his feelings when on the eventfuI
morning OF the confirmation he is told
to take his place opposite Marft as num-
Der one OF the boys.
After he arrived at the AGRICULTURAL
school there was quite change In his
Efe. His old surroundings appeared very
significant, for his studies opened M 10
him new world He now became real
and enthusiastic thinker and wrote home
about the new life and the many reforms
that were needed upon the farms. never
neglecting his old schoolmaster and
1darft-
What stimulus Is Lowell After that
mutual confession. how changed was his
old self. He became once more the mer-
~ bon who oossted down the hills Of