Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][merged small][graphic]

grew tired of listening to his mother's stories, and try to amuse him by bringing him bright flowers, or reading to him from some of the books she kept in the little bookcase her father had given her for a birthday present.

Fred often thought and said, that he

never could be happy

away from his kind parents, and little sister; but when he was about ten years old, his Aunt Clara, went away some fifty miles into the country to visit her sister, and

FRED DANFORTH had always had took Fred for company on the journey.

a pleasant home, a kind father, an affectionate mother, and a darling sister, named Helen, who was only two years his senior, and as fond of sport and play as his little heart could wish. Fred and his pretty sister loved each other dearly -they rarely quarreled, for their mother was always near to warn them against all angry words,-and it was a pretty sight to see the little Helen, throw down her skipping rope or ball, when Fred

It made him feel so much like a man to go on this first trip, that he quite forgot that he was to leave all his dear friends behind, till the time came to bid them good bye. Then, I am afraid, the tears filled his eyes, and there was a big lump in his throat that made him feel as if he was choking-but in a little while he got over this, and enjoyed the swift ride in the cars very much indeed.

Fred's uncle lived upon a farm, just

out of the village of Monticello. It was nearly dark when the travellers reached the place, but Fred had time, after supper, to run about a little, and see what the place was like. He found a famous great tree on the green before the door, and thought he would ask his uncle, the next day, if he might have a swing put up there. Then there was a meeting house a little way off, and a few cottages, and close beside the road, and only a little distance from the great tree, was a small brook, with an arched stone bridge over it, that pleased him very much. As he walked down that way, a man came up, leading two of the farm horses-one white, and the other black. He let go of the bridles, and waited for them to

just as his aunt was coming to the door to call him to bed.

The next morning Fred was up early, eager to take a long walk, with his kind aunt, who knew all the beautiful places on the farm. She led him down a long and narrow lane, till they came suddenly upon an old windmill, that was a new and strange sight to the boy. They stood upon a little bank just beyond the mill, looking down at the brook beyond, and at a little boat that was gliding along there, like a living thing. Fred clapped his hands and exclaimed,

"Oh, Auntie, we must have a sail before I go back!"

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[graphic]
[blocks in formation]

drink. Fred began to talk with him, and soon found out that his name was Mike, and that the black horse, was named "Dolly," while the white one answered to the name of "Snowball." Mike put him on old Dolly's back, and he rode up to the house in high glee,

mill, Fred."

Fred looked. The miller had opened the door, and was standing on the steps, and up over the roof, the sails were going slowly round, like long arms stretched out in the air. Fred wanted a ride on one of them, but his aunt laughed so heartily at the idea, that he gave it up

[blocks in formation]

tle black and white puppy named "Jip," and all the hens, and chickens, and geese, and turkeys, on the farm. And then, the day before he went away, he had such a famous sail with his aunt, and Mike, in his uncle's boat. They went a long way out on the pond, and filled the bottom of the boat with the whitest and sweetest lilies he had ever seen. His aunt wrapped them up carefully in wet paper the next morning, and after Fred had said good-bye to every body and every thing on the farm, they were whirled away again in the rattling cars,

towards home.

They got there just in time for tea, and Fred cried for joy when he felt his mother's arms around him, and Helen's kiss upon his cheek. The little girl was delighted with the fragrant lilies, and Fred had so much to tell her of the wonderful things he had seen, that his

tongue ran faster than a race horse. Mrs. Danforth has promised both her

[graphic]

children a visit to the old farm-house during the next summer, if they are good and kind to each other, and Master Fred is making great calculations about the "fun" he will have then, with Helen to keep him company.

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN.-Every one, humble, can greatly elevate and enrich however busy, however poor, however himself by looking around and suffering nought to escape his notice; and he will

not only enrich himself, but the whole

world may be indebted to him for digging from the rubbish of obscurity a

gem to enrich mankind.

THE man who "fell into raptures'" with a pretty girl, was taken out with considerable difficulty.

[merged small][graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small]

POOR old hoary winter! How bit as a boy, he revelled in the snow, and

He

terly every body complains of him, and yet how much real fun he brings See this old man, almost freezing with the cold, hugging his hands, to keep them warm, and wading, almost to the top of his boots, in the wet snow. grumbles sadly at old Winter, and wishes he would take himself off, as suddenly as he came. He does not seem to know how he shall get along, but he cannot stop, or turn back, and the only way to keep warm, is to keep moving. It is my opinion that, if he had taken nothing but cold water inside, the cold water and snow outside would not make him feel so uncomfortable. Let us follow him a little way, and see how he gets along, and how much good his grumbling does him.

His little dog is ever at his heels, and seems not to be in any great trouble

flew over the ice on his iron shoes. He wonders that a few years of time should make such a difference. He forgets that some men, older than he, are boys yet, and would take as much pleasure as any of them, in coasting, skating, or sleigh-riding. He dreads water, outside or inside, and the more "fire-water" he takes inside, the more he finds it necessary to hug the stove, to keep his outer man warm. Well, I am sorry for him, and wish he would try the "pledge," and keep it. The pledge, well-kept, is as good as a blanket, or a stove, to keep one warm. The pledge, well kept, is a warm coat, a comfortable house, a cheerful heart and home-a fortune that cannot be lost. Try it, boys. Try it, men. Try it, women and girls. And if it don't turn out so, charge it to

UNCLE HIRAM.

[graphic][merged small]
[graphic]

Y DEAR UNCLE | are irregular in their days of sailing

HIRAM: Two days and a half after I parted from you in New York, found me

at Dunleith, a small town on the Mississippi river, opposite to Dubuque, in Iowa. The steamer Lady Franklin, which was to take us up the river, was already puffing at her wharf, and her signal bell, which summoned us on board, hardly gave us time to get our breakfast. The Lady Franklin is one of six packets that ply between Galena and St. Paul, as a regular mail line. There are numerous other boats that carry freight and passengers, but they

The distance up to St. Paul is four hun dred miles, and is performed in a little more than forty-eight hours. The downward passage is much shorter. These boats stand high out of the water, and afford ample accommodations; being flat bottomed, and without any keel, they can run in shallow water, and approach very near the shore. The main deck is but a few inches above the surface of the water, and is occupied with the machinery of the boat, the wood to feed the engines, the boatmen, the steerage passengers, and horses and carriages, and every variety of household furniture in transitu with its owners to new homes in the West. Above is the main cabin,

« AnteriorContinuar »