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of licks. That was all the eddication I
had. I don't think it was much.”
While this conversation was in progress
near the stern, (for Simpson was next to
the stroke-oar,) there was kept up a quiet
side-talk among the others, which was
concluded by the appointing of Wheeler
to say to Dr. Gordon that his proposition
met the approval of all, unless it might
be of Simpson.
“ And I’d be mighty proud to jine in it
too,” he quickly responded, “ sept that it
oneases me so to think how little I’ve got
to say.”
“ Why, my good fellow,” said Dr. Gor
don, “you have interested the whole
boat’s crew already in trying to prove
that you have nothing to say. I’ll war
rant there is not a person aboard but
wishes to hear more.”
“Well, sir,” said Simpson, half pleased,
half reluctant. “ es that’s what you want,
I’ve got plenty more behind and will give
it, sich as it is.”
“ Since it is settled that each shall give
some account of himself,” continued the
Doctor, “there is one thing more to be
agreed upon, and that is, the order in
which the persons shall be called for.—
Shall it be alphabetically, or by age ?”
“ I move it be by ago, beginning at the
youngest,” said Thompson, looking mis
chievously at Wildcat, who, during the
past few minutes had appeared much ex
cited, and who had uttered some implor
ing words to Jones about having him ex
cused, and who now nervously ejaculated,
“ Wildcat can’t talk white man’s talk.”
“But he can talk through a linkster,”*
argued Thompson, “and there is no bet
ter sense-carrier for Muscogee than the
Sergeant there, or than Simpson. I
should like, above all things, to hear a
real Injin story.”
“I hope Wildcat will be excused, un
less he chooses to unite,” said Tomkins.
The poor hoy turned towards his unex
pected advocate a look of immistakcable
gratitude, and with an almost laugh of
pleasure, said, in his own language,
“Enk-li-tum-ma-hitz-cliay !”f
“Now,” said Jones, looking malicious
ly at Thompson, “ I, too, vote that the
order go by age. But I think that the
first person in this order to be called up
on is Thompson; for, although Wildcat
came here from ’tother world about thir
teen or fourteen years ago, Thompson
came here from Ireland only last year.
He may be old as a man —he looks as if
* Linkster, though not found in our dictionaries, is a
word in common use in many parts, being a corruption
; of Unguis ter, (probably from the.ltalian (inguista, if not
the English linguist,) and means interpreter,
t Good, good as it can be.
BURKE’S W EEKLY.
he were—but, as a countryman, he is the
youngest of the crowd. I hope he will
be called upon first.”
“ I am ready to obey orders when they
come from the right mouth,” Thompson
retorted ; “ but I think it is only fair that
Simpson, who began his story first, should
end it first.”
“Simpson! Simpson!” was called by
several voices.
“You hear the call, Simpson,” said Dr.
Gordon. “I hope you will answer as the
Turks do, £ To hear is to obey.’ If I were
called upon for a vote, I should give it as
these have done, for I have no doubt that
whatever your schooling may have been,
you have seen some rare sights.”
“ And so I have,” he answered, while
his brow relaxed from its usual half scowl
as he listened to the call, which implied
a flattering interest already in his life;
“and I’ll be proud to tell of’em, too, as
well as I kin.”
“That is bravely spoken,” said Dr.
Gordon. “And now, the only rule I
would suggest to govern what is to be
related is, that each one shall aim in what
he tells to give us something useful as
well as entertaining.”
“I haven’t much in that line,” Simp
son modestly replied ; “ but sich as I have
I’ll try to give.”
With that he began and narrated a
story, in which he committed horrible
outrages upon all the rules of language
and of elocution, but in which he gave
some new and interesting sketches of
rough life. This story, improved some
what in style, and retaining only a few
of its barbarous peculiarities, will be found
recorded in the following chapter.
♦*«. — i
Extraordinary Answers.
A pupil of Abbe Sicord gave the follow
ing extraordinary answers:
“ What is gratitude ?”
“ Gratitude is the memory of the heart.”
“What is hope?”
“Hope is the blossom of happiness.”
“What is the difference between hope
and desire ?”
“ Desire is a tree in leaf, hope is a tree
in flower, enjoyment is a tree in fruit.”
“ What is eternity?”
“A day without yesterday or to-mor
row —a line that has no end.”
“ What is God ?”
“The necessary being, the sun of eter
nity, the merchant of nature, the eyes of
justice, the watchmaker of the universe,
and the soul of the world.”
“Does God reason ?”
“ Man reasons because he doubts; he
deliberates; he decides. God is omnis
cient. He never doubts; He therefore
never reasons.”
REAL COURAGE.
/ OYS and girls, as well as
men and women, are apt
sometimes to mistake
prudence for cowardice,
yet no two qualities can be
more unlike.
JfaSSjg “ Pooh !” said a rough boy once
‘ to a more gentle cousin, “ I do
** believe, John, you’re afraid to go
near to that horse just because lie isn’t
tied.”
“ There is no need of me going near
him, Stephen,” was the reply, “ and there
is danger of his kicking any one who
teases him.”
“Ha! ha!” shouted Stephen, “you’re
a bravey, now ain’t you? The idea of
being afraid of a horse!” and with a taunt
ing look at John, the foolish boy walked
up to the grazing animal and poked him
with a stick. The horse gave an uneasy
start, but continued pulling at the grass.
“See here!” exclaimed Stephen, grow
ing more bold, “if you’ll promise not to
faint, I’ll present you with a lock of his
tail in a minute.”
John didn’t faint, but Stephen did; for
as he stealthily approached the horse in
the rear, the animal bounded away, per
forming* a flourish with his hoofs that laid
his tormentor senseless in the dust. John
tried hard to restore Stephen to conscious
ness. He loosened his clothing, rubbed
his hands and feet, and bringing water
in his cap from the pool near by, dashed
it on the boys white face, but all in vain
—there was no sign of life. The nearest
house was their own home, and a quarter
of a mile distant. John felt that not a
moment was to be lost. He approached
the now quiet horse and leaping upon his
back, rode swiftly, without saddle or bri
dle, to his uncle’s house for help.
When, after a long illness, Stephen re
covered, he was a wiser boy, and told his
cousin that he really believed that the
horse had managed to kick a little com
mon sense into him.
“ And what a dunce I must have been,
John,” he added, “to fancy you were
afraid of that horse.”
♦♦♦
jjgy 1 * Beauty and wit will die; learning
will vanish, and all the acts ot lite be for
gotten. But virtue and piety will remain
forever. They are the foundations of
honor and esteem.
A pert little girl boasted to one ot
her friends that her “ father kept a carri
age.” “Ah, but,” was the triumphant
reply, “my father drives an omnibus.”
‘
Good manners and good behavior
cost nothing, but are worth millions.
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