Show th anil planner IB which lie 11 it was more thau seventy years ago my young hero only a lad of thir teen when alio incident occurred of which I 1 am going to tell you his anino was albert and lie lived in a pleasant farming town in alio of maine being a farmers son he biad a great many chorea to do in the early winter mornings and it wad a long walk afterward to the district school but lie loved his books dearly and was always on hand in good season with lemons well learned the night before one stormy afternoon atter noon toon after alic beginning ortho winter term lie camo home from school in a somewhat usual mood he was a wideawake wide awake cheerful little body with a very merry laugh and his mother looked up in surprise when instead of her sons breezy entrance lister albert came into alic great old fashioned kitchen so warm and so cozy so queer and so quaint and thoughtfully up to the glorious open anro that was dancing gleefully on the broad and seemed to lc doing its best to leap bodily up through alic wide old chimney I 1 liopo nothing has gone wrong at school thought hii good mother as she went softly to and fro through the old time room in preparation for the savory evening meal and alic father alio was watching liis little sons face from the other side of the hearth broke the at last with the words well my boy you seem to have some weighty subject on tonight to night is it alio child half turned aa it ho biad aicard a voice but no words you gut into nav trouble nt I 1 albert no indeed sir weve got alio best teacher that ever wa was s hut oh father and now tins boys tongue went fat enough introduced a grand new geography into the this terni a great beauty of a book willi pictures and as interesting as it can be and and I 1 so fisli I 1 could lavo one sir you know ive been through my old one so many tinier I 1 know it all by heart can not I 1 have one father im afraid not my son it would cot co t more money than I 1 could afford to spare just now im i to deny you but be a geml boy and do your best and next winter well sec poor albert it was a long time to wait but a well trained boy and did not annoy his father with teasing stilt ho could not forget that new geography any anoro than you could forget about or the fourth of july lie thought about the book by day about it at by and by a plan ranio to him and when a little later hit and mother went away fur a short visit ho put alin plim into notion first ho went into the woods and chopped and until he biad enough cord wood to make a handsome load then lie went home and got old star and alright and hauled lie wood out to alo road loaded it in brought hay and feed for alic oxen lint them un iho ion of the load and then ran homo to tell his sister what ho was going to do dolly lie began wont you please put me up a luncheon of doughnuts and cheese A why where anro you going its almost sunset 1 1111 going to portland dolly to portland echoed dolly again that is 11 atory hut I 1 am D olar persisted alic boy eagerly im to portland with a load of wood arc vuu crazy albert why it is twenty miles to portland and you know you would have to DO out all night 1 I dont anro for that it int going to bo very dark I 1 know the way fand im not a bit afraid dolly who put this idea into your head nobody I 1 planned it all out alt hut its HO cold and you arc such a little fellow why it i quite an undertaking der taking for father what do you want to go for nav way ita the geography dolly I 1 want it I 1 need it and am determined to have it be all right about the wood TO know fallica told luo last week that if id a mind to carry a load down to tin corner and sell it I 1 might have all I 1 could get for it but ian no uc to go now get my geography nor any money cither most likely im just bonig rt raight to portland with my load of wood and when 1 como back mind you bring my come dolly don t hinder nn a good girl put me up my liin chron and let me get on nt noon a I 1 can well dolly looking down on the brave little man it sani safe and 1 am afraid father will blame me tor kiting you go but if go you will go you mint ill lican you all I 1 can but I 1 be worried enough till you come baca so the kind sister wrapped the little fellow aji warmly abc could brought out his mittens lied up hh ear got him an ample lunch and saw him set off about tiina t on hh long night journey her own heart acry heavy though bis was high with hope what a journey aliat WM for little lad of thirteen just think of it boys to b out all and nil flonc n the heart of winter on a lonely rod j with only a few houas hen and there it was bitter cola and albert ran to keep his feet warm threshed hla arms to keep his hand from freezing patted old star and bright and talked to them to keep their courage up and his own as well went over bis school lessons naming every river and mountain and capo ho could recollect repeated every line ot poetry ho had ever teamed and ho had learned a great number even went BO far M to compose a few stanzas which were not so very bad stopped on the way to feed and real good star and bright and cat his own luncheon and finally a little after sunrise safely reached tho city of portland ilam liia load of wood speedily exchanged at his own cher for 0 copy of morses now geography a rather high price to pay to bo sure even in those days when wood was cheap and books cost much but albert cancu little for this fad since tho coveted geography was at last in his possession and ho felt far happier than king aa lie turned his rosy face homeward bearing with him hu precious treasure star and bright fared sumptuously at his bands that night and did not albert enjoy his own nice supper which dolly had prepared and kept hot and in readiness for him how ho chattered aa he ate it in tho dear old kitchen where alie lire danced if possible moro exultantly than ever and sent its warm light over the dark red wall the snowwhite snow white dresser and tho rows of bright pewter plates and por ringers that acro ranged on its shelves the next morning wall if ho did feel a thrill of arido and satisfaction in hia happy boyish heart as ho walked up tho aisle to his seat in the school room carrying in his hand the new book with its crisp fragrant leaves and its attractive letterpress who can everybody was talking about what bo had done and teacher and school maecs alike gave him generous praise As to ills father tho good man ariti cased a little the boya transaction in a business point of view when lie cama to hoar the story but he could not help commending alio energy and spirit of his little son and ho did so without stint As to albert himself ho lived and prospered growing up to be excellent man 1 and at anc lime a judge ho wrote verses sometimes too a little more polished doubtless than thoo ho en touton tho stillness of abo winter night so long ago with only star and bright for auditors ho reached a good old age but never I 1 think so long aa ho lived did ho fail to recall with pleasure the under which ho became the delighted owner of a copy of new geography auw chad bourne in aach wl |