Jacob Abbott

“ The cattle which had lain down, began to get up, and the horses neighed in their stalls; for the shining of the lantern in the barn was the well-known signal which called them to breakfast.
Jonas clambered up by a long ladder to the hay-loft, to pitch down some hay, and Josey and Oliver followed him; while Amos remained below to "feed out" the hay, as he called it, as fast as they pitched it down. It was pretty dark upon the loft, although the lantern shed a feeble light upon the rafters above.
"Boys," said Jonas, "it is dangerous for you to be up here; I'd rather you'd go down." ”

“ The children of wealthy men are very often conceited. They wear better clothes than some other boys, and have more books and prettier playthings; and so they become vain, and think that they are very important, when, in fact, they owe every thing to their fathers.
"Then, besides," continued Jonas, "they don't form good habits of industry. Their fathers don't make them work, and so they don't acquire any habits of industry, and patience, and perseverance."
"If I was a man, and had ever so much money," said Oliver, "I would make my boys work." ”

“ The snow was nearly level with the top of the stone walls, and the wind carrying it diagonally from the road, it rolled over the little ridge of stones which remained above the drifts, and then swept across the field, down a long descent, like a feather before the gale. ”

“ I wish you'd teach me to write like that."
"Very well," said Jonas, "that I can do."
"How can you do it?" said Isabella.
"Why, we can have an evening school, these long evenings," replied Jonas. "You get through your spinning in time to have half an hour for school before bed-time."
"Half an hour wouldn't be enough," said Amos.
"O, yes," replied Jonas; "half an hour every day will amount to a great deal in three months."
"Yes," said the farmer, "that's a very good plan; you shall have an evening school, and Jonas shall teach you;—an excellent plan."
"What shall we study?" said Isabella. ”

“ She herself smiled as she returned to her work, saying,—
"The dog has something in him, I acknowledge; go and see if you can't find him a bone, Jonas." "Yes, Jonas," said the farmer, "you may have him for your dog till the owner comes and claims him."
And this is the way that Jonas first got his dog Franco. He told Oliver that morning, as he was patting his head under the old General's crib, that the dog had taught them one good lesson.
"What is it?" asked Oliver.
"Why, that the Christian duty of returning good for evil, is good policy as well as good morals." ”

“ Josey came into the barn; Amelia remained at the door.
"What are you doing, Jonas?" said Josey.
"Threshing some wheat," replied Jonas; "but stand back, or I shall hit you with the flail."
"Are you going to mill?" said Josey.
"Yes, I or somebody else. I am getting a grist ready."
"Here comes uncle," said Josey; "I mean to ask him to let me go."
The farmer came in, and told Jonas that he expected that they were going to have a snow-storm, and, therefore, as soon as his grist was ready, he might harness a horse into the sleigh, and drive directly to mill. ”

“ If some men build a way, and, after it is finished, it tumbles down, the man who had charge of the work would feel more concerned about it than any of the others, because the chief responsibility comes upon him. So with your work,—if you have the command, and you and Oliver idle away the time, and when my sled is loaded, yours has but little wood in it, you would be more to blame than Oliver."
"What, if I didn't play any more than Oliver?"
"Yes," said Jonas, "because you are responsible. ”

“ The party in the sleigh could soon perceive, also, a number of small, bright spots near it, which seemed to be in motion about the fire. They looked like the moons about the planet Jupiter, seen through a telescope.
"I wonder what it is," said Isabella.
"I presume," said Jonas, "that the boys are out skating, and this is a fire on the ice, which they have built."
"And are those the boys moving about?" asked Oliver.
"Yes," said Jonas. "When they are near the fire, the light shines upon their faces." ”

“ It was rather dark and windy,—though he could see the moon shining dimly throught the broken clouds, which were driving across the sky. The roads looked black, as they do about the commencement of a thaw. Presently the moon shone out full through the interstices of the clouds. Jonas took advantage of the opportunity to look all up and down the road; but Franco was nowhere to be seen.
The next morning, however, when he went out into the stable to give the cattle some hay, he found Franco in his old place, under the General's crib. ”

“ Jonas got the box sleigh ready under a shed, first shoveling in some snow under the runners, in order that the horses might draw the sled out easily, when it was loaded. He put in the various articles of produce, which were contained in bags, and firkins, and boxes. Over these he spread blankets and buffalo-skins, and put in a bag of oats for his horses, and a box of bread and cheese for himself. He did not know whether Franco was to go with him, or not; but he arranged the bags in such a way, that he could easily make a warm nest for him in one corner, if the farmer should allow him to go. ”

“ A commander ought to have a regard for those under him," continued Jonas, "and deal justly by them. If a number of boys were going to ride a wagon, and their father put one of them in charge, he ought not to keep the best seat in the wagon for himself."
While talking thus, the oxen continued slowly advancing along the road. Their previous trip had broken out the road, but the pathway was filled with loose snow of a pure and spotless white, through which the great sled runners, following the oxen, ploughed their way. ”

“ No person is well qualified to command, until he has learned to obey."
"I obey," said Josey, "I'm sure."
"Not always," said Jonas. "This morning, when you were upon the haymow, and I told you both to go down, Oliver went down immediately; but you remained up, and made excuses instead of obeying."
Josey was silent. He perceived that Jonas's charge against him was just.
"Besides," continued Jonas, "there are some other reasons why Oliver should command, rather than you. First he understands more of farmer's work, being more accustomed to it; secondly, he is older." ”

“ Jonas asked Rollo a great many questions about all the people at home—his father and mother, and his cousin Lucy; and he said that he was very glad indeed, that Rollo had come to see him.
"Do you have a pretty good time upon the farm?" said Rollo.
"Yes," said Jonas, "very good indeed. You would like to be here very much."
"Are there any boys for me to play with?" said Rollo.
"Yes," said Jonas, "there is Oliver, though he don't play much. He works nearly all the time. But then there is Josey, though he has gone home now."
"I saw a boy at the mill," said Rollo, "when I came along. ”

“ Oliver, Rollo, and Nathan went to work together, then, stopping up all the chinks in the wall, inside and out, with soft snow.
When this was well done, Oliver took the hoe, and with the sharp edge shaved down all around on both sides, making the walls look even and true.
"Well," said Rollo, "that is the best snow fort I ever saw. Jonas does know how to do things, doesn't he, Oliver? But I don't see how we are to get a roof on."
"I don't care about a roof," said Oliver. "We don't want to play in it only in pleasant weather." ”

“ If a man wants a stone bridge built, and hires three men to do it, there is always an understanding, at the beginning, who shall have the direction of the work, and all the others obey.
"So," continued Jonas, "if a carpenter were to send two of his men into the woods to cut down a tree for timber, without saying which of them should have the direction,—then the oldest or most experienced, or the one who had been the longest in the carpenter's employ, would take the direction. ”

“ How fast it grows cold! It freezes now. I was in hopes we should have one more mild day. But we can't get a roof on after this."
"Won't it make good skating on the pond," asked Rollo, "if the water freezes now?"
"Yes, indeed," said Oliver. "I shouldn't be surprised if there was skating there to-night. It's only a thin sheet of water over the ice and snow. Three or four hours of real cold will make ice enough for that.
"Come, Nathan, jump on the sled, and you shall have a ride. Rollo and I will be your horses. Mother will have supper ready by the time we get home." ”

“ Rollo assisted him to strap it on the hand-sled, together with some boards, two iron shovels, and a hoe.
"The Conqueror"—for that was the name of his sled—"will have to be captive to-day," said Oliver, as he bound the load upon the sled, which he and Rollo were going to drag down to the pond.
"You had better take the garden-reel and line," said Jonas to Oliver, "if you intend to make a good fort. You will want to stretch your line so as to make the sides square, and to guide you in cutting out your blocks of snow." ”

“ In one corner of the inner room, they laid a small platform, of several square, flat blocks of snow, for a throne, as Rollo called it; and here they placed his "Majesty."
"It seems to me," said Oliver, "that the King of the Frozen Regions ought to have a crown and a court."
No sooner said than done. A little band of snow-balls, in double rows, soon encircled his brow, surmounted, too, with icicles and stalactites, which Nathan brought from the brook. ”

“ Oliver had not forgotten what Jonas had often told him about doing his work like a workman.
"What is worth doing at all, is worth doing well" Jonas used to say.
So Oliver went to get the reel and line.
While he was gone to the tool-house, Rollo thought of Franco Ney, and began to call aloud, "Franco! Franco!"
Franco did not come.
"Franco! Franco—o! Franco—o! Where is Franco?" said Rollo; "we can't go without him."
"He won't mind you," said Oliver, as he came running back. ”

“ Haven't you any more money with you?"
"Not of my own," said Jonas.
"I suppose you got some for your produce."
"Yes, sir," said Jonas; "but it belongs to the farmer that I work with."
"And don't you think that he would be willing to have you pay a part of it for the dog?"
"I don't know, sir," said Jonas. "I know he likes the dog very much, but I have no authority to buy him with his money."
If Jonas had been willing to have used his employer's money without authority, Mr. Edwards would not have taken it. He made the inquiry to see whether Jonas was trustworthy. ”

“ It is going to be a great storm."
He, however, walked along with Jonas to the barn, to see him yoke the oxen. The yard was covered with a thin coating of light snow, which made the appearance of it very different from what it had been when they had left it. The cows and oxen stood out still exposed, their backs whitened a little with the fine flakes which had fallen upon them. Jonas went to the shed, and brought out the yoke.
"Jonas," said Josey, "I wouldn't go."
"No, I think it very likely that you wouldn't. You are not a very efficient boy."
"What is an efficient boy?" asked Josey. ”

“ Here a door opened, and Oliver came in, followed by Josey shivering with the cold, and in great haste to get to the fire.
"Didn't your father say," said Amos to Oliver, "that he was going with me to-day, to get out the timber for the barn frame?"
"Yes," said Oliver, "he is going to build a great barn next summer. But I'm going up into the woods with Jonas, to haul wood. There's plenty of snow."
"I'd go too," said Josey, "if it wasn't so cold."
"It won't be cold in the woods," said Jonas. "There's no wind in the woods." ”

“ It is your duty to be industrious, and it is also your duty to see that Oliver is industrious, if you are the director,—so that you neglect two duties.
"It is a good plan, too," said Jonas, "for a director to give his directions in a mild and gentle tone. Some boys are very domineering and authoritative in their manner."
"How do you mean?" said Josey. ”

“ Jonas opened the lantern, and took out a short candle from the socket within. Just as he was lighting it, the door opened, and Amos came in.
"Ah, Jonas," said he, "you are before me, as usual."
"Why, the youngest hand makes the fire, of course," said Jonas.
"Then it ought to be Oliver," said Amos,—"or else Josey."
"There! I promised to wake Oliver up," said Jonas.
"O, he's awake; and he and Josey are coming down. They have found out that there is snow on the ground."
"Is there much snow?" asked Jonas.
"I don't know," said Amos; "the ground seems pretty well covered. ”

“ But men of property are employed in such kind of business as boys cannot do; and so they must work, if they work at all, at something else; and that makes a good deal of trouble."
"Then I'd send my boys to some farmer, and let him make them work," said Oliver.
"Yes," said Jonas, "that would do pretty well." ”

“ When Jonas had shelled out the corn, he carried the bags, and put them into the sleigh, which was generally used in going to mill. Then he locked the granary, and put the key away, and afterwards went to the barn, and opened the great doors, which led in to the barn floor. He climbed up a tall ladder to a loft under the roof of the barn, and threw down some sheaves of wheat,—as many as he thought would be necessary to produce the quantity of grain which the farmer had ordered. He then descended the ladder, and got a flail, and began to thresh them out. ”

“ Here Jonas took off one of his rafters, and laid it upon the shore, with one end raised up out of the snow.
"What is that for?" said Josey.
"To show us the way back to our road," said Jonas. "I place it so that it points right back,—the way we came."
"We can tell by our tracks," said Josey.
"No," said Jonas; "our tracks will all be covered up before we come back."
Jonas then drove down upon the pond, guiding his oxen in the direction of the cry. He kept Josey upon the sled, so as not to exhaust his strength. He rode himself, too, as much as he could ”