CHAPTER II.THE NEW-COMER.
THE new-comer, Oscar, was very naturally the recipient of much attention, for a few days after his arrival. The advent of such a big boy in the family was an event of no trifling importance, in the eyes of the younger members of the household. Was he not a real Boston boy, and had he not seen so much of city life that, in his own language, he was sick of it? Had he not also resided for months together in two or three other towns, far away from his home? And, most strange of all, had he not actually made a voyage to the West Indies, in the capacity of sailor-boy? So, at least, it was currently reported, and so they all believed; and surely a boy who had seen so much of the world must be something of a hero, they reasoned. Meanwhile,the older members of the family were quietly watching their new charge, studying his disposition, gaining insight into the secret springs of his character, and taking the measure of his mental acquirements and capacities.
Oscar was expecting to attend the academy, during the coming winter; but as it was now well advanced in the autumn term, he was to study at home until the new term commenced, about two months from this time, it being now the latter part of September. Marcus had graduated at this academy, a year previous, and had been invited to serve as assistant teacher, the coming winter.
“What shallIdo?” inquired Oscar, the morning after his arrival, as he perceived that all the family were busily at work.
“You need not do anything, just yet,” replied his aunt. “You can look on and see us work, through the rest of this week, or amuse yourself in any way you please. By next Monday we will find something for you to do, and you can commence your studies, too, at the same time.”
The few days of leisure thus granted to Oscar did not hang very heavily upon his hands. Hefound many things to interest and amuse him, about the farm. The greatest novelty to him, however, were the sheep, for he had never before lived where these pretty creatures formed a part of the farm stock. The pasture where they were kept became at once an attractive place, and it must be confessed that the groups of sheep and lambs, quietly nibbling the grass, or reclining at their ease in the beams of the morning sun, formed as beautiful a scene as could be found upon the farm. Thecattle, horses, pigs and poultry, the capacious barns, with the deep and lofty hay-mows, the dairy, granary, tool-house and wood-house,—these, also, though more familiar objects to Oscar, were not without their attractions for him; while he found a still further source of amusement in accompanying Marcus and Ronald, as they went about their daily duties on the farm.
Marcus was a little sorry to notice that Oscar did not appear to find idleness very irksome, nor to feel much anxiety about making himself useful. He seemed to think he had received a full discharge from labor for the rest of the week, and gave himself no more concern about it than though he was merely a boarder, like Katie and Otis, with whom he spent a good portion of his time. There were many little things in which his assistance, cheerfully offered, would have been accepted with pleasure; but we are sorry to say that these evidences of a “willing mind” were entirely wanting.
And yet Oscar went to Highburg with the determination of breaking up his old habits of idleness, and the terms upon which he was received into the family, had been arranged with this endin view. He was to remain here not less than two years. His father insisted upon paying for his board, clothing and schooling, during his residence here; but as one great object of the plan was to teach him to be industrious and useful, it was stipulated that he should do his share of the work on the farm, at all seasons of the year. It was further agreed that a fair sum should be allowed him for his services, to be paid to his father at the end of each year. If Oscar’s conduct was satisfactory, this amount was to be paid over to him, when he reached the age of twenty-one. He thus had a real inducement to labor, in addition to the earnest entreaties of his parents; and lest both of these motives should prove insufficient, Marcus and his mother were authorized, as a last resort, toenforcethe fulfilment of Oscar’s part of the contract, by any means they saw fit to employ. His parents well knew that he could not be effectually reformed, until he had acquired habits of industry.
Nothing more was said to Oscar about work, until Saturday afternoon, when Marcus, finding the boys engaged in pitching jack-knives on the barn floor, accosted his cousin as follows:
“I suppose, Oscar, that you begin to feel as though you would like something to do?”
“Why, yes, I am almost tired of doing nothing,” replied Oscar, shutting up his knife, and putting it in his pocket.
“Well, I can tell you something about your work and studies, now, if you wish,” continued Marcus. “A good deal of your work, for awhile, will consist of odd jobs, which I cannot tell you about until they come along. For the present you must be ready for anything, in an emergency; we will be able, by and by, to systematize the work a little better, so that you needn’t rob Ronald or me of our shares.”
“No danger of that, I guess!” said Oscar, with a laugh.
“I don’t know about that,” continued Marcus. “We don’t have a very great amount of out-door work in the fall and winter, and with three pairs of hands to divide it amongst, I’m afraid we may not all get our share, if we don’t have an understanding about it. There’s one department, however, that you shall have the sole charge of. Come this way.”
He led the way to the wood-house, followed by the boys, and added:—
“There, Oscar, you shall be lord of the woodshed; and if any body meddles with the saw, axe, chips, or wood-pile, without your leave, just let me know it. Only you must understand that if I should want to chop a stick occasionally, by way of exercise, I shall have the liberty to do it.”
“Oh yes, I’ll agree to that,” replied Oscar.
“And I too—I like to split wood once in a while,” interposed Otis.
“And so do I,” added Ronald.
“No, no, boys, you are not to touch anything here without Oscar’s leave,” said Marcus. “He is to be captain here, so you had better stand round. You see, Oscar, there is a large pile ready for use, now. My rule is, to saw and split a little more every week than we use, so as to have a good supply ahead, when cold weather sets in. I think you had better keep on in the same way, and make it a business, every day, or at least every other day, to add a little to the pile. It will also be a part of your work to see that a supply of wood is carried into the house every day.”
“I’ll help carry the wood in,” said Ronald.
“But I told you not to interfere with his business,” replied Marcus.
“Well, if he doesn’t like it, then I wont do it,” rejoined Ronald, laughing.
“As to the other work,” resumed Marcus, “I shall want you to help cut up the hay, for one thing.”
“I know how to do that,” said Oscar.
“There will be a good deal of hay to cut, by and by, when the horses, cattle and sheep are all put up in the barn. And roots, too—we shall soon begin to feed them out, and they will have to be cut.”
“I know how to do that, too,” added Oscar.
“You can help about feeding the animals, too. I think I shall let you have the whole care of the pigs, to begin with, after a day or two. You will find them very interesting pets—especially the old sow!” he added, with a laugh.
“I might feed the horses,” suggested Oscar, whose fancy for hogs was not very largely developed.
“So you can, and I want you to learn to bed them, and clean them out, and rub them down, too.”
“I know how to do all that—I used to do it down to Brookdale, very often,” replied Oscar.
“And I should like to have you help about milking; do you understand that?” inquired Marcus.
“I know a little about it, but I never liked it very well,” replied Oscar, with some hesitation.
“O, well, I dare say you will like it better after you get used to it,” said Marcus. “But if you shouldn’t, it wont make much difference. We all have to do some jobs that are not so pleasant as others.”
“Iliketo milk—only it tires my wrists,” said Ronald. “I can milk one cow, all alone, but Marcus wont let me, very often.”
“Next week,” continued Marcus, “we must gather our apples, and you can help us about that. Then there will be the carrots, beets, turnips and cabbages to get in, the seed-corn to harvest, corn to husk, snow to shovel, wood to haul, and various other jobs to do, through the winter. Do you think you can do your share of all this?”
“I’ll try to,” replied Oscar.
“Then there are your studies to be attended to,” resumed Marcus. “I shall make out a list of them,for each day in the week, while you study at home. And you must have some time for play, in addition to all the rest, for ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.’ The first thing, every day, will be to attend to your regular morning’s work. Then, if there are any errands or extra jobs to be done, they will come next in order. After that, you will get your lessons, and then will come the play-time.”
“How much time will he have for play?” inquired Otis.
“That will depend very much upon his diligence in doing his work and getting his lessons,” replied Marcus.
“I shan’t want much play-time,” said Oscar, with a significant glance towards the couple of twelve-year-old urchins, who were evidently counting upon his companionship in their sports.
“So much the better,” replied Marcus with perfect indifference, although, in his mind, he had some doubts about the last assertion.
Marcus had previously examined Oscar in his studies, and, in the course of the afternoon, he gave him lessons for the coming Monday, and alsohanded him a written list of studies for each day in the week. The list is as follows:—
ORDER OF STUDIES FOR OSCAR PRESTON.On Monday.Writing,Grammar,Arithmetic.On Tuesday.Grammar,Geography,Arithmetic.On Wednesday.Writing,Grammar.On Thursday.Writing,Geography,Grammar.On Friday.Geography,Arithmetic,Writing.On Saturday.Arithmetic,Composition.Reading, Spelling and Defining, daily.
ORDER OF STUDIES FOR OSCAR PRESTON.On Monday.Writing,Grammar,Arithmetic.On Tuesday.Grammar,Geography,Arithmetic.On Wednesday.Writing,Grammar.On Thursday.Writing,Geography,Grammar.On Friday.Geography,Arithmetic,Writing.On Saturday.Arithmetic,Composition.Reading, Spelling and Defining, daily.
ORDER OF STUDIES FOR OSCAR PRESTON.
On Monday.
Writing,
Grammar,
Arithmetic.
On Tuesday.
Grammar,
Geography,
Arithmetic.
On Wednesday.
Writing,
Grammar.
On Thursday.
Writing,
Geography,
Grammar.
On Friday.
Geography,
Arithmetic,
Writing.
On Saturday.
Arithmetic,
Composition.
Reading, Spelling and Defining, daily.