General.-Youth looks forward, age backward. What does Bowen saywe shall remember of our schools in forty years time? What he really urges is that now we shall do things that will by and by be pleasant memo- ries. To what games do routs, discomfitures, rushes, rallies, bases refer in Stanza two? What bases and goals are suggested in the last stanza?
Lesson 75
MOSES AT THE FAIR
As the fair happened on the following day, I had intentions of going myself; but my wife persuaded me that I had got a cold, and nothing could prevail upon her to permit me from home. "No, my dear, " said she, "our son Moses is a discreet boy, and can buy and sell to very good advantage; you know all our great bargains are of his purchasing. He always stands out and higgles, and actually tires them till he gets a bargain. "As I had some opinion of my son"s prudence, I was willing enough to trust him with this commission, and the next morning I perceived his sisters mighty busy in fitting out Moses for the fair, trimming his hair, brushing his buckles, and cocking his hat with pins. The business of the toilet being over, we had at last the satisfaction of seeing him mounted upon the colt, with a deal box before him to bring home groceries in. He had on a coat made of that cloth called thunder-and- lightning, which, though grown too short, was much too good to be thrown away. His waistcoat was of gosling-green, and his sisters had tied his hair with a broad black ribbon. We had followed him several paces from the door, bawling after him, "Good luck! good luck! " till we could see him no longer.
Later in the day, as Moses had not returned as soon as was expected, I began to wonder what could keepo u r s o n s o l o n g a t t h e f a i r . " N e v e r m i n d o u r s o n , "Moses sets off for the Fair
cried my wife; "depend upon it he knows what he is about; I"ll warrant we"ll never see him sell his hen on a rainy day. I have seen him buy such bargains as would amaze one. I"ll tell you a good story about that, that will make you split your sides with laughing. But, as I live, yonder comes Moses, without a horse, and the box at his back. "As she spoke, Moses came slowly on foot, and sweating under the deal box, which he had strapped round his shoulders like a pedlar. "Welcome ! welcome, Moses ! Well, my boy, what have you brought us from the fair? ""I have brought you myself, " cried Moses, with a sly look, and resting the box on the dresser.
"Ay, Moses, " cried my wife, " that we know, but where is thehorse? "
"I have sold him, " cried Moses, " for three pounds five shillings and two pence,.""Well done, my good boy, " returned she; "I knew that you would touch them off. Between ourselves, three pounds five shillings and two pence is no bad day"s work. Come, let us have it then. ""I have brought back no money, " cried Moses again, "I have laid it all out in a bargain, and here it is, " pulling out a bundle from his breast; "here they are: a gross of green spectacles, with silver rims and shagreen cases. ""A gross of green spectacles! " repeated my wife in a faint voice. "And you have parted with the colt, and brought us back nothing but a gross of green paltry spectacles ! ""Dear mother, " cried the boy, "why won"t you listen to reason? I had them a dead bargain, or I should not have bought them. The silver rims alone will sell for double the money. ""A fig for the silver rims ! " cried my wife in a passion : "I dare swear they won"t sell for above half the money at the rate of broken silver, five shillings an ounce. ""You need be under no uneasiness, " cried I, "about selling the rims, for they are not worth sixpence, for I perceive that they are only copper varnished over. " "No, " I went on, "no more silver than your saucepan. ""And so, " returned she, " we have parted with the colt, and have got only a gross of green spectacles, with copper rims and shagreen cases ! A murrain take such trumpery! Theblockhead has been imposed upon, and should have knownhis company better ! "
