Chapter IX: Dick and the Deacon

THE next winter the teacher of the advanced school did not prove satisfactory. Mrs. Stuart urged that Dick ought to be sent to an Academy, where he could attend to the higher branches. Her husband agreed with her; but where was the money to come from to pay his expenses?

"It does seem best," the minister said one evening when they had together asked God to lead them in the path of duty; "and if it is best the means will be provided."

"I can wear my cloak another winter," said the mother, cheerfully. "That will save ten dollars towards it."

Mr. Stuart rose and walked the room, his hands joined behind him as was his habit when meditating. At last he said:

"By a little extra effort, I can finish a series of articles for our religious paper. One of the Editors pressed me for them when I was in the city."

"Dick is such a good boy and has done so much for us I want to give him an education. That is all I expect to give my children."

In consequence of these plans, Richard was sent to an Academy in a neighboring state where he remained a year. He boarded in the family of a deacon, who had a large farm, but whose health did not permit him to work upon it. He was often in the habit of hiring the young men connected with the Academy to pick apples; husk corn, or do other chores not interfering with their lessons.

The Deacon was very strict in his religious opinions. At home Richard had always been in the habit of joining with the family in singing a hymn at morning and evening devotions, and on Sabbath evening each one selected his or her favorite hymn and tune, which were sung in turn. Richard had a very fine treble voice, which had been carefully trained. He greatly missed the singing at prayers, and suggested to his roommate that they should sing on Sunday night in their chamber.

They commenced with the hymn:

"Jesus lover of my soul."

And then proceeded to another:

"Salvation, oh the joyful sound."

When they were interrupted by a loud voice at the foot of the stairs.

"Boys, boys! What are you doing up there?"

"We're singing the praises of God," answered Richard opening the door.

"Well, you must stop. I can't have any such noise in my house. It's Sunday; and I'm not used to it."

After this unusual strictness, Richard looked of course for a corresponding uprightness of character. Brought up as he had been, and with his eyes wide open to what passed around him he noticed some traits which in his opinion were not exactly consistent. For instance, in the fall when the immense orchard was stripped of its apples, the boy observed that there was one basket kept for measuring those to sell and another to send to the store when there was any thing to be bought.

Soon alter the corn was gathered into immense heaps and carried into the barn floor.

"Would you like the job of husking, Richard?" the deacon asked.

"Yes, sir. How much will you give a bushel?"

"The usual price is three cents."

"I'll do it, sir. I'll begin now. I have ten minutes before school."

"Score the number of bushels on the barn door," added the deacon.

Catching up the small basket, Dick ran to the barn, and filled it half full of ears. When he came home he went to finish the bushel before dinner. It was only by improving his odd minutes that he could do the work without neglecting his lessons. He smiled when he saw that the small basket had been taken away and a large one substituted.

He filled it and said nothing. Then he went on husking as fast as he could, waiting for the dinner bell, throwing the ears into a pile. He did the same after school at night,—until he had accumulated a good many bushels. Then with, a curious smile, which his mother would have well understood, he walked into the kitchen where the Deacon sat tipped back in his chair, talking with a neighbor, and asked:

"Have you done with that bushel basket, sir? I want it to carry away my corn."

"Why don't you use the one I put there?" inquired the Deacon, his face growing red. "It's exactly the size of the other."

"Yes, sir, but 'tisn't half so handy to carry; besides it doesn't fill up near so quick. You say, sir, they're exactly alike in measure; so I suppose you'd just as lief I'd use one as the other."

Richard looked straight into the Deacon's eye; but there was a comical smile playing around his mouth which told the other that his trick had been discovered. He hemmed a little, before he answered:

"Certainly! certainly!" and then turned the subject at once. So Richard husked two hundred bushels: of corn, and made, as nearly as he could calculate, about two dollars by a change of baskets.

While in New Hampshire Dick sung regularly with the choir, as he had done at home. He also took a class in Sunday school, though he would have preferred being a pupil. But as there was a want of competent teachers he reluctantly consented, if his mates would join him to act as teacher, though it soon became by his management a class for mutual instruction. The preparation for this exercise, aided as it was by books from the Pastor's library, freely offered for the benefit of the young men, was perhaps his favorite employment of the week. First he read the passage with some commentary; then he looked out in the Bible atlas, any place mentioned and found whatever he could in relation to it; and last of all, he examined Robinson's researches in the holy land in search of any thing in connection with the subject.

From the very first evening of his arrival, he had maintained the habit of secret devotion in his room; a habit which his chum though not a professor of religion always respected. Soon after his connection with the school, he invited the boys to form a meeting for social worship.

For weeks six young men, all professors of religion, met in the Academy out of school hours, and sung, and read, and prayed together. One day Richard was on his way to the room when he overtook a gay youth, and invited him to the meeting. Out of curiosity he consented, another and another followed, until these were so many, that they adjourned to the vestry by the advice of the Pastor, where he took charge of it.