Oscar Part 15

"Six months!" exclaimed Oscar; "what do you mean? Don't you go to school?"

"Yes, I go when there is any school; but it does n't commence till next December," replied Jerry.

"That's a queer idea," said Oscar; "I should like to know how long your school keeps, after it begins."

"It keeps three months," replied Jerry.

"I should like that first-rate--I wish I lived here," said Oscar; "I have to go to school all the time. But why does n't your school keep more than three months?"

"I don't know," replied Jerry; "I guess it's because folks are too stingy to pay for it. They 've been talking of having a summer school, but I don't believe it will amount to anything."

"I should hope it would n't if I lived here," said Oscar. "What capital times you must have!--no school to bother you, and no lessons to get. But I suppose you have to work some--don't you?"

"No, not much," said Jerry; "I help a little in planting and haying time, and have a few ch.o.r.es to do about the house,--that's all."

"Do you have many boys to play with?" inquired Oscar.

"There are boys enough," replied his cousin, "but they are scattered all over town,--that's the worst of it. There is only one fellow of my age that lives near here, and he's half a mile off."

"If you call that near, I should like to know what you call distant,"

said Oscar. "I 'm afraid I should be lonesome if I lived here."

"Halloo, it rains!" said Jerry, as the big drops began to sound upon the roof over their heads.

"Then I 'm going in," added Oscar, and they both started for the house.

It proved to be a rainy day, and Oscar was obliged to find his amus.e.m.e.nt in-doors through its remaining hours. With his four cousins to help him, this was not a very difficult matter. When he retired at night, he felt quite at home in his new quarters.

The sun rose clearly the next morning, and everything looked the more beautiful for the rain. To Oscar, the fields not only seemed greener, but the hills looked higher, and the trees more majestic, than they did the day before.

"Why," he exclaimed, as he stood before the chamber window, "there is a pond away off there, is n't there? I did n't know that before."

"Yes, that's a pond," replied Jerry, "and we 've got a small river, too, but you can't see it from here. We 'll go over to the pond, some warm day, and go into water; it's a real good place to bathe."

"Perhaps we 'll go to-day," said Oscar; "it looks as though it were going to be real warm."

Mrs. Preston now called to the boys that breakfast was ready, and they hurriedly finished dressing themselves, and descended to the kitchen.

Having washed his face at the sink, Oscar stepped to the door, and used his pocket-comb; but Jerry was in too great a hurry to go through this last operation, and he was about taking his seat at the table, with his hair standing up in every direction, when his father inquired:

"Jerry, what have you been doing to your head?"

"Nothing," replied Jerry, with a look of surprise.

"Well, I think you had better do something to it, before you come here," said his father. "Oscar will think you were brought up among the wild Arabs, if you come to the table with such a mop of hair as that about your head. Don't you see how nicely he has smoothed his hair?"

"He's got a comb of his own. I wish you would buy me one, father,"

said Jerry.

"Don't stand there talking--go and comb your hair," said Mr. Preston, somewhat sharply.

To tell the truth, Jerry did need a lesson in neatness; and in this respect, Oscar was a very good model for him to imitate. Having reduced his snarly locks to something like order and smoothness, Jerry took his seat at the table, much improved in appearance.

"You 'll have a chance to go about some to-day, Oscar," said Mr.

Preston; "it's about twenty-five degrees warmer than it was yesterday."

"Father," said Jerry, "I and Oscar--"

"I and Oscar--where did you learn your manners?" interrupted his mother.

Jerry was for a moment in doubt whether to be offended or not at this second unexpected lesson in good-breeding; but he finally concluded to make the best of it, and went on with his story:

"Oscar and I, then--were going over to the pond this forenoon, and I guess it will be warm enough for us to go into water. Should n't you think it would?"

"No, indeed," replied Mr. Preston, "you mustn't think of such a thing.

It's only the first of June, and you ought not to go into water for two or three weeks yet. Besides, Oscar 's an invalid, and I should n't like to have him go in, even if it was warm enough for you. I would n't walk about much, either, at first," he continued, addressing Oscar.

"You 're weak, and must look out, and not overdo yourself. This afternoon, when the horse is at leisure, Jerry shall give you a ride; so you had better not go far this forenoon."

The river of which Jerry spoke is a small stream that has its source in the lake Oscar saw from the chamber window. It flows in a south-westerly direction, crossing the road on which Mr. Preston lived, not far from his house. A small bridge is thrown over the river at this point. After breakfast, Jerry and Oscar walked down to this bridge, and then, leaving the road, followed the river through the fields and woods, to its fountain-head. Here they found a beautiful sheet of water, more than half a mile across, in one direction, with an irregular sh.o.r.e, fringed most of the way with woods. A two-masted sail-boat was riding at anchor, a little off from the sh.o.r.e, which Oscar regarded with wishful eye; but as it did not belong to Mr.

Preston, and they could not reach it without going into the water, it was of no use to think of taking a sail. They now walked along the edge of the pond, some distance, and after wandering some time in the woods, they returned home by a circuitous route.

The annexed map of Brookdale will show the location of the pond, river, &c. Jerry lived in the house numbered 2.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Map of Brookdale.]

Oscar and Jerry spent the rest of the forenoon in the barn and wood-shed, and in the fields immediately around the house. After dinner, Mr. Preston told the boys they could have the horse and wagon, and as the family wanted some groceries, they might ride over to the store and get them. They accordingly tackled up the team, and were soon on their way.

The store at which Mr. Preston traded was at the village where the stage left Oscar, which goes by the name of the "Cross-Roads," from the fact that two of the princ.i.p.al thoroughfares of that section of country cross at this point. Though this store was about five miles distant, there was no other one nearer to Mr. Preston's. The boys had a fine ride over to the village. Oscar drove, and was quite anxious to put Billy to a test of his speed; but as his uncle told them not to hurry, because the horse had been worked some in the forenoon, he did not dare to make any experiment of this kind. Jerry a.s.sured him, however, that he once drove Billy over to the Cross-Roads in just twenty minutes, which was the quickest time he had ever been known to make. He thought this a remarkable feat; but Oscar did not seem much astonished at it, and said he knew of horses that could go a mile in three minutes, and even in less time if the road was smooth and level.

After riding about three-quarters of an hour, they arrived at the Cross-Roads, and drove up to a post and chain for tying horses in front of the store. The store was kept in a large wooden building. Over the door was the sign, "J. FLETCHER, VARIETY STORE;" and the shutters were covered with columns of names of articles sold within, such as "Bacon,"

"Cheese," "Flour," "Grain," "Shoes," "Dry Goods," &c. Another sign in one of the windows indicated that this was also the post-office of the village.

The boys went into the store, and while Jerry was ordering the articles his mother had sent for, Oscar improved the opportunity to look around the premises. It was to him a queer a.s.sortment of goods. There seemed to be a little of everything for sale. Here you could buy of one salesman articles that you could obtain in Boston only by visiting a dozen different shops. Groceries and dry goods, country produce and hardware, boots, shoes, and hats, confectionary and fancy articles, stoves and children's toys, were in most neighborly companionship.

Before leaving the store, Oscar invested a few cents in candy and cigars; for his father had given him a little spare change beyond what was necessary to defray the expenses of the journey. He shared the candy with Jerry, and put the cigars in his pocket for future use.

Jerry having finished his business at the store, they set out on their return, and arrived home in safety and without meeting with any remarkable adventure. The boys employed themselves the rest of the afternoon in planning excursions and amus.e.m.e.nts, and before they got through, they had laid out "fun" enough to occupy them for several days.

The evenings were now quite short, and as it was the custom to retire to bed early at Mr. Preston's, it frequently happened that no lamps were lit in the house for several days in succession. As twilight came on that evening, Oscar, who began to feel pretty tired, laid down upon the sofa in the sitting-room, and in a few minutes was fast asleep.

Jerry got a straw, and was about to tickle his ear, when his mother stopped him. Oscar's nap, however, was a short one, and suddenly waking up, he began to laugh.

"I guess you had a pleasant dream," said his aunt.

"I had a real funny one," replied Oscar. "I thought you sent me over to the store to get some things, and when I got there, I had them all jumbled together in my head, and I told the man I wanted a yard of mola.s.ses, and a pound of calico, and a gallon of shingle-nails, and I did n't know what else. And I thought the man laughed, and asked me if I would take them loose, or have them done up in a rag. Then another boy that was in the store set up a loud laugh, and that woke me up. I wonder how long I slept--do you know, aunt?"

"Only two or three minutes," replied Mrs. Preston.

"I was real smart, then," replied Oscar; "for you gave me my errand, and I harnessed the horse and drove away over to the Cross-Roads, and went through the scene in the store, and woke up again, all in two or three minutes. I thought I 'd been asleep half an hour."

"I should think you 'd dream about the store," said Jerry; "you 've made fun enough about it, if that 's all."