Barton Baynes, the hero of the book--for whose actuality and historicity
the author vouches--is an orphan brought up on a farm by his Uncle
Peabody and Aunt Deel. Getting into all sorts of scrapes, he makes up
his mind that he is too heavy a burden on the affectionate and
good-natured couple; and one night he runs away. Out in the darkness,
however, he meets with strange adventures, loses his way, and at length
finds himself in the hands of Silas Wright, the Comptroller. The Senator
first falls in love with the bright-faced, open-hearted, intelligent
boy, and then takes him back to his uncle's farm. From that moment the
friendship between the two--the great man and the obscure country
boy--grows apace. After a while the Senator visits the district to
deliver an address, and he spends the night at the farmhouse. It is a
great occasion for Bart; and after supper an incident occurs that colors
all his life and strikes the keynote of the book. As Barton approaches
Mr. Wright to say Good-night, the Senator says:
'I shall be gone when you are up in the morning. It may be a long time
before I see you; I shall leave something for you in a sealed envelope
with your name on it. You are not to open the envelope until you go away
to school. I know how you will feel that first day. When night falls,
you will think of your aunt and uncle and be very lonely. When you go to
your room for the night I want you to sit down all by yourself and read
what I shall write. They will be, I think, the most impressive words
ever written. You will think them over, but you will not understand them
for a long time. Ask every wise man you meet to explain them to you, for
all your happiness will depend upon your understanding of those few
words in the envelope.'
The words in the sealed envelope!
What are the mysterious words in the envelope?
And what if the sealed envelope contains a _text_?