PROGRESS.
Charlie now possessed what in those days was considered a handsome
property.
As the spring came on, he made sugar, and determined to cut and burn
the growth of white maple, birch, and ash that covered the flat, that
he might have field pasturage, and indulge his taste for farming. But
his plans were brought to a sudden termination, and the land was to be
cleared in a manner quite different from that which he had anticipated.
About four o’clock one afternoon, as he and Ricker were grinding their
axes, in preparation for the morrow, Ben, Captain Rhines, Uncle Isaac,
and Fred landed in the cove. As Charlie went to meet them, Fred held up
a letter.
“We’ve come to set you to work,” said Captain Rhines. “We were afraid
that, living here by yourself, with plenty of money, you would get
rusty and lazy.”
“I was afraid I should myself, and so am getting ready to go into the
woods. Come, go into the house, all of you.”
The letter was from Isaac. He was at Cadiz, waiting for a cargo of salt.
“He says he wants a larger vessel; that the demand is for large spars
for men-of-war, lower masts, yards, and bowsprits; that he can’t carry
them in that vessel, and that the few he did carry he had to run over
the rail forward and aft, and he liked to have lost his vessel going
out by one getting adrift.”
“How large a vessel does he want, Captain Rhines?” asked Charlie.
“Seven hundred tons,--a proper mast ship,--large enough to carry
real whoppers, one hundred and eight feet long and thirty-six inches
through, with a port at each end big enough to drive in a yoke of oxen.”
Neither Charlie, nor even Fred, who thought the Hard-Scrabble a monster
for size, seemed startled by this.
“Is he in a hurry for her?”
“No; he said he wanted you to be thinking about it; and he will let the
masts alone, and take fish, boards, and staves to Madeira, or some of
the Danish islands.”
“I will go to cutting the timber to-morrow. I’d rather cut it into
ship-timber than burn it. It won’t be fifty rods from the yard. As I am
clearing, I can save what I come across, and set up the vessel in the
fall, if he is in no hurry. Who’ll be the owners?”
“Mr. Welch, Ben, Uncle Isaac, myself, and you ‘Hard-Scrabble boys.’
There’s eight of us. We’ll all own alike. Give her a hard-wood floor,
white oak top, buy the timber of you, and take her at the bills.”
“I’m agreed. What’s the dimensions?”
“I’ve got them here. Isaac has seen an English mast ship out there, and
sent home her proportions. But you must build a two-story frame-house
first to lodge your men. You’ll want fifty or sixty men before you get
through.”
“I can get along with a log house--make it bigger. Some can sleep in
the barn in warm weather. I want something else a great deal more than
I do a frame-house.”
“What is that?” asked Ben.
“A saw-mill right on this brook, where I can saw all my deck, ceiling,
outboard plank, and waterways.”
“That’s a fact,” said Uncle Isaac. “I go in for a mill. I’ll build in
it, and work on it.”
“I hope you won’t have a wooden crank,” said Fred.
“Nor tread back with the foot,” said Ben, “like this old rattle-trap on
the river.”
“There’s water and fall enough,” said Captain Rhines; “and we’ll
have an iron crank if we send to England for it, and all the modern
improvements. I move that Charlie, Ricker, Yelf, and Joe Griffin go
to work hewing the timber; and that we send Uncle Isaac off to the
westward to learn the new improvements, and come home and build it.”
Having agreed upon all these matters, they separated; and that is what
became of Charlie’s farming that year.
The pond, of which the brook was an outlet, furnishing a steady supply
of water, not affected by droughts, offered a splendid mill privilege.
The dam was almost built by nature, and the labor of constructing the
whole was greatly lessened, as the timber grew upon the spot.
Instead of going to work upon the mill, Charlie, who knew that the
moment it was noised abroad that a mill was to be built on the outlet
to Beaver Pond, the price of timber land in the immediate vicinity
would rise, started off to Portsmouth, where the proprietor lived, and
bought the whole lot, between him and Joe Griffin, which was heavily
timbered with pine and hard wood. It was not the desire of speculation
that influenced him: he wanted ship-timber, spars, and lumber, and
didn’t want to strip all the forest from his home farm. Charlie loved
the trees: a bare and barren landscape had no charms for him.
Uncle Isaac did not go to the westward to see the new improvements, but
to Thomaston, where General Knox (with whom he was acquainted, having
served under him in the war of independence) was building mills, and
making all kinds of improvements.
The general, who was a noble, hospitable man, received Uncle Isaac most
cordially, took him to his house, and gave him every facility in his
power. He looked over the mills, made his observations, and took plans
of the machinery, came home, and went to work.
Ricker now proved a most valuable man: he had been accustomed to mill
work, and knew how to take care of a saw. Since his reformation, he had
renewed his engagement, broken off by his loose habits. He went home,
got married, took charge of the mill, and went to sawing out plank for
the vessel.
Charlie built a first-rate frame blacksmith’s shop, with a brick
chimney. John came home, bringing a complete set of tools.
Fred was fully occupied in getting fish ready to send in the
“Hard-Scrabble” to Madeira, and exceedingly interested in some timber
Ricker was sawing to order in the mill, and a cellar Uncle Sam Elwell
was stoning not far from his store.
It was snapping times now all round, everybody on the clean jump from
morning to night. The mill was going night and day, and the short click
of the saw rang in the still midnight through the old woods, that had
before echoed only to the war-whoop of the red man, or the blows of the
settler’s axe.
The younger portion of the community were wide awake, ready for
anything, and a spirit of emulation was rife among them. Walter
Griffin, Fred’s clerk, kicked out of the traces at once; he went to
Fred, and said, “Mr. Williams, I must leave.”
“Leave!” cried Fred, in amazement. “What for?”
“I want to go to sea.”
Fred more than liked Walter: he loved him; he was a splendid boy,
industrious, trustworthy, and smart; but his wrist-joints were three
inches below the sleeve of his jacket, for his mother couldn’t make
clothes as fast as he grew.
“Why, Walter, I didn’t dream of your ever leaving me. I want you, when
you are older, to go into business with me. Don’t you like me?”
The tears came into the boy’s eyes in a moment.
“_Like_ you, Mr. Williams! My own father ain’t nearer to me: you’ve
done everything for me; but, Mr. Williams, I never was made to weigh
flour, measure molasses and cloth; it don’t agree with our kind of
people. I can’t stand it; I shall die: indeed I can’t.”
“But you wouldn’t leave me now, when I have so much to do?”
“Not by any means, sir. I don’t want to go till the big ship is done.”
“I think you’ll miss it, Walter.”
“I don’t, sir. I don’t see why I can’t do as well at sea as Isaac
Murch. I’ll leave it to Uncle Isaac.”
“Uncle Isaac, he’s always ready to shove any boy ahead.”
“Didn’t you like to have him shove you ahead when you was a boy, sir?”
That was a thrust which Fred knew not how to parry, and he was silent.
“Don’t feel so bad, Mr. Williams. My brother William is only eighteen
months younger than I am; he would like to come in here, and would get
well broke in before I shall want to go.”
“But he’s a Griffin, too,” said Fred, despondingly, “and will clear out
just as he becomes useful.”
When the ship was ready for sea, half the boys in the neighborhood
wanted to go in her. Isaac took four, and several young men, who had
been some in coasters, as ordinary seamen.
She was called the Casco.
Fred was married to Elizabeth Rhines the day before she sailed, the
wedding being somewhat hastened, in order that Isaac might be present.
This was a most eventful year. Uncle Isaac, one Saturday night, created
surprise enough by riding down to the store with his wife in a wagon,
the first one that had ever been seen in the place.
“You’ve got yourself into business, Isaac,” said the captain. “Either
you or Charlie have got to make me one this winter.”
“Then I must do it, Benjamin; for Charlie’s got enough to do this
winter to take care of that baby.”
Seth Warren assumed command of the Hard-Scrabble, that still continued
to make money for her owners, who built more vessels, and acquired
property, of which they made a most praiseworthy use, in affording
employment to others, and doing all in their power to promote the
welfare of society; and the prosperity and happiness of hundreds
resulted from that pile of boards Captain Rhines navigated to Cuba; and
fleet and beautiful vessels, visiting the most distant seas, were the
successors of the Hard-Scrabble.
OLIVER OPTIC’S
ARMY and NAVY STORIES.
A Library for Young and Old, in six volumes. 16mo. Illustrated. Per
vol., $1.50.
=The Sailor Boy=, or Jack Somers in the Navy.
=The Yankee Middy=, or Adventures of a Naval Officer.
=Brave Old Salt=, or Life on the Quarter Deck.
=The Soldier Boy=, or Tom Somers in the Army.
=The Young Lieutenant=, or The Adventures of an Army Officer.
=Fighting Joe=, or the Fortunes of a Staff Officer.
“The writings of Oliver Optic are the most peculiarly fitted for
juvenile readers of any works now published. There is a freshness
and vivacity about them which is very engaging to older readers.
The benefit which a young mind will obtain from reading the healthy
descriptions, full of zest and life, and, withal, containing a great
deal of very useful information, is almost incalculable.”--_Toledo
Blade._
=LEE & SHEPARD=, Publishers, Boston.
* * * * *
OLIVER OPTIC’S
MAGAZINE.
OLIVER OPTIC, Editor.
PUBLISHED IN WEEKLY AND MONTHLY PARTS.
Each number contains:
Part of a NEW STORY, by the Editor.
STORIES and SKETCHES, by popular authors.
An ORIGINAL DIALOGUE.
A DECLAMATION.
PUZZLES, REBUSES, &c.
=_All Handsomely Illustrated._=
TERMS: $2.50 per Year; $1.25 for Six Months; 6 cts. per number.
Subscribers can receive it either in Monthly or Weekly parts.
☞ =Remember, this Magazine contains more reading matter
than any other juvenile magazine published.=
Specimen copies sent free by mail on application.
=LEE & SHEPARD=, Publishers, Boston.
* * * * *
OLIVER OPTIC’S
RIVERDALE STORIES.
Twelve volumes. Profusely illustrated from new designs by Billings. In
neat box.
Cloth. Per vol., =45c.=
Little Merchant.
Young Voyagers.
Christmas Gift.
Dolly and I.
Uncle Ben.
Birthday Party.
Proud and Lazy.
Careless Kate.
Robinson Crusoe, Jr.
The Picnic Party.
The Gold Thimble.
The Do-Somethings.
“Anxious mothers who wish to keep their boys out of mischief, will
do well to keep their hands filled with one of the numerous volumes
of Oliver Optic. They all have a good moral, are full of fascinating
incidents mingled with instruction, and teach that straight-forwardness
is best.”--_News._
=LEE & SHEPARD=, Publishers, Boston.
* * * * *
OLIVER OPTIC’S
YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD.
A Library of Travel and Adventure in Foreign Lands. 16mo. Illustrated
by Nast, Stevens, Perkins, and others.
Per volume, =$1.50.=
=Outward Bound=, or Young America Afloat.
=Shamrock & Thistle=, or Young America in Ireland and Scotland.
=Red Cross=, or Young America in England and Wales.
=Dikes & Ditches=, or Young America in Holland and Belgium.
=Palace & Cottage=, or Young America in France and Switzerland.
=Down the Rhine=, or Young America in Germany.
“These are by far the most instructive books written by this popular
author, and while maintaining throughout enough of excitement and
adventure to enchain the interest of the youthful reader, there is
still a great amount of information conveyed respecting the history,
natural features, and geography of this far-off land, and the
peculiarities of the places and people which they contain.”--_Gazette._
=LEE & SHEPARD=, Publishers, Boston.
OLIVER OPTIC’S
LAKE SHORE SERIES.
SIX VOLS., ILLUST. PER VOL., $1.25.
* * * * *
=Through by Daylight=; Or, The Young Engineer of the Lake Shore
Railroad.
=Lightning Express=; Or, The Rival Academies.
=On Time=; Or, The Young Captain of the Ucayga Steamer.
=Switch Off=; Or, The War of the Students.
=Brake Up=; Or, The Young Peacemakers.
=Bear and Forbear=; Or, The Young Skipper of Lake Ucayga.
Oliver Optic owes his popularity to a pleasant style, and to a ready
sympathy with the dreams, hopes, aspirations, and fancies of the young
people for whom he writes. He writes like a wise, overgrown boy, and
his books have therefore a freshness and raciness rarely attained by
his fellow scribes.--_Christian Advocate._
=LEE & SHEPARD=, Publishers, Boston.
* * * * *
OLIVER OPTIC’S
BOAT CLUB SERIES.
SIX VOLS., ILLUST. PER VOL., $1.25.
=The Boat Club=; Or, The Bunkers of Rippleton.
=All Aboard=; Or, Life on the Lake.
=Now or Never=; Or, the Adventures of Bobby Bright.
=Try Again=; Or, The Trials and Triumphs of Harry West.
=Poor and Proud=; Or, The Fortunes of Katy Redburn.
=Little by Little=; Or The Cruise of the Flyaway.
Boys and girls have no taste for dry and tame things; they want
something that will stir the blood and warm the heart. Optic always
does this, while at the same time he improves the taste and elevates
the moral nature. The coming generation of men will never know how much
they are indebted for what is pure and enobling to his writings.--_R.
I. Schoolmate._
=LEE & SHEPARD=, Publishers, Boston.
* * * * *
OLIVER OPTIC’S
STARRY FLAG SERIES.
SIX VOLS., ILLUST. PER VOL., $1.25.
=The Starry Flag=; Or, The Young Fisherman of Cape Ann.
=Breaking Away=; Or, The Fortunes of a Student.
=Seek and Find=; Or, The Adventures of a Smart Boy.
=Freaks of Fortune=; Or, Half Round the World.
=Make or Break=; Or, The Rich Man’s Daughter.
=Down the River=; Or, Buck Bradford and his Tyrants.
These books are exciting narratives, and full of stirring adventures,
but the youthful heroes of the stories are noble, self-sacrificing, and
courageous, and the stories contain nothing which will do injury to the
mind or heart of the youthful reader.--_Webster Times._
=LEE & SHEPARD=, Publishers, Boston.
* * * * *
OLIVER OPTIC’S
WOODVILLE STORIES.
SIX VOLS., ILLUST. PER VOL.,, $1.25.
=Rich and Humble=; Or, The Mission of Bertha Grant.
=In School and Out=; Or, the Conquest of Richard Grant.
=Watch and Wait=; Or, The Young Fugitives.
=Work and Win=; Or, Noddy Newman on a Cruise.
=Hope and Have=; Or, Fanny Grant among the Indians.
=Haste and Waste=; Or, The Young Pilot of Lake Champlain.
Oliver Optic is the apostolic successor, at the “Hub,” of Peter Parley.
He has just completed the “Woodville Stories,” by the publication of
“Haste and Waste.” The best notice to give of them is to mention that a
couple of youngsters pulled them out of the pile two hours since, and
are yet devouring them out in the summer-house (albeit autumn leaves
cover it) oblivious to muffin time.--_N. Y. Leader._
=LEE & SHEPARD=, Publishers, Boston.
REV. ELIJAH KELLOGG’S
ELM ISLAND STORIES.
Six vols. 16mo. Illustrated. Per vol., $1.25.
1. Lion Ben of Elm Island.
2. Charlie Bell.
3. The Ark of Elm Island.
4. The Boy Farmers of Elm Island.
5. The Young Shipbuilders of Elm Island.
6. The Hardscrabble of Elm Island.
“There is no sentimentalism in this series. It is all downright
matter-of-fact boy life, and of course they are deeply interested in
reading it. The history of pioneer life is so attractive that one
involuntarily wishes to renew those early struggles with adverse
circumstances, and join the busy actors in their successful efforts to
build up pleasant homes on our sea-girt islands.”--_Zion’s Herald._
=LEE & SHEPARD=, Publishers, Boston.
* * * * *
_Wonderful Stories._
JUTLAND SERIES.
Four vols. Illustrated. Set in a neat box, or sold separate. Per vol.,
$1.50.
=The Sand Hills of Jutland.= By Hans Christian Andersen. 16mo.
Illustrated.
=Yarns of an Old Mariner.= By Mrs. Mary Cowden Clarke. Illustrated by
Cruikshank. 16mo.
=Schoolboy Days.= By W. H. G. Kingston. 16mo. Sixteen illustrations.
=Great Men and Gallant Deeds.= By J. G. Edgar. 16mo. Illustrated.
Four books by four noted authors comprise this series, which contains
Adventures by Sea and Land, Manly Sports of England, Boy Life in
English Schools, Fairy Tales and Legends,--all handsomely illustrated.
=LEE & SHEPARD=, Publishers, Boston.
* * * * *
_Illustrated Natural History._
YOUNG HUNTER’S LIBRARY.
By MRS. R. LEE. Four volumes. Illustrated. Per vol., $1.50.
=The Australian Wanderers.= The Adventures of Captain Spencer and his
Horse and Dog in the Wilds of Australia.
=The African Crusoes.= The Adventures of Carlos and Antonio in the
Wilds of Africa.
=Anecdotes of Animals,= With their Habits, Instincts, &c., &c.
=Anecdotes of Birds, Fishes, Reptiles=, &c., their Habits and Instincts.
This is a very popular series, prepared for the purpose of interesting
the young in the study of natural history. The exciting adventures of
celebrated travellers, anecdotes of sagacity in birds, beasts, &c.,
have been interwoven in a pleasant manner. This series is not only very
interesting but is decidedly profitable reading.
=LEE & SHEPARD=, Publishers, Boston.
* * * * *
_The Great West._
THE FRONTIER SERIES.
Four vols. Illustrated. Per vol., $1.25.
Twelve Nights in the Hunters’ Camp.
A Thousand Miles’ Walk Across South America.
The Cabin on the Prairie.
Planting the Wilderness.
“The romance surrounding the adventurous lives of Western pioneers and
immigrants has suggested nearly as many stories as the chivalric deeds
of knight-errantry. These tales of frontier life are, however, as a
rule, characterized by such wildness of fancy and such extravagancy
of language that we have often wondered why another Cervantes did not
ridicule our border romances by describing a second Don Quixote’s
adventures on the prairies. We are pleased to notice, that in the new
series of Frontier Tales, by Lee & Shepard, there is an agreeable
absence of sensational writing, of that maudlin sentimentality which
make the generality of such tales nauseous.”--_Standard._
=LEE & SHEPARD=, Publishers, Boston.
MISS LOUISE M. THURSTON’S
CHARLEY ROBERTS SERIES.
To be completed in six vols. Illustrated. Per volume, $1.
How Charley Roberts Became a Man.
How Eva Roberts Gained Her Education.
Charley and Eva’s Home in the West.
(_Others in Preparation._)
In presenting the above new series the publishers believe that they are
adding to that class of juvenile literature whose intrinsic worth is
recognized by those who have at heart the good of the young.
“They are pleasantly written books, descriptive of the struggles and
difficulties of Charley and Eva in attaining to manhood and womanhood,
and they are well adapted to stimulate a noble ambition in the hearts
of young persons.”
=LEE & SHEPARD=, Publishers, Boston.
* * * * *
“Varied and Attractive.”
VACATION STORY-BOOKS.
Six vols. Illust. Per vol., 80 cts.
Worth not Wealth.
Country Life.
The Charm.
Karl Keigler.
Walter Seyton.
Holidays at Chestnut Hill.
* * * * *
ROSY DIAMOND STORY-BOOKS.
Six volumes. Illustrated. Per vol., 80 cts.
The Great Rosy Diamond.
Daisy, or The Fairy Spectacles.
Violet, a Fairy Story.
Minnie, or The Little Woman.
The Angel Children.
Little Blossom’s Reward.
These are delightful works for children. They are all very popular, and
have had a wide circulation. They are now presented in a new dress. The
stories are all amusing and instructive, exhibiting human nature in
children, and teaching some very important practical lessons.
=LEE & SHEPARD=, Publishers, Boston.
* * * * *
MAY MANNERING’S
HELPING HAND SERIES.
Six volumes. Illustrated. Per volume, $1.
Climbing the Rope.
Billy Grimes’s Favorite.
The Cruise of the Dashaway.
The Little Spaniard.
Salt Water Dick.
Little Maid of Oxbow.
“‘May Mannering’ is the _nom de plume_ of an agreeable writer for
the young folks who possesses more than ordinary ability, and has a
thorough comprehension of the way to interest children.”--_Philadelphia
Item._
“We like the spirit of these books exceedingly, and cordially commend
it to the notice of Sabbath School Libraries.”--_Ladies’ Repository._
=LEE & SHEPARD=, Publishers, Boston.
* * * * *
“Fascinating and Instructive.”
THE PROVERB SERIES.
BY MRS. M. E. BRADLEY AND MISS KATE J. NEELY.
Six vols. Illust. Per vol., $1.
Birds of a Feather.
Fine Feathers do Not make Fine Birds.
Handsome is that Handsome does.
A Wrong Confessed is half Redressed.
Actions speak louder than Words.
One Good Turn deserves another.
“Each volume is complete in itself, and illustrates, with a story of
most fascinating and instructive interest, the proverb taken for its
title. These are just the kind of books that we like to see in a family
or Sunday-school library. They will be read by persons of all ages with
deep interest, and afford instructive and entertaining conversation
with the children.”--_S. S. Journal._
=LEE & SHEPARD=, Publishers, Boston.
[Transcriber’s Note:
Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation are as in the original.]
End of Project Gutenberg's The Hard-Scrabble of Elm Island, by Elijah Kellogg