A VISIT TO DADDY HALL.
Next morning, Mr. Harvey told his sons that they might go to see an old
man, who lived in a small house, about two miles off, and who was so
sickly that he could not work. This old man's name was Hall, and the
boys of the school called him Daddy Hall. He had once been rich; but
sickness and misfortune had reduced him to poverty, so that he now lived
with his little son, in a small hut, near a hill. Every week he sent
fruit and vegetables to market, in a cart, drawn by a donkey, which some
of the neighbors had given to him. Every week Mr. Harvey sent either a
servant, or one of the boys, to see how he was getting along, and to
carry him something nice.
The two boys, with their cousin, were soon off, carrying with them a
basket full of things for the old man. They went by the road across the
meadows, and through a small gate in the hedge. Samuel observed, that
the hawthorn of the hedge grew very thick and close, so that a bird
could scarcely get through it. The roots and branches were twisted into
each other, appearing like strong, thick chains woven together; and on
the vines grew sharp thorns, longer than a needle. Mr. Harvey's boys
told their cousin, that neither man nor beast could get through such a
hedge; and that if a man were placed on the top, he could walk on the
vines without sinking down, they were so strong and close. "It would be
uneasy travelling, though," added John; "for his feet would be torn to
pieces by these spiky thorns."
They now left the hedge, and went on through two wide fields, until they
reached some hills that stood by themselves, and were steep and bare.
Three of them had deep pits dug in them, while piles of rock, stones,
and sand, were lying around. Samuel asked his cousins what place it was.
"It is an iron mine," said Thomas; but it is not worked any more,
because there is not enough of iron found to pay for the trouble. All
these stones lying about here are pieces of ore; but the quantity of
iron in them is so small that it will not pay for the expense of taking
it out from the ore."
"How is iron taken from the ore?" asked Samuel. Thomas replied:
"The ore is first crushed into coarse dust, and then washed. Afterwards
this dust is melted in a hot furnace, and the iron is separated from the
melted stone, or dross, in a manner which is very troublesome, and which
father can explain to you better than I can. Sometimes the ore is almost
all iron; John and I have some pieces in our cabinets, in which you
cannot see any stone."
"But did men go down this deep well?" asked Samuel.
"Yes; they were lowered down in buckets. And the water was pumped out by
a machine. The water was so cold, even in the middle of summer, that one
could scarcely hold his hand in it."
The boys began to throw stones down one of the wells, so that they might
guess by hearing them strike the bottom, how deep it was. The first
stones were too small to be heard; then they threw larger ones, and
listened, but could hear no sound. At last, John took up a piece of rock
as big as his head, and rolled it into the well. It fell with a hollow,
rumbling noise, and all was then still. The boys thought it had reached
the bottom; but all at once they heard it splash into water. Then the
boys knew that the well was very deep, for the stone had been falling
several seconds. They then hunted among the piles of ore for some
handsome pieces to give to Samuel; after which, they picked up their
basket, and hurried on toward Daddy Hall's.
On reaching his house, they found the old man sitting at the door, while
his son, a good boy, was preparing to take the donkey to market, with a
cart load of turnips, radishes, peas, beans, and cabbage. Daddy Hall was
pale and thin; but he arose to meet the boys, and seemed very glad to
see Samuel. Although he was sick almost every day, and sometimes
suffered great pain, yet no one ever heard him complain. He loved
children, and was very fond of talking to them; and before he grew so
weak and feeble, many of the farmers sent their little ones to him, to
learn to read. After they had been seated a little while, John asked him
if he did not get tired of staying in the house.
"Sometimes," said the old man, "I wish I could go out, as I once could,
and work for myself; but I do not feel tired. Besides, this is the best
condition I can be placed in; and if you ask me why, I will tell you.
God, my children, has placed me in it; and he knows what is best for
each of us. He has given me many comforts, kind friends, plenty to eat
and drink, and a son, who is one of the best of boys. There is nothing,
John, more cheering to the heart of an old man than the kindness of a
dutiful son; and let me ask each of you, to listen to the advice of one
who owns such a blessing, and always to show honor and respect to your
parents."
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