History of Sandford and Merton

Thomas Day

Description

pubOne.info thank you for your continued support and wish to present you this new edition. Description of Harry Sandford and Tommy Merton - Adventure with the Snake - Harry in Mr Merton's house - Mr Barlow undertakes the education of Tommy - The first day at Mr Barlow's - Story of the Flies and the Ants - Harry rescues a Chicken from a Kite - Story of the Gentleman and the Basket-maker - Tommy learns to read - Story of the two dogs.

Informations

• Publié par: Pub One Info
• Date de parution: 23 octobre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9782819916604
• Langue: English

Extrait

CHAPTER I.
Description of Harry Sandford and Tommy Merton –Adventure with the Snake – Harry in Mr Merton's house – Mr Barlowundertakes the education of Tommy – The first day at Mr Barlow's –Story of the Flies and the Ants – Harry rescues a Chicken from aKite – Story of the Gentleman and the Basket-maker – Tommy learnsto read – Story of the two dogs.
In the western part of England lived a gentleman ofgreat fortune, whose name was Merton. He had a large estate in theIsland of Jamaica, where he had passed the greater part of hislife, and was master of many servants, who cultivated sugar andother valuable things for his advantage. He had only one son, ofwhom he was excessively fond; and to educate this child properlywas the reason of his determining to stay some years in England.Tommy Merton, who, at the time he came from Jamaica, was only sixyears old, was naturally a very good-tempered boy, butunfortunately had been spoiled by too much indulgence. While helived in Jamaica, he had several black servants to wait upon him,who were forbidden upon any account to contradict him. If hewalked, there always went two negroes with him; one of whom carrieda large umbrella to keep the sun from him, and the other was tocarry him in his arms whenever he was tired. Besides this, he wasalways dressed in silk or laced clothes, and had a fine gildedcarriage, which was borne upon men's shoulders, in which he madevisits to his play-fellows. His mother was so excessively fond ofhim that she gave him everything he cried for, and would never lethim learn to read because he complained that it made his headache.
The consequence of this was, that, though MasterMerton had everything he wanted, he became very fretful andunhappy. Sometimes he ate sweetmeats till he made himself sick, andthen he suffered a great deal of pain, because he would not takebitter physic to make him well. Sometimes he cried for things thatit was impossible to give him, and then, as he had never been usedto be contradicted, it was many hours before he could be pacified.When any company came to dine at the house, he was always to behelped first, and to have the most delicate parts of the meat,otherwise he would make such a noise as disturbed the wholecompany. When his father and mother were sitting at the tea-tablewith their friends, instead of waiting till they were at leisure toattend him, he would scramble upon the table, seize the cake andbread and butter, and frequently overset the tea-cups. By thesepranks he not only made himself disagreeable to everybody else, butoften met with very dangerous accidents. Frequently did he cuthimself with knives, at other times throw heavy things upon hishead, and once he narrowly escaped being scalded to death by akettle of boiling water. He was also so delicately brought up, thathe was perpetually ill; the least wind or rain gave him a cold, andthe least sun was sure to throw him into a fever. Instead ofplaying about, and jumping, and running like other children, he wastaught to sit still for fear of spoiling his clothes, and to stayin the house for fear of injuring his complexion. By this kind ofeducation, when Master Merton came over to England he could neitherwrite nor read, nor cipher; he could use none of his limbs withease, nor bear any degree of fatigue; but he was very proud,fretful, and impatient.
Very near to Mr Merton's seat lived a plain, honestfarmer, whose name was Sandford. This man had, like Mr Merton, anonly son, not much older than Master Merton, whose name was Harry.Harry, as he had been always accustomed to run about in the fields,to follow the labourers while they were ploughing, and to drive thesheep to their pasture, was active, strong, hardy, andfresh-coloured. He was neither so fair, nor so delicately shaped asMaster Merton; but he had an honest good-natured countenance, whichmade everybody love him; was never out of humour, and took thegreatest pleasure in obliging everybody. If little Harry saw a poorwretch who wanted victuals, while he was eating his dinner, he wassure to give him half, and sometimes the whole: nay, so verygood-natured was he to everything, that he would never go into thefields to take the eggs of poor birds, or their young ones, norpractise any other kind of sport which gave pain to poor animals,who are as capable of feeling as we ourselves, though they have nowords to express their sufferings. Once, indeed, Harry was caughttwirling a cock-chafer round, which he had fastened by a crookedpin to a long piece of thread: but then this was through ignoranceand want of thought; for, as soon as his father told him that thepoor helpless insect felt as much, or more than he would do, were aknife thrust through his hand, he burst into tears, and took thepoor animal home, where he fed him during a fortnight upon freshleaves; and when he was perfectly recovered, turned him out toenjoy liberty and fresh air. Ever since that time, Harry was socareful and considerate, that he would step out of the way for fearof hurting a worm, and employed himself in doing kind offices toall the animals in the neighbourhood. He used to stroke the horsesas they were at work, and fill his pockets with acorns for thepigs; if he walked in the fields, he was sure to gather greenboughs for the sheep, who were so fond of him that they followedhim wherever he went. In the winter time, when the ground wascovered with frost and snow, and the poor little birds could get atno food, he would often go supperless to bed, that he might feedthe robin-redbreasts; even toads, and frogs, and spiders, and suchkinds of disagreeable animals, which most people destroy whereverthey find them, were perfectly safe with Harry; he used to say,they had a right to live as well as we, and that it was cruel andunjust to kill creatures, only because we did not like them.
These sentiments made little Harry a great favouritewith everybody, particularly with the clergyman of the parish, whobecame so fond of him that he taught him to read and write, and hadhim almost always with him. Indeed, it was not surprising that MrBarlow showed so particular an affection for him; for besideslearning, with the greatest readiness, everything that was taughthim, little Harry was the most honest, obliging creature in theworld. He was never discontented, nor did he ever grumble, whateverhe was desired to do. And then you might believe Harry ineverything he said; for though he could have gained a plum-cake bytelling an untruth, and was sure that speaking the truth wouldexpose him to a severe whipping, he never hesitated in declaringit. Nor was he like many other children, who place their wholehappiness in eating: for give him but a morsel of dry bread for hisdinner, and he would be satisfied, though you placed sweetmeats andfruit, and every other nicety, in his way.
With this little boy did Master Merton becomeacquainted in the following manner: – As he and the maid were oncewalking in the fields on a fine summer's morning, divertingthemselves with gathering different kinds of wild flowers, andrunning after butterflies, a large snake, on a sudden, started upfrom among some long grass, and coiled itself round little Tommy'sleg. You may imagine the fright they were both in at this accident;the maid ran away shrieking for help, while the child, who was inan agony of terror, did not dare to stir from the place where hewas standing. Harry, who happened to be walking near the place,came running up, and asked what was the matter. Tommy, who wassobbing most piteously, could not find words to tell him, butpointed to his leg, and made Harry sensible of what had happened.Harry, who, though young, was a boy of a most courageous spirit,told him not to be frightened; and instantly seizing the snake bythe neck, with as much dexterity as resolution, tore him fromTommy's leg, and threw him to a great distance off.
Just as this happened, Mrs Merton and all thefamily, alarmed by the servant's cries, came running breathless tothe place, as Tommy was recovering his spirits, and thanking hisbrave little deliverer. Her first emotions were to catch herdarling up in her arms, and, after giving him a thousand kisses, toask him whether he had received any hurt. "No," said Tommy, "indeedI have not, mamma; but I believe that nasty ugly beast would havebitten me, if that little boy had not come and pulled him off.""And who are you, my dear," said she, "to whom we are all soobliged?" "Harry Sandford, madam." "Well, my child, you are a dear,brave little creature, and you shall go home and dine with us.""No, thank you, madam; my father will want me." "And who is yourfather, my sweet boy?" "Farmer Sandford, madam, that lives at thebottom of the hill." "Well, my dear, you shall be my childhenceforth; will you?" "If you please, madam, if I may have my ownfather and mother, too."
Mrs Merton instantly despatched a servant to thefarmer's; and, taking little Harry by the hand, she led him to themansion-house, where she found Mr Merton whom she entertained witha long account of Tommy's danger and Harry's bravery.
Harry was now in a new scene of life. He was carriedthrough costly apartments, where everything that could please theeye, or contribute to convenience, was assembled. He saw largelooking-glasses in gilded frames, carved tables and chairs,curtains made of the finest silk, and the very plates and knivesand forks were of silver. At dinner he was placed close to MrsMerton, who took care to supply him with the choicest bits, andengaged him to eat, with the most endearing kindness; but, to theastonishment of everybody, he neither appeared pleased norsurprised at anything he saw. Mrs Merton could not conceal herdisappointment; for, as she had always been used to a great degreeof finery herself, she had expected it should make the sameimpression upon everybody else. At last, seeing him eye a smallsilver cup with great attention, out of which he had been drinking,she asked him whether he