Owen"s Fortune.
by Mrs. F. West.
CHAPTER I.
THE RESOLVE.
It was a lovely fresh autumn afternoon; there were still a few blossoms in the cottage gardens, and the leaves which were left on the trees were coloured rich crimson and gold and brown, causing them to look almost like flowers ere they dropped off the branches to make room for the young buds that were swelling underneath, and silently preparing for the spring.
But two boys, who were in the woods just outside the village, were far too occupied to notice the leaves. They were searching for nuts; and a basket on the ground, already more than half filled, showed that their search had not been in vain. The younger of the two, Owen Hadleigh, was a fine, strong, intelligent boy of about fourteen years of age; his bright, dark eye was full of merriment as he laughingly told his companion he intended to make his fortune.
"Over these nuts?" asked Sam, ironically.
"Now look here, Sam Netherclift, you can laugh; I don"t care for that.
But I intend to make my fortune one day, and be a rich man."
"Like Squire Rowland?"
"Maybe; why not? I can work and earn it all."
"A likely thing!" laughed Sam; "and your father only a village schoolmaster."
"You"d better not laugh at my father," returned Owen, hotly; "there isn"t a better man in the world than he is, and I intend to share all my fortune with him."
"How are you going to make it?"
"I don"t know yet;" and Owen"s face rather fell, for he had talked so confidently of what he would do, that Sam naturally would expect he had some sort of a plan, and he did not wish him to think he was only building castles in the air. But he added, bravely, "There are more ways than one of making a fortune, and I "ll try something yet. Father says Squire Rowland made his money by inventing a new dye, some bright colour no one had thought of before, and now he is rolling in riches. So I shall be sure to find some way of making money, never fear."
"When you have found out what to do, let me know, and I will come and help you," said Sam, laughing. He was a thorough boy, and had no thought beyond the present, though he was older than his companion, and had already to work on his father"s farm.
But the conversation was suddenly interrupted by a squirrel, who flew rapidly up a branch just before them. Owen sprang to the tree, and made a dart after the little creature, but though he could not catch it, it had done him good service, for it had led him to a tree he had not noticed before, and which was covered with cl.u.s.ters of nuts.
"Hurrah!" shouted Owen, "here"s the beginning of the fortune!"
Sam, of course, hastened to help, and to take his share, and both boys were too much engaged for the next hour to have any more lengthened conversation. As it grew dusk they started for home, carrying the basket between them, well pleased with the result of their afternoon"s work.
The schoolhouse, with the adjoining cottage for the schoolmaster, stood somewhat apart from the other houses. Both buildings were almost covered with ivy and monthly roses, some of which were even now blooming, though it was late in the year. The little garden in front of the cottage was trim and tidy, though all was still and quiet as the boys pushed the gate open and went in. Owen"s mother had died before he could remember, but his father had so loved and cared for his only child, that the boy realised no loss or want. His father was everything to him, and he repaid his care with most grateful love. The two lived alone in the rose-covered cottage, and did the needful work, with the help of a woman who came in twice a-week to do the washing and set things straight in general. She was in the kitchen when the boys went in.
"Is that you, Owen?" she said, raising her voice, that he might hear her in the front parlour.
"Yes, Mrs. Mitch.e.l.l, it"s all right; it is only me and Sam. Where is father?" he added, going into the kitchen, where she was busily ironing.
"He"s gone to Allenbury," she answered shortly.
"Gone to town! He never said anything about going!" exclaimed the boy, with surprise, for his father mostly made him his confidant in everything.
"He"ll be back in good time; he said he had to go on particular business." And Mrs. Mitch.e.l.l turned back to her ironing, as if she did not care to be questioned.
Owen looked at her anxiously, but he did not speak again, and returned to the next room with a somewhat saddened face. He had noticed that his father was not quite himself lately, and he feared that there was some trouble pressing on him, that he should go off to Allenbury like this, without saying a word.
Sam was already dividing the nuts, and in this interesting occupation Owen soon forgot his anxiety, and was laughing and joking with his friend, as if there was no such thing as trouble in the world.
"Well," said Sam at last, "I must go, I suppose; I have those cows to see after, and father is pretty strict if I don"t attend them well. It"s fine to be you, having your time to yourself, and nothing to do."
"Nothing to do!" echoed Owen. "Why, I"ve no idle time, I can tell you. I have the water to fetch in, and the wood to chop, and the garden to see to, besides my lessons, and father is very particular about them."
"When are you going to leave school? You are near fourteen, are you not?
I left when I was twelve. Shall you go to school when you are a man?"
Owen laughed. "Father wants me to learn all I can; he says we can"t have too much education, and if I want to make a fortune, I must gather all knowledge I can now."
"How will geography, and sums, and history help you to make your fortune?"
"I don"t know _how_, but I suppose they all come in. If I didn"t know anything of geography, how could I trade with foreign countries, or know where to write for the stuff I wanted? And how could I tell whether they were cheating me or not, if I couldn"t add up my sums? I should like to learn foreign languages too, to be able to talk to the merchants myself; but father does not know any language but English."
Sam looked wonderingly at his young companion"s eager face. He did not care for education himself, and he could not understand the desire for it in Owen. He had pa.s.sed through school, as do many, learning just so much as he was obliged, and no more. Though he could read and write, it was very seldom he took up either book or pen, spending his time in wandering about the lanes and woods when he was released from the farm duties which fell to his share. He was a good-natured, pleasant companion, but could in no way share Owen"s aspirations, though it amused him to listen to them.
When he was gone, Owen took up a book in order to study his lessons for the next day, but the fading light soon drove him into the brighter region of the fire. The warm glow spread itself all over the little kitchen, and even the snowy linen on the table looked attractive as it grew gradually smoother and fairer under Mrs. Mitch.e.l.l"s experienced hands. Owen watched her a while from the chimney-corner, and presently he said--
"It must be very nice to iron, Mrs. Mitch.e.l.l; to see the things that look all rough, and uncomfortable, and damp, smoothing themselves out under your hand, and looking pleasant and happy."
Mrs. Mitch.e.l.l was a character in her way, and had many thoughts under her somewhat stern face, but it had never occurred to her that the clothes were any happier for being ironed.
"I expect it is you who are happier for seeing the things smooth, Owen,"
she said; "it makes no difference to them, of course. But it do make a great difference to us to have things nice about us. I suppose that is the reason the dear Lord says, "Whatsoever things are lovely, ... think on these things.""
"Do you think that G.o.d cares about our having things nice and pretty?"
"Why, my dear, of course I do. Do you think G.o.d would have taken all the trouble to put so much beauty into the world if He hadn"t meant us to love it and enjoy it? See what lots of flowers He has given us, and such beautiful colours, even turning the leaves bright for us when the flowers are going. And when the snow comes down, He arranges it as beautiful as possible, making the very frost trace delicate patterns on the windows, and on the ground."
"Yes, I know," said Owen, eagerly; "father was reading to me yesterday how that every snow-flake is a crystal."
"Ah, I expect the more you search into G.o.d"s works, the more beauty you will find, Owen." The good woman went on busily with her work as she spoke, presently adding, "I think, too, that G.o.d"s children should always try to have things nice and pleasant about them, at least, as far as may be. I know that a struggling woman, with a lot of little children, can"t have things as nice as she would. But every one may be clean, and if all did their best, the world would look different to what it does now."
"Mrs. Mitch.e.l.l, I am going to do my best, and make my fortune one day."
"I am very glad, Owen; I hope you will."
"Do you? That is kind of you. Sam Netherclift laughs, and thinks I shall never do it."
"You may do it, if you seek it in the right way. There are two sorts of fortune, Owen. I hope you"ll get the better."
"Two sorts! What are they?"
"One is a fortune of riches that take to themselves wings, and soon fly away; and the other sort is "durable riches.""