class="x-ebookmaker-pageno" title="[Pg 8]"/> of what he had seen during his youth; the battles and sieges he had been witness to, and the hardships he had undergone; all this he related with so much life, that Jack was never tired of listening. But what delighted him beyond measure, was to see his daddy shoulder his crutch, instead of a musket, and give the word of command. To the right—to the left—present—fire—march—halt. All this was familiar to Jack’s ear as soon as he could speak, and before he was six years old, he poized and presented a broom-stick, which his daddy gave him for that purpose, with as good a grace as any soldier of his age in Europe.

The old man too instructed him in such plain and simple morals and religion as he was able to explain. “Never tell an untruth, Jack,” said he, “even though you were to be flayed alive; a soldier ought never to tell a lie. Never blaspheme the name of your Maker. Never injure your neighbour, either by abusing his character, defrauding him of his property, or doing any harm to his person. In short, love and fear God; love your neighbour as yourself; and honour the King.” Jack held up his head, marched across the floor, and promised his daddy that he would always do so. But the old man, as he was something of a scholar, had a great ambition that his darling should learn to read and write; and this was a work of some difficulty, for he had neither printed book, nor pens, nor paper in his cabin. Industry, however, enables us to overcome difficulties; in the summer time, as the old man sat before his cottage, he would draw letters in the sand, and teach Jack to name them singly, until he was acquainted with the whole alphabet. He then proceeded to syllables, and after that to words: all which his little pupil learned to pronounce with great facility: and, as he had a strong propensity to imitate what he saw, he not only acquired the power of reading words, but of tracing all the letters which composed them on the sand.

When the old man found Jack so ready in learning what was proposed to him, he did not stop here, but carried his instructions further. He covered a smooth board with a thin coat of loose fine sand in an even manner; so that letters might be easily formed upon it by the finger, but still more so, and with greater exactness, with the end of a sharp-pointed stick. Upon this Jack soon learned to write; for, as he was very eager to improve, as soon as he had covered the board with letters, he smoothed the sand and began again. The old man, wishing to teach his young scholar as much as he could, looked about through the common and the fields for a slate; and was at last so fortunate as to find one. This he carefully rubbed until it became quite smooth, and then made a slate pencil of a piece which he had broken off. When the slate was finished, he began to teach Jack how to write more neatly and to make figures; and it was surprising how quickly the poor little fellow learned. As the old man knew but little of accounts he was not able to give much assistance in them, but the little he did know he soon taught Jack. Thus, without books or paper, which the poor old soldier could not buy, Jack was enabled to read, write, and do some little matter in accounts. Indeed it is quite wonderful how persons overlook the means which are in their power. We have just seen how the old man made a smooth board covered with sand, and then a slate which he had found lying upon the highway, answer all the purposes which expensive books and papers could.

About this time, the poor goat, which had nursed Jack so faithfully, grew ill and died. He tended her with the greatest affection and assiduity during her illness, brought her the freshest herbs for food, and would frequently support her head for hours together upon his little bosom. But it was all in vain; he lost his poor mammy, as he used to call her, and was for some time inconsolable; for Jack, though his knowledge was bounded, had an uncommon degree of gratitude and affection in his temper. He was not able to talk so finely about love, tenderness, and sensibility, as many other little boys that have enjoyed greater advantages of education; but he felt the reality of them in his heart, and found it so natural to love every thing that loved him that he never even suspected it was possible to do otherwise. The poor goat was buried in the old man’s garden, and thither Little Jack would often come and call upon his poor mammy Nan, and ask her why she had left him. One day, as he was thus employed, a lady happened to come by in a carriage, and overheard him before he was aware. Jack ran in an instant to open the gate; but the lady stopped and asked him who he was bemoaning and calling upon, so pitifully. Jack answered that it was his poor mammy, that was buried in the garden. The lady thought it very odd to hear of such a burial place, and therefore proceeded to question him.—“How did your mammy get her living?” said she. “She used to graze here upon the common all day long,” said Jack. The lady was still more astonished; but the old man came out of his hut, and explained the whole affair to her, which surprised her very much; for though this lady had seen a great deal of the world, and had read a variety of books, it had never once entered into her head, that a child might grow strong and vigorous by sucking a goat instead of eating pap. She therefore looked at Jack with amazement, admired his brown but animated face, and praised his shape and activity. “Will you go with me, little boy?” said she, “I will take great care of you, if you behave well.”—“No,” said Jack, “I must stay with my daddy; he has taken care of me for many years, and now I must take care of him; otherwise I should like very well to go with such a sweet, good-natured lady.”—The lady was not displeased with Jack’s answer, and putting her hand in her pocket, gave him half a crown, to buy him shoes and stockings, and pursued her journey.

Jack was not unacquainted with the use of money, as he had often been sent to the next village to purchase bread and necessaries; but he was totally unacquainted with the use of shoes and stockings, which he had never worn in his life, nor felt the want of. The next day, however, the old man bade him run to town and lay his money out as the lady had desired; for he had too much honour to think of disobeying her commands, or suffering it to be expended for any other purpose. It was not long before Jack returned; but the old man was much surprised to see him come back as bare as he went out.—“Hey, Jack!” said he, “where are the shoes and stockings which you were to purchase?”—“Daddy,” answered Jack, “I went to the shop, and just tried on a pair for sport, but I thought with myself how unfair it would be that I should lay out all the money upon my own wants, without taking any care of yours; now you know, that your old jacket is almost worn out, and that you very much want another; so I laid my money out in a warm new jacket for you, because the winter is coming on, and you seem to be more afraid of the cold than formerly.” Many such instances of conduct did Jack display; from which it was easy to perceive, that he had a generous temper. One failing, indeed, Jack was liable to; though a very good-natured boy, he was too jealous of his honour. His daddy had taught him the use of his hands and legs, and Jack had such a disposition for the art of boxing, that he could beat every boy in the neighbourhood of his age and size.

In this manner lived Little Jack, until he was twelve