The Talisman: A Tale for Boys

"The Talisman: a Tale for Boys."

In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled "An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned:" and also to an Act entitled "An Act supplementary to an Act, entitled, An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned; and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving and etching historical and other prints."

JNO. W. DAVIS, Clerk of the District of Massachusetts.

PRESS OF PUTNAM & HUNT. 41, Washington Street.

THE TALISMAN.

Frank had heard a great deal about the city, but he had never seen it, for he lived more than a hundred miles from New York, and still farther from Boston. His father and mother had made visits to both these places, several times, but it had never been convenient to them to take Frank. On their return, they always brought him many pretty presents of books or toys, and they told him about every thing they had seen there, which they thought would interest him, and he imagined the city to be the most delightful place in the world.

Frank had no brother, and only one little sister, who was a very pretty play-thing for him, but not much of a companion. There was one boy in the neighbourhood, a farmer's son, with whom Frank played a great deal.

The school was not near them, and Frank's mother had taught him every thing he knew. This was not more than other boys usually know at his age, but Frank thought he knew a great deal, for he had never seen a boy so well educated as himself. In the little village where he lived, none of the other boys were so fortunate as to have mothers, who could spare their time to instruct them, and the school was a poor one, so Frank thought himself very wise. When his mother perceived this, she invited his little friend, the farmer's son, Sam Brown, to come to her house and study with Frank. Sam was a year older than Frank, a good and intelligent boy, and he gladly accepted the invitation. Frank was soon obliged to make unusual exertion to keep up with him, but the pleasure he felt in having a companion in his studies, compensated him for his trouble.

About this time, Mr. Courtland, Frank's father, went to Boston to attend the legislature, of which he was a member. He was absent many weeks, and Frank thought he never would come home. It was winter, and although Frank and Sam were industrious in their studies, and had much amusement in coasting, skating, making snow houses and images, the time appeared very long. At last, the stage which had driven past the house day after day, stopped before the gate, and Mr. Courtland jumped out. Frank was at the bottom of the walk before the trunk was taken off by the driver, and after he had welcomed his father, ran back to be the first to tell the good news to his mother, who was in her own room on the other side of the house, and did not even hear the noise of the carriage.

When Mr. Courtland had got warm and taken tea, he opened his trunk and took out some books and a little printing press, and the model of a mill which could be taken to pieces and put together again, which he presented to Frank; and a beautiful doll dressed in the fashion, and some toys for his little daughter Ann. He also gave Frank a very pretty book, which he had bought for Sam, for he told him that he knew he would be pleased to have Sam get a present as well as himself. Frank ran directly over to the farmer's to carry it, and received as much pleasure in giving the book to Sam, as from those he had for himself.

'Now father,' said Frank, (when he returned,) 'tell me about Boston; shall I ever see it, I wonder?'

'Yes, my dear,' said his father; 'I think you will see it very soon.'

'Are you in earnest?'

'Yes, truly. I have written to your mother about my plans; but I perceive she has not thought it best to tell you.'

'Perhaps she don't intend to let me go,' said Frank.

'I believe she is rather reluctant,' answered Mr. Courtland; but I have persuaded her to consent to it. My plan, Frank, is to send you to school. I have thought for some time, that it would be advantageous to you to go from home, where you would be obliged to act more for yourself than you do now; and where you would learn some things which you cannot learn here.'

'But I am sure,' said Frank, 'mother can teach me anything; and I know now, more than any boy in the village except Sam; who is a year older than I am.'

'Except Sam,' said his father, 'the only boy who has received any good instruction! When you go to a school, my son, you will find many boys, who know more than yourself, and some that are more capable; but I hope you will not find any, more amiable or honest. I think you are a dutiful, good boy, Frank; if I did not, I should not be willing to trust you so far away from your mother and myself.'

'Why, am I to go alone! go without mother!' said Frank.

'Yes:--for neither your mother nor myself wish to go to school: we must stay at home, and take care of little Ann, and the house, and the farm.'

'I don't believe I shall be contented there, without any of my friends; if it is Boston, or the most delightful place in the world.'

'If you are not contented, I shall bring you home; for you could not learn to advantage, unless you were happy; and I should not willingly place you where you were not so.'

'Then I may come home if I don't like it.'

'Yes.'

'I think then, I shall be willing to go.'

'I expect, Frank,' said Mr. Courtland, 'that you will feel a little strange at first, and even homesick; but you will not yield to this, but wait till you have become acquainted with your teachers, and schoolfellows; and see if your studies and amusements do not enable you to get through the day very pleasantly; and then, although you may not like it as well as home, I think you are such a sensible child, that you will content yourself to remain, if it is important to your education that you should do so. But Frank, it is not in Boston, after all, that you are to live, though very near there. I did at first think of letting you reside with your Aunt Willard, and go to some one of the excellent day schools which are kept in Boston; but I heard of a situation a few miles out of the city, which pleased me better. Mr. and Mrs. Reed, who keep it, are delightful people; I went to see them myself. They have a charming house, garden and play ground. Twenty or thirty boys live with them. They have no children of their own; but they love these children, and treat them exactly as if they were really their own. I never saw a school, which appeared to me to possess so many of the pleasures and advantages of home, as this does. Mrs. Reed is particularly lovely in her person, manners, and kind and attentive to the scholars. I expect you will love her next to your mother, before you have been there six weeks.'

'It may be next, father;' said Frank; 'but I think there will be a long, long way between mother and Mrs. Reed, or Mrs. any body else. Am I to go so soon?'

'Not immediately; your mother tells me, she wishes you to write a better hand, to spell correctly, and to get on a little more, in arithmetic first.'

'O, I will be very industrious,' said Frank. 'Why did you not tell me about this plan, mother, when you urged me to study, and said you had a good reason for wishing me to get longer lessons than I had done before?'

'Because,' answered his mother, 'the plan was not decided on; and I hoped my asking it would be the strongest inducement I could offer.'

'Well, I did try, but I should have tried more, if I had known that I was going where all the boys knew so much.'

'This is one reason why I consent to your going,' said his mother. 'I find you do not learn as fast, as with your talents you ought; because you have not the ambition or the sympathy, by which you would be excited, among a number of boys of your own age.'

'Mother, why do you look so sober;' said Frank; 'are you sorry I am going. Father won't send me, unless you consent.'

'I have consented, Frank; because I think it will be for your advantage to go; but I cannot feel happy when I think of parting with you.'

'O mother, don't speak about parting; I shall never be able to go, if you do,--if my staying with you makes you happy, I don't think I ought to go.'

'If you do well and learn fast, and continue as good and innocent as you now are; this will make me happier than even keeping you at home.'

'Well, I am sure I shall do that.'

'Not so sure yet, my dear. You have little idea of the trials and temptations you may meet with; you know you cannot bear trials very well, Frank.'

'But I shall learn to bear them. You told father so, last summer, when I broke my flower-pot.'

'You will learn this better away from home,' said Mrs. Courtland; 'and this is another reason why I consent to your absence.'