“‘Well, I can borrow one somewheres else, I suppose,’” says the suppliant. After the boy has stumbled across the ploughed ground and is fairly over the fence Uncle Tim calls:
“‘Halloo there, you little rascal! What are you goin’ off without the hoe for?’
“‘I didn’t know as you meant to lend it.’
“‘I didn’t say I wouldn’t, did I? Here, come and take it—stay, I’ll bring it; and do tell your father not to be a-letting you hunt squirrels with his hoes next time.’”
Another time Uncle Tim’s daughter, Grace, wants two candlesticks for her party. After long dallying and much coaxing and palavering he stumps off to the village store and brings back a package. He hands Grace one candlestick. Grace says:
“‘But father, I wanted two.’
“‘Why, can’t you make one do?’
“‘No, I can’t; I must have two.’
“‘Well, then, there’s t’other’—taking the second candlestick out of his pocket, and adding, ‘and here’s a fol-de-rol for you to tie round your neck.’”
It is not difficult to see that when the young James wishes to get into the good graces of this prickly old gentleman he will have a hard time. Uncle Tim did not “‘see why the boys need to be all the time a-coming to see Grace, for she was nothing extraordinary after all.’” In this opinion Master James did not at all concur; he thought Grace the most wonderful girl in the world, and he had an idea in regard to her that he was determined to carry out. Moreover, he was of the joyous, buoyant variety of youth who cannot see why their plans should fail. We understand perfectly who stood as model for this earnest, clean, optimistic, merry-hearted young man. Harriet could not have had any one in her mind but the brother that she had so loved and worshiped ever since the days when she led him by the hand down to the Dame School.