“And then,” said I, “I make no doubt you will have great pleasure ‘in throwin’ the Lavender again.”
CHAPTER X. AIMING HIGH.
“What do you intend to do, Squire, with your two youngest boys?” said Mr. Slick to me to-day, as we were walking in the Park.
“I design them,” I said, “for professions. One I shall educate for a lawyer, and the other for a clergyman.”
“Where?”
“In Nova Scotia.”
“Exactly,” says he. “It shews your sense; it’s the very place for ‘em. It’s a fine field for a young man; I don’t know no better one no where in the whole univarsal world. When I was a boy larnin’ to shoot, sais father to me, one day, ‘Sam,’ sais he, ‘I’ll give you a lesson in gunnin’ that’s worth knowin’. “Aim high,” my boy; your gun naterally settles down a little takin’ sight, cause your arm gets tired, and wabbles, and the ball settles a little while it’s a travellin’, accordin’ to a law of natur, called Franklin’s law; and I obsarve you always hit below the mark. Now, make allowances for these things in gunnin’, and “aim high,” for your life, always. And, Sam,’ sais he, ‘I’ve seed a great deal of the world, all military men do. ‘I was to Bunker’s Hill durin’ the engagement, and I saw Washington the day he was made President, and in course must know more nor most men of my age; and I’ll give you another bit of advice, “Aim high” in life, and if you don’t hit the bull’s eye, you’ll hit the “fust circles,” and that ain’t a bad shot nother.’
“‘Father,’ sais I, ‘I guess I’ve seed more of the world than you have, arter all.’
“‘How so, Sam?’ sais he.