One afternoon, some time after this occurrence, as Oscar was sitting with his Aunt Fanny, in her chamber, studying his lessons, a boy of about his age came along, with a gun on his shoulder, and seeing Oscar at the open window, called him, in a low voice—
“Come, Oscar; want to go over to Prescott’s?”
“No, I can’t go; I’ve got my lessons to learn,” replied Oscar.
“How long before you’ll be done?” inquired the boy, whose name was Samuel Hapley, and who lived near by.
“It will take me nearly all the afternoon, I suppose,” replied Oscar.
“Then I’m off,” said the boy, resuming his course.
Oscar watched him somewhat wishfully for a minute or two, as he directed his course through the fields, and then turned to his books. Sam Hapley was the only boy near his own age in that part of the town; and it also happened that he was the only boy in Highburg he had been cautioned against. His aunts and Marcus knew that he could not well avoid forming an acquaintance with Sam, and they did not forbid this; but they earnestly advised Oscar to associate with him as little as possible, and to beware of his evil influence. Sam’s father was intemperate. His mother was sickly, discouraged and disconsolate. The children, of whom Sam was the oldest, were neglected, their father being cross and severe with all of them except the youngest, and their mother always attempting to shield them from his displeasure, even when they had done wrong. The farm wore an air of thriftlessness, and, to crown their misfortunes, it was covered with mortgages.[[2]]
[2]. A mortgage is a pledge of property by a debtor to a creditor to secure a debt. For instance, a man who owns a farm wishes to borrow a thousand dollars, and to secure the lender from loss, he pledges his farm to him. The farm is then said to be mortgaged. The borrower cannot dispose of it, and the lender is, in effect, its real owner, to the amount of his claim, until that claim is paid. If it should not be paid when due, the lender, or mortgagee, as he is called, may sell the farm, after a certain time, and thus get his money back. When an intemperate man mortgages his property, there is little hope that he will ever redeem it.
“You got rid of him pretty easily, that time,” said Miss Lee, as Sam passed along.
“I know it; but I shouldn’t have gone if I had got my lessons,” replied Oscar.