Chapter I: Preface

The story of CLINTON is designed mainly to illustrate by example the importance of early habits of obedience and industry; the danger of mingling with unprincipled and vicious companions; and the necessity of being able to say no, when tempted to do wrong. It is also designed to awaken in boys a stronger taste for the quiet and innocent pursuits and pleasures of home-life,—a taste which can hardly be overestimated, as one of the Heaven-appointed safeguards of youthful virtue.

_Winchester, Mass._

ADVERTISEMENT.

“PRECEPTS MAY LEAD, BUT EXAMPLES DRAW.”

“THE AIMWELL STORIES” are designed to portray some of the leading phases of juvenile character, and to point out their tendencies to future good and evil. This they undertake to do, by describing the quiet, natural scenes and incidents of every-day life, in city and country, at home and abroad, at school and upon the play-ground, rather than by resorting to romantic adventures and startling effects. While their main object is to persuade the young to lay well the foundations of their characters, to win them to the ways of virtue, and to incite them to good deeds and noble aims, the attempt is also made to mingle amusing, curious and useful information with the moral lessons conveyed. It is hoped that the volumes will thus be made attractive and agreeable, as well as instructive, to the youthful reader.

Each volume of the “Aimwell Stories” will be complete and independent of itself, although a connecting thread will run through the whole series. The order of the volumes, so far as completed, is as follows:

I. OSCAR; OR, THE BOY WHO HAD HIS OWN WAY.

II. CLINTON; OR, BOY-LIFE IN THE COUNTRY.

III. ELLA; OR, TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF. (_In preparation._)

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

CLINTON AND HIS HOME.

Page.

Description of Brookdale—The house where Clinton
lived—Specimens of his ingenuity—His habit of finding
out how to do things—Annie—Clinton’s mother—Keeping
ducks—Clinton’s poultry—Keeping accounts—His
profits—Obstinate Specky—Ducks bad mothers—The
duck-house—No school—Studying at home—Clinton
at work—A mysterious “but,” 13

CHAPTER II.

JERRY AND OSCAR.

Digging a duck-pond—Bantering—A talk about work—Going
to the pond—Clinton’s hesitation—Afraid
of being laughed at—Ridicule—He yields—Bathing—A
merry time—Unpleasant thoughts—A sail proposed—Clinton’s
remonstrance—His return home—His
companions’ sport—Aground—Laughing at mischief—Character
of Jerry and Oscar—Dangers ahead, 30

CHAPTER III.

TEMPTATION.

The little ducks—Their house and pond—Their first
ducking—An exciting scene—The beautiful and the
ridiculous—Winter wheat—Hard work—A welcome
proposal—The Cross-Roads—Clinton’s errand—Oscar
and Jerry—Gunning—The closed store—Another
successful temptation—The river—The Falls—The
wood-road—The cigars—Temptation again—Why
Clinton yielded—A new sensation—Starting for
home—Another new sensation, not so pleasant—Arrival
home—Sickness—Telling half the truth—Parental
sympathy—What conscience said—Good-night, 43

CHAPTER IV.

CRIME.

The icicle—How evil habits are formed—Stealing pears—Discovery
and flight—A call from Mr. Upham—A
serious matter—A talk about punishment—The culprits
discovered—The flogging of Oscar and Jerry—Its
effects—Fire in the woods—Mr. Upham’s loss—His
suspicions—The warrant—Arrest of Oscar and
Jerry—Mr. Preston’s feelings—Arrival at Squire Walcott’s—A
dreary hour, 61

CHAPTER V.

THE EXAMINATION.

The Justice of the Peace—Oscar’s arraignment—His
feelings—The Squire’s advice—Reading of the complaint—Oscar’s
plea—The witnesses—Mr. Preston’s
opinion of the evidence—Decision reserved—Jerry’s
examination—His confession—Oscar’s recall—His
surprise—Bonds required, but not obtained—Oscar
and the constable—A sad journey—The jail—The
registry—Oscar’s cell—His supper—His father’s arrival
at Brookdale—The case settled—Release from
jail, 73

CHAPTER VI.

JERRY AND CLINTON.

Mr. Preston’s absence—Jerry’s conduct—The rabbits—Disobedience—Its
results—Fate of the rabbits—Lonesomeness
of Jerry—His secret intimacy with Clinton—A
dull scholar—Playing truant—A bad predicament—A
plan of escape—Clinton to be a party—His
objections—The real one not given—Coaxing and
entreaty—Indecision—Tampering with sin—The
forged excuse—Its success, 87

CHAPTER VII.

DISCLOSURES.

How to conquer a hard lesson—Can and can’t—An important
lesson—Clinton’s great mistake—His miserable
position—The social party—Master Eaton and
Mrs. Preston—Inquiries about Jerry—Unpleasant discoveries—A
mystery—Suspicions—Foreboding of
evil—Clinton’s guilt betrayed—Shame and grief—A
request—The confession—Master Eaton’s opinion of
the case—His advice—Jerry’s perplexity, 101

CHAPTER VIII.

CONFESSION.

A peep at Clinton’s home—A talk about him—His return
from school—Sober looks—Whittling—Story of
a whittler—Clinton unburdens his mind—Parental
admonitions—A father’s prayer—Clinton’s punishment—A
lighter heart, 115

CHAPTER IX.

THE RUNAWAY.

A visit from Mrs. Preston—Jerry’s theft and departure—His
mother’s grief—Mr. Davenport’s advice—He
starts in pursuit—His return—Feelings towards Jerry—Temptation
not to be courted, 125

CHAPTER X.

THE JOURNEY.

A long walk—The tavern—The bar-room—Jerry
questioned—A good supper—Sleep—An early call—The
stage ride—Waterville—The depot—A long
ride by railroad—Thoughts of home—Portland—Travelling
by night—Arrival at Boston—Baggage
checks—Carriages—Bare ground—Haymarket
Square by gas-light—Hunting up quarters—The Hotel
clerk—Jerry booked—A lofty bed-room, 132

CHAPTER XI.

BOSTON.

A fine prospect—What next?—Oscar at sea—Breakfast—The
waiters—Crowded streets—Novel sights—An
omnibus incident—Shipping—The ferry-boat—People
Jerry met—The wharf—No boys wanted—The
outward-bound brig—An unexpected chance—Going
to sea in a hurry—Jerry’s thoughtlessness, 147

CHAPTER XII.

THE SAILOR-BOY.

Going down the harbor—The ocean—Jerry’s first lesson
in nautical duties—Four-footed passengers—Seasickness—Repentings—Bob’s
trick—Jerry’s tormentors—Going
to bed—The forecastle—First night
at sea—A rough morning-call—Scrubbing decks—Breakfast—Destination
of the brig—An “Irishman’s
hurricane”—Mother Carey’s chickens—Routine of
work at sea—Iron discipline—A nap at the watch—Insolence
cured—Dangerous associates, 158

CHAPTER XIII.

MARY.

Jerry missed at home—What Mary thought had become
of him—A letter—Disappointment—Clinton’s visits—The
snow-image—A painful contrast—Mary’s
sickness—The doctor—Strange talk—Delirium—Recognition—Inquiries
about Jerry—Mary’s vision—The
last scene—The burial—Heaven, 174

CHAPTER XIV.

THE FORESTS.

March—Clinton’s good conduct—An excursion proposed—Preparations—The
outfit—An early start—Their
destination—The forests—Plenty of wood—Its scarcity in Europe—Great
stumps—A variety of trees—Their
uses—Virtues of birch—Incident in Mr. Davenport’s
school days—The oil of birch—Curious properties
of the birch tree—Uncle Tim’s clearing, 186

CHAPTER XV.

THE CLEARING.

Uncle Tim’s premises—His log house and barn—Dinner—Uncle
Tim’s account of his settlement in the
woods—A table turned into an arm-chair—Splints—Holes
in the floor—The river—A sagacious dog—Bill
and Jim—The barn—The crops—A great fire-place—Supper—A
visit to the river—A talk with
the boys—The settle—“I’ll try”—Uncle Tim’s stories—The
three brothers—An alarm—A bad, but
laughable predicament—Good done by a bear—Going
to bed, 198

CHAPTER XVI.

THE LOGGERS.

The journey resumed—Dreary scenes—Camping in the
woods—Welcome sounds—The loggers’ quarters—Mr.
Jones—Situation of the camp—Description of the
cabins—Their interior—Return of the loggers from
work—Supper—Exchange of provisions—Night in
the camp—Going to work—The three gangs—Clinton’s
rambles—Private marks on the logs—Evening
stories—Log driving—Jams—How they are started—A
fearful scene—Narrow escape—The great
boom—How the logs are got out, 215

CHAPTER XVII.

A TALK IN THE WOODS.

Starting for home—A logger’s life—Mr. Davenport’s
opinion of it—Hard work and small pay—Mr.
Jones’s history—The two boys—Contrast between
their early habits—Henry Jones’s fatal error—Its
consequences—A moose discovered—Its appearance—Fast
travelling—Antlers of the moose—A moose-yard—Hunting
moose—A moose at bay—Home
again, 232

CHAPTER XVIII.

WORK AND PLAY.

Early spring—A dull season for boys—Clinton in the
shop—He makes a settle—The motto—Winter
over—Work on the farm—Taking care of the garden—A
bargain—Contest with weeds and bugs—Secrets
of Clinton’s success—Going to the post-office—A
boyish dispute—Play-ground rhymes—Their
antiquity—The two letters—Curiosity excited—A
letter from Jerry—Unpleasant question—Consulting
the map, 245