Page 6 - Adventures of Peterkin Paul

T H E E X P L O I T S OF M I L T I A D E S P E T E R K J N PAUL.

JitlLTIADES' VOVACE W N D THE WOKI-D AN fJ HIM JOURNAL : TUGETHEK WITH KOMU ACCOUNT OK 7IIH
IM K N K Ii TN WHICH HTS VARIOUS ADVENTURES 'VfvHE WI-),fcCTJSli ANB P RESERV ED TO PCSTBW'l'V.

I N a pleasant country farm-house— not very far, herself realised the importance of the event— the
very sun was darkened. W e sEiall understand better
perhaps, from where you live, my dear little
New England reader— there once dwelt a farmer about all this if we listen to a conversation that took
wE]Oie name was Gray. I suppose there are a great place one morning when Miltiades was about five
many other farmers in New England who are named years old,, between him and John Henry Jack,
Gray, and who dwell in farm-house.*;; and this partic­ They were talking of birthdays. The day before
ular Farmer Gray would doubtless have remained all had been John Henry Jack's birthday.
ways as unknown to fame as any of the rest but for “ 1 wish that 1 could have a birthday," said Mil*
one certain member of his family, He had quite a liades. “ Isn't it about time that mine came
large family who lived with him. There was Grand­ around ? "
father Gray, a fine old gentleman who used to sit on “ Nu,lr was the answer. “ You had yours last year
the porch of summer afternoons and nod over the You won't have another until lour years from then.11
weekly paper. There was Grandmother Gray who u But you had one last year ton," said Miltiados.
always s*t there beside him and stroked herc.nr of ■" 1 remember it because Benjamin Franklin gave you
which she was exceedingly fond. And there was fifteen slaps on the back. And now you have just
Mrs. Farmer Gray herself, who was the best wife and had another."
mother in the world. And beside these, there were " Yts ; but you were born on the twenty-ninth day
the three older children, Abiatha Ann, Benjamin of February/' And John Henty Jack went on to ex­
Franklin and John Henry Jack. Abiatha Ann was plain to M i!titides how in leap year, which was once
an accomplished young lady who could hot only play in "four years, February had one extra day, and that
the piano, but could make most excellent doughnuts he had been born on that day. And, of course, his
and waffles as well. And as for Renjamin Franklin birthday would come only every fourth year,
and John Henry Jack, they were stunt, healthy young Miltiades pondered all this v e r y thoughtfnlJy fni
fellows, both of them, who could already swing a some moments.
scythe and guide an os-team as well as the mtn but “ It is lucky for me,” he at length remarked with a
who were always ready for fun and frolic too. sigh of relief, " iliat there happened to tie one more
Nevertheless, it is probable the family would never day In February that year. If there had not, J sup­
have been heard ciF outside the village itself had il pose I never should have been born at all,"
hot been for its j-oungest and final member, IFiltiades “ Yes,” said John 1-Ienry Jack, <L It was certainly
Feterkin Paul. How Miltiades came to have so dis­ a narrow escape. And did you know that the sun
tinguished a name it is impossible now to say. line, was darkened on that day ? ”
from the very first it was evident that lie was destined "N o ,” ' said Miltiades. “ 1 did not notice that it
lo become great. He was born npon an unusual day, was. What made it? ”
to begin with — that is, upon the twenty-ninth of Feb­ “ Why, there was a partial eclipse of the sun on
ruary, which comes, you know, but once In four years. that day," returned John Henry Jack. And then, at
And upon the day of Ids birth — as ihougl) nature Miltiades urgent request, he went on to explain what