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| The Life and Times of Nestor Horaatio Plimsoll 7th
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Nestor was quite well on the eve of the third day. Mrs Towrey had take good care of him and pronounced him fot to travel. Fresh pastys' were baked and packed and clothes were washed.
Nestor was overwhelmed and grateful too. There had been many hours of time when Tom's folks were sure Nestor was a runaway and not nearly twelve years old. Finally he showed his ticket for the coach and the letter of intoduction his mother had given him for his uncles when he arrived over the boarder. All had been satisfied and Toms' father Ewon, has said any one with as many words in his head as young Nestor has had, several years of book learning and was sure to be more than ten summers at least.
So early the next morning Tom and Nestor were filling the goat cart stray and hay. Nesotor was not sure he wanted to ride with the onery goat that tried to tree him when when he was in such distress at the creek, but he could not be choosey.
He was sure his bum was healed enough to stand for one more day of spanking. He liked the idea of walking more and more but as his hostess had pointed out he was small and prone to walk longer, and it might worry his mother to not hear from him or his relatives in a timely manner. Toms father had said a stout heart was not match for robbers if yer frame was small. Nestor had not a single reasonable argue for that statement. so the goat cart and the coach it was. Besides Mrs. Towry had said, ailments such as his can come over a body at any time, it would weaken him and he might not find good help in time. " What wit this trouble wit' the King an' all his men" yes soldiers of the Crown or the opposition might thinkit fun to rob a lad so far from home. Altogether, it was wise then to keep to the original plan for getting to the border lands and to distant family.
Tom was expert at getting the most out of the goats and the trip was slow but comfortable. Nestor and Tom talked all the way to the coach stop. " So what'll yer do when you git to yer uncles clan Nestor? Tom could not imagine life other than as he knew his own. Ay'll study a lot of books, Tom, and learn to fight manly, and gentlemanly, and get to know all sorts of things. "And wha'd'yer think the good o' all them books be Nestor? Tom asked intently and innocently." Nestor thought a moment before answering his new friend. ... "Well s'pose Ay' was to write you a letter Tom? How would you get the words and meanin's? See learnin' such come from books and teachers." Now Tom took a moment to think before he answered. ""Me Dad kin read a bit, knows all his letters and makse out lots o'words. He'll read me my letter, if 'twas to get a letter. Dunno' who's ter write the likes of myself tho'. Why Tom cried Nestor! Ay's could write ye, jes' as plain an easy as anything! Ay'll write ye when I get to my uncles house an' send it! Tom looked surpised and then pleased. Will yer do it Nes? Will yers fer sure? Oh yes and certain sure Tom.Nestor replied. Look here, Nestor drew a tuppence out of his pocket. This here'll be enough fer ye to pick it up and send me one back. If you learn a few letters from yer own da' ye'll be able to post it an' send one back. Ay'll leave a bit o' space on the paper so's ye can answer and not spend on a sheet of parchment. " The excitement in the boys voices would have been a pleasure to hear had any one been near enough to enjoy it. I'll get ye started on learnin' a couple of yer letters Tom. Nesotr offered then yer da' wilt know ye mean to learn from him. " For another half and hour or so the boys worked on letters for Tom. "A" said Nestor "A" is the first letter and it looks a bit like a triangle. or mabbe' an arrow tip... See, your da' will show ye. Tom repeated this knowledge a few times. "B" Tom 'B' is for bird it looks abit like a birds h'ead and round belly if you seen him sideways and not dead on. "A little like a birds body mumbled TOm confusion in his voice. Look h'ere Nestor pointed to a black bird on a tree branch. D'ye see it? He then had Tom stop the cart and drew a large "B" in the road dirt. I see it sure..... I see it exclaimed Tom now do "A" Nes, do the A like a triangle. Nestor drew a captial "A". I see it Nestor I do, I see me letters A and B plain as plain... and me a great lad of ten lerneringa ta' read. Always thougt it was a bother an' a fool waste of time... teach me a word Nes!" Tom's enthusiam had been kindled and Nestor was hard pressed to find a word Tom could handle right off in a few minutes. Finally he setteled on the word "a'." Tom sid Nestor with a will "A" is a letter and a word. It be the smallest of all words.... wha'dyer mean? tom asked as if he felt tricked. Well Nestor pointed think like this. A cart is bein' pulled by "A Goat". S' a word we uses most every day and jus' don't think on it to much..... What??? said Tom? Obviously so confused. A letter and a word? Yes! Said Nestor. 'A' is a letter in the word cart "C- A- R- T" and it is "A' cart bein' pulled by 'A''goat! D'ye see it? D'ye understand. he continued...A cart one cart, the one we are in... and A goat one goat the one pullin' us along! OHHHHHH said TOm iowth suden understaning. A cart and a goat a'goin' along ""A"" road.! That's it Tom, that's it, ye've got it just right. both boys just beamed like sunrise with smiles. They had something between them now that would always be a bond. They had acheived learning together. Nestor had a funny heady sort of feeling. Did it come from helping Tom.? Yes it did indeed. Why...when Tom learned to read it would be less easy for others to trick him or tell him false tales. He may never leave his home but he would not be cheated out of it by false taxes or ignorance. A marvelous piece of satisfaction fell all through him for the knowing of that fact. Soon the cart came to the end of the tree line and the ruts in the road grew deeper. The coach house came in sight. Tom kept repeating "A cart, 'A' goat 'A ' looks like a triangle or a' arrow for birds, and birds looks like a 'B'..... he was not following it as Nestor had told him but he was commiting it to memory. He was armed now with an excited passion to learn as much as his father could teach him....
The boys stopped the cart in the sparse grass a few yards from the coach house. Nestor who had held the tuppence in his hand since he had pulled it from his pocket, now he would give it to Tom."This'll be more''n'enough to post a letter... good bye Tom thank ye m'am agin' for her kindness...." he flipped the coin high in the air and yelled "catch" to Tom. Tom flipped off his hat and caught the coin. He beamed and waved good by as Nestor had taken this time to dash off towards the inn. Tom bit the coin for good measure.... Nestor turned and waved... Tom waved back hugely. He was to have a letter! He had a new freind and he knew two letters and a word. He hupped on the reighns and the cart carefully turned into the road again. any one nearby would have heard the boy saying aloud...."A' is for 'a' cart an 'a' goat. 'A' is a word and 'a' letter. 'A' looks like 'a' triangle or 'a' arrow.... 'a' arrow shoots birds. Birds is like........ "B"........
[IMG]http://i34.tinypic.com/2drdnk6.jpg[/IMG]
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Posted by lampoil on 2008-07-31 17:44:01 | Rating: | Views: 119
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Mrs Towrey had take good care of him for sure.
Lovely having Nessi back
Agape
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Posted by Christianthoughts
on 2008-08-01 17:34:54
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I am enjoying this immensely, lampoil! You have a great gift for the telling of a tale. I'm anxiously awaiting page 8!!
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Posted by BootLady
on 2008-08-09 09:05:18
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God bless you
amen
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Posted by good_news
on 2008-08-09 22:12:57
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Oh this is wonderful.
The thought of another woman so worried about a stranger, a boy, enough to nurse him.
Also giving his friend money to send a letter. The excitement of learning! Never really thought about leaving enough space on a page for a reply. The thought of paying for a single page to send a letter. How we take everything for granted!
Wonderful read so far! Love it. Great job sis!
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Posted by anotherdaze
on 2008-09-29 08:40:49
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