Boys are not apt to forget a promise of a story. Frank and Harry didnot fail to call upon their mother for the history of the old musket.
"It appeared to me," said the mother, "that the old musket was not verywilling to tell his story. He had a sort of old republican pride, andfelt himself superior to the rest of the company in character andimportance. When he had made himself heard in the world hitherto, ithad always been by one short, but very decided and emphatic word; hedespised any thing like a palaver; so he began very abruptly, and as ifhe had half a mind not to speak at all, because he could not speak inhis own way.
"None but fools," said he, "have much to say about themselves—'Deeds,not words,' is a good motto for all. But as I would not be churlish,and as I have agreed, as well as the rest of my companions, to tell mystory, I will mention what few things worth relating I can recollect.
I have no distinct consciousness, as my friend the pitcher or thecurling tongs has, of what I was before the ingenuity of man brought meinto my present form. I would only mention that all the differentmaterials of which I was formed must have been perfect of their kind,or I could never have performed the duties required of me.
My first very distinct recollection is of being stood up in the way Iam standing now, with a long row of my brethren, of the same shape andcharacter as myself, as I supposed. This was in a large buildingsomewhere in England. I, like the curling tongs, was at last packed upin a box, and brought to America, but it took a rather larger box totake me and my friends, than it took to pack up him and his friends,with all their thin straddle legs."
Creak went the curling tongs at this personal attack.
"We were brought to this country," continued the old musket, "by anEnglishman. Little did he think how soon we should take part againstour Fatherland, or he would have kept us at home.
One day, the elder brother of the gentleman who owned our little friendcurling tongs came into the shop where I then was, and, after lookingat all the muskets, selected me as one that he might trust. As he paidfor me, he said to the man, "This is an argument which we shall soonhave to use in defence of our liberties."
"I fear we shall," said the shopman, "and if many men are of your mind,I hope, sir, you will recommend my shop to them. I shall be happy tosupply all true patriots with the very best English muskets."
My new master smiled, and took me home to his house in the country.
The family consisted of himself, his wife, and three children—two sonsand a daughter. The eldest son was eighteen, the second sixteen, andthe daughter fourteen. The mistress of the house turned pale when shesaw my master bring me in and quietly set me down in a corner of theroom behind the old clock.
Presently the two young men entered. The younger shuddered a littlewhen he saw me, but the elder clapped his hands and exclaimed, "That'sgood! We have got a musket now, and the English will find out that weknow how to use it!"
"Pray to God, my son," said his mother, "that we may never have to useit."
The boy did not give much heed to what his mother said, but took me up,examined